The boxing world is still in a state of hangover from the a pandemic that ripped the sport of boxing apart in the last few years but this past year feels like its once more gaining momentum that fight fans are clamouring for.

The fairer sex led the way with a multitude of unification contests whilst the new generation of talent made their way into the boxing spotlight, shining brighter than ever.

So yeah I suppose you could call 2022 a small victory that is far from previous that have force fed us below average match-ups. Below is opinion on who I believe rose to the top:

Fighter of the Year:

Dmitry Bivol

Dmitry Bivol will be the consensus option in this category due to his brilliant outpointing of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. Up until this point the Mexican had run through opposition like a hot knife through butter regardless of weight class, so when the news came of opposition in the form of the Tokmak born pugilist it was overestimated that he too would be the next notch on the bedpost.

Bivol didn’t get that particular memo, He not only outpointed Canelo he did so with the feeling of domination leaving the most knowledgable boxing aficionados to question their earlier prediction.

Zurdo Ramirez was up next, feeling the need to restore Mexican pride but he too fell by the wayside with a one-sided demonstration of the Russian’s hold on the Light Heavyweight division.

This being the reason why he is our fighter of the year for 2022.

Women’s Fighter of the Year:

Katie Taylor

Katie is usually a automatic pick when it comes to this category but this year was one which brought with it a multitude of options with Incredible performances from the female region of the sport.

Claressa Shields showcased her boundless talent in outpointing Savannah Marshall in a fashion that tips the scales in her direction of a pick but for us at TopClassBoxing Katie once again reigns supreme.

Defeating Amanda Serrano in a gutsy performance before capping off 2022 with a unanimous decision over Karen Carabajal was enough to crown Taylor our Female fighter of the year.

KO of the Year:

Cordina Vs. Ogawa / Plant Vs. Dirrell

The Welshman is not known for his power having previously racked up most of his victories by decision so it came as quite the surprise to see him unleash a right hand that instantly dropped the favoured Ogawa to the canvas with no hope of returning upright in the time allotted.

I went back and forth with this pick so took the easier path of just picking both. Caleb Plant shares the honour with Cordina for his knockout of his long running nemesis Andre Dirrell which he added insult to injury with the reference to a grave digger putting soil over his fallen foe.

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Fight of the Year:

Taylor Vs. Serrano

It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to acknowledge Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano was one that would always produce fireworks, but even so it was mesmerising to witness the non-stop action packed encounter that unfolded before our eyes.

Such was the fascination of the contest it had me throwing down my trusty scorecard to enjoy myself as a boxing fan more so than a boxing journalist.

Its a fight that I have watched countless times each time leaving me with a smile upon my face and the feeling that boxing is most certainly the greatest of all sports.

Upset of the Year:

Garcia Vs. Colbert

Stepping into the fold as a late replacement, Hector Garcia albeit an unbeaten fighter himself was not thought to cause the highly touted Chris Colbert any issue but that is exactly what he produced, annihilating him on route to a wide decision victory.

Colbert was the pick to be in the lead group of prospects who would go on to become world champions (still could be the case) but on this occasion he was given a very valuable experience in his apprenticeship in the sport.

Breakout Star of the Year:

Jesse Rodriguez

It was only a matter of time before the boxing public would become aware of untapped potential of the Texan native. Three fights witnessed ‘Bam’ capture the WBC super flyweight title with a win over Carlos Cuadras before going on to hand similar outcomes to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Israel González in a year that can be debated upon as being the best resume of all his contemporaneities.

Prospect of the Year:

Keyshawn Davis

Keshawn’s level of opposition as risen substantially in the last twelve months, beating the likes of Esteban Sanchez, Omar Tienda Bahena and former title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos.

This category usually holds a lot of candidates who are steadily making their way in the professional ranks but Keyshawn is the front runner of that group with high expectation heaped on his young shoulders.

Trainer of the Year:

Derrick James

A stable that includes Errol Spence Jr, Jermell Charlo, Frank Martin and the emerging talent of Burley Brooks, it goes without saying that the leadership of James as once again been on show in 2022. A previous winner for this category for more than a few boxing sites, this too was a no-brainer for me personally.