As 2023 draws to a close, the boxing world is abuzz with one critical question: Who deserves the title of “Fighter of the Year”? The debate centers around two exceptional athletes – Naoya Inoue and Terence Crawford, each with a year filled with triumphs and defining moments in the ring.

Naoya “The Monster” Inoue, the Japanese phenomenon, has continued his ascent in the boxing world with an impeccable record of 26-0, including 23 KOs. His journey through 2023 was nothing short of spectacular. Starting the year with a unification of the bantamweight titles, Inoue knocked out WBO champion Paul Butler in an impressive 11th round finish in December 2022. But Inoue's ambitions were not just confined to one division. He relinquished his bantamweight titles to make a bold move to the super-bantamweight division. In this new class, he continued his dominance, first by claiming the WBC and WBO titles against Stephen Fulton in July, and then solidifying his place as an undisputed champion with a knockout against Marlon Tapales. His remarkable feat of becoming the undisputed champion in two divisions within 378 days has placed him at the forefront of the 'Fighter of the Year' discussion.

Terence “Bud” Crawford’s year, on the other hand, was defined by a single, yet monumental victory. Crawford, with an undefeated record of 40-0 (31 KOs), has solidified his status as a dominant force in the welterweight division. The pinnacle of his 2023 campaign was the highly anticipated and long-awaited bout against Errol Spence Jr. in July. In a showdown that captured the imagination of the boxing world, Crawford emerged victorious with a ninth-round TKO, unifying the WBO, WBA, WBC, and IBF welterweight titles. This victory marked him as the first male boxer in the four-belt era to achieve undisputed status in two different weight classes.

The year was not without its drama outside the ring. A backstage confrontation between Crawford and Spence Jr. at the Maurice Hooker vs Alex Saucedo fight added fuel to their rivalry, setting the stage for their eventual clash. While other fighters like Francis Ngannou and Anthony Joshua also made headlines, it is Inoue and Crawford’s achievements that have captivated the boxing community.

Image Credit: DAZN