The BWAA Announces Its 2022 Annual Award Winners

The Boxing Writers Association of America is proud to announce its annual winners for 2022.

Based on his unanimous-decision victories over future Hall of Famer Canelo Alvarez in May, followed by his win over Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez in November, the BWAA, in a vote by its members, have chosen Dmitry Bivol as the 2022 Fighter of the Year.

Bivol makes boxing history as the first Russian fighter to ever win BWAA Fighter of the Year in the 84-year history of the prestigious award.

"This is a great honor," Bivol said. "I'm so happy. I'm glad to hear about the history. I used to look up who the previous award winners were when I was a kid, and now I'm one of them. I make my mark in the history of boxing forever. I'm very proud, and very proud of my team, too. I have the best team in boxing, my manager and my trainer.

"I didn't expect this, but after I beat Ramirez, I thought I had a great year. I believed in my skills and worked hard. I can put a line under this year knowing I did a good job. Thanks to my team and the people who have supported me."

Bivol won over a distinguished class that included 2022 breakout star Hector Luis Garcia, Devin Haney, Naoya Inoue, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Kenshiro Teraji.

Leigh Wood's stunning comeback victory over Michael Conlan in the 12th round to retain the WBA "regular" world featherweight in March is the BWAA 2022 Fight of the Year. The Wood-Conlan classic at the Nottingham Arena makes BWAA history in the short 20-year history of the award in becoming the first Fight of the Year featuring two British boxers.

The other nominees were: Jermell Charlo KO 10 Brian Castano II; Sebastian Fundora KO 9 Erickson Lubin; Joe Joyce KO 11 Joe Parker; Sivenathi Nontshinga W 12 Hector Flores and Jai Opetaia W 12 Mairis Briedis.

Derrick James, for his work in guiding Jermell Charlo to the undisputed junior middleweight championship and Errol Spence in unifying three welterweight titles, is the BWAA 2022 Trainer of the Year. That class included the fine work done in 2022 by Bill Haney, Gennady Mashyanov, Colin Nathan and Bob Santos.

James is a first-time BWAA winner, as is manager Peter Kahn, who won the BWAA 2022 Manager of the Year award over a group that included Luis DeCubas Jr., Bill Haney, Vadim Kornilov and Brian Peters.

Showtime Sr. Vice President and executive producer David Dinkins Jr., one of boxing's most powerful people and one of the sport's biggest proponents who has worked off-camera for decades, is the BWAA 2022 Sam Taub Award winner for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism. That renowned class included Jim Gray, Dave Harmon, Mauro Ranallo and James “Smitty” Smith.

In a move that was long overdue for all he does for boxing, Ed Brophy, Executive Director of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame, is the BWAA 2022 Barney Nagler Award Long and Meritorious Service winner. His class included a recognition of the great work done by John DiSanto, Gordon Hall, Henry Hascup and John Sheppard.

Fabled boxing historian, CompuBox statistician, and longtime journalist Lee Groves is the BWAA 2022 Marvin Kohn Good Guy Award winner among a strong group that included John Scully, Sam Jackson & Andrew Roberts, Jose Ramirez and Gary Russell Jr.

Finally, the BWAA is very proud to announce Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko as winners of the BWAA 2022 John McCain-Bill Crawford Courage Award. They follow the BWAA 2021 McCain-Crawford award winners, and fellow Ukrainians, brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. They exemplify the strength and will of the Ukrainian people, dedicating themselves, at risk of their lives, to aid the relief efforts of Ukraine since the Russian invasion that began in February 2022.

That class included Prichard Colon, Billy Dib, Hall of Fame boxing writer and former BWAA president Bernard Fernandez and Jose Santa Cruz Sr.

In a nomination meeting in December, the BWAA determined the top candidates for each category. All BWAA members were eligible to vote. The annual BWAA awards dinner will take place at a date and time to be determined. It promises to be a great affair, combining the 2012 winners with the current 2022 class.

BWAA 2022 Award Winners:

Sugar Ray Robinson Award Fighter Of The Year 2022 nominees:

Dmitry Bivol

Hector Luis Garcia

Devin Haney

Naoya Inoue

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez

Kenshiro Teraji

Winner: Dmitry Bivol

Muhammad Ali – Joe Frazier Award Fight of the Year 2022 nominees:

Jermell Charlo KO 10 Brian Castano II

Sebastian Fundora KO 9 Erickson Lubin