1 Dmitry Bivol

Not content material with beating only one Mexican star in 2022, Russia’s Dmitry Bivol managed to comply with up a breakout efficiency in opposition to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in Might with an equally convincing thrashing of Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in November. Certainly, regardless of what a number of the scorecards might have stated, Bivol misplaced only a few of the 24 rounds he spent within the firm of each Alvarez or Ramirez and basically taught two fighters fuelled by lengthy unbeaten runs a boxing lesson. He additionally hit the brakes on the progress of not solely the game’s present primary Mexican famous person but in addition a person who was being tipped to hold that mantle sooner or later.

2 Jesse Rodriguez

Nowhere close to a listing like this in 2021, this yr occurred to be the yr Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez transitioned from scorching prospect to champion in a single big leap, taking a battle at brief discover in an unnatural weight class to bang down the door and let his voice be heard. This strategy paid off in spades again in February, when he stepped as much as super-flyweight to dethrone Carlos Cuadras, and he was then simply as spectacular when stopping Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in eight rounds in June. He completed the yr with a 12-round choice win in opposition to Israel Gonzalez, when, on the tender age of twenty-two, Rodriguez performed the chief help position to Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin III in Las Vegas.

3 Shakur Stevenson

After first making a splash as a featherweight, 2022 was the yr Shakur Stevenson actually introduced himself at super-featherweight, constructing on a 2021 win in opposition to Jamel Herring to broadly outpoint main rivals Oscar Valdez and Robson Conceicao. Each these opponents regarded well-matched with Stevenson on paper, but the American has, at simply 25, already developed a knack for making the supposedly troublesome look straightforward.

4 Jack Catterall

As unusual as it could appear to function on this record a fighter who didn’t formally “win” a battle in 2022, such was the standard of Jack Catterall’s efficiency in a February super-lightweight title battle in opposition to Josh Taylor, and so heinous had been the eventual scorecards, he greater than deserves his place. From spherical one to 12 that evening in Glasgow, Catterall boxed fairly superbly, even dropping Taylor, the champion, within the eighth spherical, and would have, in every other sport, been rewarded for his brilliance with a well-deserved, career-defining victory. However, alas, that is boxing.

5 Oleksandr Usyk

Though on the face of it Usyk’s 2022 seems no completely different than his 2021, it’s essential to bear in mind the context and duress underneath which he carried out, and to additionally emphasise the significance of eradicating all doubt by beating Anthony Joshua a second time in August. To take action within the yr by which Ukraine, his house nation, went to warfare with Russia is a testomony to not solely Usyk’s psychological fortitude however his willingness to step up, again himself, and ignore any and all potential excuses.

6 Devin Haney

Few can be eager to rewatch the 2 fights anytime quickly, but Haney’s back-to-back victories over George Kambosos in Australia this yr deserve recognition and respect. Pitching a one-sided boxing lesson in each (one in June, the opposite in October), he tamed a person in Kambosos who not solely had the backing of house help however had simply crushed Teofimo Lopez in a career-best efficiency.

7 Jai Opetaia

Australian southpaw Opetaia was unproven and comparatively unknown earlier than his title problem in opposition to cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis in July. Nonetheless, after 12 scintillating rounds on the Gold Coast, the 27-year-old had effectively and actually confirmed himself as each a warrior and the brand new primary at 200 kilos.

8 Jermell Charlo

After the frustration of a break up draw with Brian Castano in 2021, Charlo was adamant he would make the gulf between them a lot clearer in 2022. And this he did, too, enjoying his half in among the finest fights of the yr earlier than, in spherical 10, knocking Castano out to verify as soon as and for all his supremacy at super-welterweight.

9 Naoya Inoue

“Monster” Inoue ended the yr with a routine and considerably disappointing eleventh spherical stoppage of an overmatched Paul Butler, but started the yr with a much more thrilling and significant second-round dismissal of previous rival Nonito Donaire. That was a battle many assumed can be aggressive, primarily based on their titanic first battle in 2019, however Inoue had different concepts, exploiting his opponent’s advancing age with the quickest and scariest of begins.

10 Kenshiro Teraji

WBA and WBC super-flyweight belt-holder Teraji rebounded from a troublesome 2021, a yr by which he suffered his first professional loss, to each precise revenge on his conqueror and likewise win a “Struggle of the 12 months” contender in 2022. He began the yr by stopping Masamichi Yabuki in three rounds in March, avenging his 2021 loss to Yabuki, after which waged an exhilarating warfare with Hiroto Kyoguchi, ultimately prevailing within the seventh-round of a mini traditional.

British Fighter of the 12 months

1 Jack Catterall

2 Tyson Fury

3 Joe Joyce

4 Leigh Wooden

5 Joe Cordina

6 Chris Billam-Smith

7 Sunny Edwards

8 John Ryder

9 Dan Azeez

10 Maxi Hughes