The Boxing Writers Association of America has just unveiled its annual awards for 2024, and it’s been a banner year for boxing. The top honor goes to lineal, unified, and de facto undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. After defeating Tyson Fury twice in 2024, Usyk was named the BWAA Sugar Ray Robinson Fighter of the Year. His epic 12-round clash with Fury on May 18 in Riyadh also earned the prestigious Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier Fight of the Year award.
On the trainer front, Robert Garcia claimed the Eddie Futch Trainer of the Year award. Based in Oxnard, California, Garcia’s work at his boxing academy has been nothing short of exceptional. Throughout the year, he guided rising junior bantamweight sensation Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and new junior middleweight interim titleholder Vergil Ortiz Jnr, while also masterminding the perfect game plan that helped Jose Valenzuela upset Isaac Cruz in August.
Watch Usyk vs. Fury 2 highlights: Watch
Egis Klimas was named the BWAA’s Cus D’Amato Manager of the Year, thanks to his work managing stars like Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko. Klimas played a pivotal role in Lomachenko’s impressive comeback last May in Australia, where the Ukrainian fighter captured a lightweight title after bouncing back from a 2023 defeat.
Additional awards celebrated contributions both inside and outside the ring, with honors going to Bruce Silverglade for his Good Guy award, Marv Albert for Broadcast excellence, Brad Goodman for Meritorious Service, and Prichard Colon and family for their Courage in Overcoming Adversity.
Learn about Usyk’s career here.
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