The 2025 Ring Awards: Nominees for trainer, fighter, KO of the year & more to be revealed

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Keith Idec

RingMagazine.com |7 hours ago

The 2025 Ring Awards: Nominees for trainer, fighter, KO of the year & more to be revealed

The Ring’s second annual awards gala is scheduled for the night of Friday, January 30 in New York.

Nominees for the eight awards that will be revealed the night before “The Ring 6” card at Madison Square Garden will be released throughout the day today. This story will be updated hourly, after each group of nominees is posted on our social media channels.

The event is not open to the public a week from Friday night, but it can be viewed via several Ring social media channels. More details to come.

FIGHT OF THE YEAR

(Listed alphabetically)

Dmitry Bivol def. Artur Beterbiev II, MD 12

These elite-level light heavyweights engaged in a physical chess match February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Bivol overcame a rough stretch in the middle rounds and beat Beterbiev on two scorecards to become undisputed 175-pound champ. His 116-112, 115-113, 114-114 win enabled Bivol to avenge his majority-decision defeat to Beterbiev four months earlier in Riyadh.

Kenshiro Teraji def. Seigo Yuri Akui, TKO 12

Teraji rocked Akui during an onslaught in the 12th round and stopped him to eliminate the need for scorecards in their fan-friendly flyweight title unification clash March 13 in Tokyo. Akui led this back-and-forth battle between Japanese champions, respectively ranked No. 2 (Teraji) and No. 3 (Akui) by The Ring, on two scorecards through 11 rounds.

Chris Eubank Jr. def. Conor Benn I, UD 12

Benn battled Eubank as best he could, even though he moved up higher in weight than he preferred for this family grudge match April 26 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. He had his moments in this entertaining 12-round middleweight bout, but Eubank landed the more effective punches and won a unanimous decision, 116-112 on all three scorecards.

Naoya Inoue def. Ramon Cardenas, TKO 8

Japan’s Inoue got up from a second-round knockdown and regained control of their junior featherweight title fight May 4 in Las Vegas. San Antonio’s Cardenas was stubborn, but Inoue eventually sent him to the canvas in the seventh round and recorded an eighth-round stoppage to retain his Ring, IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 122-pound crowns.

Abdullah Mason def. Sam Noakes, UD 12

Cleveland’s Mason abandoned his game plan to engage in a brutal bout with the hard-hitting Noakes on “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” card November 22 in Riyadh. A determined Mason waged war on the inside, took Noakes’ power and battered the previously unbeaten Brit on his way to winning the then-vacant WBO lightweight title by unanimous decision (117-111, 115-113, 115-113).

FEMALE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

(Listed alphabetically)

Evelin Bermudez

Argentina’s Bermudez (22-1-1, 8 KOs) produced two impressive victories in 2025. She defeated Japanese veteran Tenkai Tsunami by unanimous decision to retain her IBF and WBO junior flyweight titles March 8 in San Lorenzo, Argentina. Then she dropped undefeated Canadian contender Sara Bailey twice in the first round of a fight she needed only 1:47 to win by technical knockout September 20 in Ottawa.

Mizuki Hiruta

The Ring/WBO junior bantamweight champ defended her titles four times last year. Japan’s Hiruta (10-0, 2 KOs) barely lost a round in winning an eight-round technical decision and then three straight 10-round unanimous points decisions.

Mikaela Mayer

Mayer moved up to the junior middleweight division to face Canada’s Mary Spencer, whom she soundly defeated on points to become a three-division champ October 30 in Montreal. A 2016 U.S. Olympian, Mayer’s first appearance of 2025 resulted in a gratifying, thorough, unanimous-decision victory over England’s Sandy Ryan in their rematch March 29 in Las Vegas. Mayer (22-2, 5 KOs) retained her WBO welterweight title, which she took from Ryan by winning their dogfight six months earlier.

