As we are closing out the year, who are the contenders for \u201cFighter of the Year?\u201d Let\u2019s only take a look at Ring Magazine\u2019s champions.<\/p>\n
First and to no one\u2019s surprise the IBF, WBA and WBO World super bantamweight champ \u201cThe Monster\u201d Naoya Inoue, 31-0 (27), of Japan, who is scheduled for his third fight of the year in December against WBC silver champion (in 2004) David \u201cAlan Picasso Romero\u201d Picasso, 32-0-1 (17), of Mexico, at the Mohammed Abdo Arena, Riyadh.<\/p>\n
He knocked out WBO Oriental champ Ye Joon \u201cTroublemaker Pacquiweather\u201d Kim, 21-3-2, by knockout in January. In May, he came off the canvas in the second round before stopping San Antonio\u2019s Ramon \u201cDinamita\u201d Cardenas, 26-2. In September, he defeated former IBF World super bantamweight champion Murodjon \u201cMJ\u201d Akhmadaliev, 14-1, of Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n
On the undercard of Inoue\u2019s card is IBF and WBC World bantamweight champion Junto \u201cBig Bang\u201d Nakatani, 31-0 (24), also of Japan. He\u2019s in with Mexico\u2019s Sebastian Hernandez Reyes, 20-0 (18), out of Tijuana.<\/p>\n
In February, he knocked out Mexico\u2019s David \u201cEl General\u201d Cuellar Contreras, 28-0. In June, he stopped Ryosuke Nishida, 10-0, of Japan.<\/p>\n
Newly crowned WBC World light heavyweight champion David \u201cThe Monster Bandera Roja\u2019 Benavidez, 31-0 (25), out of Miami, FL, in February, as WBC Interim champion, came off the canvas in the eleventh round and defeated Cuban David \u201cOsvary\u201d Morrell, 11-0, of Minneapolis, MN. This month, he stopped Anthony Yarde, 27-3, of the UK.<\/p>\n
IBF and WBO World middleweight champion Zhanibek \u201cQazaq Style\u201d Alimkhanuly, 17-0 (12), of Kazakhstan, in April stopped Anauel Ngamissingue, 14-0, of Congo and France. In December, he is scheduled to fight former IBO Super Welter champ Cuban Erislandy \u201cThe American Dream\u201d Lara, 31-3-3, out of San Antonio, TX.<\/p>\n
Former IBF welterweight champion Jaron \u201cBoots\u201d Ennis, 35-0 (31), of Philadelphia, PA, stopped Eimantas Stanionis, 15-0, of Lithuania in April. In October, he stopped Uisma Lima, 14-1, of Angola.<\/p>\n
WBO World welterweight champ and three-division champ Devin \u201cThe Dream\u201d Haney, 33-0 (15), of Las Vegas, NV, defeated Jose Carlos Ramirez, 29-2, in May. In November, he won his current title by defeating Brian Norman, Jr., 28-0, of Conyers, GA.<\/p>\n
WBC World light champion Shakur Stevenson, 24-0 (11), of Houston, TX, in February stopped Josh \u201cPaddy\u201d Padley, 15-0. In July, he defeated Mexico\u2019s William \u201cCamaron\u201d Zepeda, 33-0.<\/p>\n
WBO world featherweight champ Rafael \u201cEl Divino\u201d Espinoza, 28-0 (24), of Guadalajara, MEX, in May stopped Edward \u201cKid\u201d Vazquez, 17-2, of Ft Worth, TX. In November, he stopped Arnold \u201cAmi\u201d Khegai, 23-2-1, of Ukraine.<\/p>\n
WBC and WBO World super flyweight champion Jesse \u201cBam\u201d Rodriguez, 23-0 (16), of San Antonio, TX, in July stopped Phumelela, 11-0-3, of South Africa. In November, he knocked out Fernando \u201cPumita\u201d Martinez, 18-0, of Argentina.<\/p>\n
Ken Hissner is a seasoned boxing journalist with over 20 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As a senior writer for Boxing News 24, he is well known in the boxing community for his detailed results coverage, in-depth historical pieces, and ringside reports from major events.<\/p>\n