The Ring's annual awards, led by Fighter of the Year since 1928, are boxing's longest-running honors.
The Ring magazine's year-end awards are boxing's longest-running honours, led by Fighter of the Year, which the magazine has named since 1928. Other categories include Fight, Knockout, Upset, Round, Prospect and Trainer of the Year, plus a female Fighter of the Year.
Since the 2024 awards, The Ring has presented them at an annual gala.
Latest results
2025 Ring Awards — January 30, 2026, Cipriani, New York, New York.
2025 award winners
| Award | Winner | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Fighter of the Year | Terence Crawford | Beat Canelo Álvarez for the undisputed super middleweight title, Sep 13, 2025 |
| Female Fighter of the Year | Mizuki Hiruta | |
| Fight of the Year | Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn (first fight) | |
| Knockout of the Year | Brian Norman Jr. | Fifth-round KO of Jin Sasaki, Tokyo, Jun 19, 2025 |
| Upset of the Year | Jose Armando Resendiz | Split decision over Caleb Plant |
| Round of the Year | Seiya Tsutsumi vs. Daigo Higa | Round 9 |
| Prospect of the Year | Emiliano Vargas | |
| Trainer of the Year | Shingo Inoue |
History & key moments
| Year | Moment |
|---|---|
| 1928 | First Ring Fighter of the Year |
| 2024 | First Ring Awards gala; Oleksandr Usyk wins three awards |
| 2025 | Terence Crawford is Fighter of the Year |
A fan's guide
The Ring's awards are chosen by the magazine's editorial board, and its Fighter of the Year list going back to 1928 is one of the best ways to trace boxing history.
The 2026 awards will consider fights through December; watch for heavyweights Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic in the Fighter of the Year conversation.
Our take
The Ring's awards carry more weight than most because of their history, and the 2025 choices were sound: Crawford was the only credible Fighter of the Year.
The categories we pay most attention to are Prospect and Trainer of the Year, which tend to identify the next generation before anyone else does.
What's next
The 2026 Ring Awards are expected in early 2027. Our early view: Daniel Dubois has the strongest heavyweight case for Fighter of the Year so far.
Latest coverage
Coverage of the next edition will appear here.
FAQ
Who was The Ring's 2025 Fighter of the Year?
Terence Crawford.
When did The Ring start naming a Fighter of the Year?
1928.
What was the 2025 Fight of the Year?
Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn (first fight).