Ellie Scotney

England’s Scotney (11-0) retained her IBF and WBO junior bantamweight titles when she out-classed undefeated New Zealander Mea Motu on January 25 in Nottingham. Scotney added the WBC belt to her collection in her second and final fight of 2025 – another 10-round, unanimous-decision victory over Mexico’s Yamileth Mercado on July 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Katie Taylor

The Irish star’s third win against rival Amanda Serrano seemed like her most convincing victory of the three. Taylor (25-1, 6 KOs) clearly outboxed Brooklyn’s Serrano on July 11 at Madison Square Garden, where Taylor withstood severe trouble in the fifth round and narrowly won their first brutal bout by split decision in April 2022. Taylor retained her Ring, IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 140-pound champions by beating Serrano again in the 39-year-old legend’s only appearance of 2025.

KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR

(Listed chronologically)

Fabio Wardley def. Justis Huni KO 10

Australia’s Huni out-boxed Wardley fairly easily before the unbeaten Brit blasted him with a perfectly executed right hand that dumped Huni flat on his back just after the midway mark of the 10th round June 7 in Wardley’s hometown of Ipswich, England. Huni beat the count, but referee John Latham still stopped their scheduled 12-round bout. Wardley trailed by scores of 89-82, 89-82 and 88-83 entering the 10th round.

Brian Norman Jr. def. Jin Sasaki KO 5

Norman knocked Sasaki unconscious with a sweeping left hook in the fifth round of their fight for Norman’s WBO welterweight title June 19 in Tokyo. The heavy-handed Norman dropped Sasaki twice in the first round before he finished the Japanese contender four rounds later.

Oleksandr Usyk def. Daniel Dubois KO 5

Ukraine’s Usyk drilled Dubois with a left hand that landed to the middle of the former IBF heavyweight champion’s face and sent him to the canvas for the second time in the fifth round July 19 at Wembley Stadium in London. A disoriented Dubois couldn’t beat referee Michael Griffin’s count, which made the undefeated Usyk undisputed champion again.

Jesse Rodriguez def. Fernando Martinez KO 10

San Antonio’s Rodriguez emphatically ended their junior bantamweight championship unification clash with a left hand that knocked Argentina’s Martinez flat on his back in the 10th round. Martinez didn’t answer the count on “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” card November 22 in Riyadh, which enabled Rodriguez to add the WBA 115-pound crown to his Ring, WBC and WBO belts.

Frank Martin def. Rances Barthelemy KO 4

Martin hammered Barthelemy with a left hand that left Barthelemy sprawled out on the canvas in the fourth round of their junior welterweight bout December 6 in San Antonio. Referee James Green immediately waved an end to their scheduled 10-rounder on the Isaac Cruz-Lamont Roach undercard. His electrifying knockout came in Martin’s first fight since Gervonta Davis knocked him out 17 months earlier.

ROUND OF THE YEAR

(Listed chronologically)

Callum Smith vs. Joshua Buatsi, 6

Smith battered Buatsi with left hooks to the head and body before his right hand rocked his fellow Brit in the middle minute of the sixth round February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Buatsi seemed to fade, but he stunned Smith with a left hook of his own toward the end of the sixth. Smith won their 12-round light heavyweight bout by unanimous decision (119-110, 116-112, 115-113).

Seiya Tsutsumi vs. Daigo Higa, 9

Higa’s left hook knocked Tsutsumi to the seat of his trunks in the middle minute of the ninth round of their bantamweight rematch February 24 in Tokyo. Tsutsumi got up and landed an overhand right that sent an overly aggressive Higa to the canvas face first toward the end of the ninth. That shot hurt Higa badly, but Tsutsumi ran out of time to finish him. Higa recovered and they settled for a rare unanimous draw, 114-114 on all three scorecards. Their first fight resulted in a 10-round majority draw in October 2020.

Kenshiro Teraji vs. Seigo Yuri Akui, 12

Japan’s Teraji was down by a point apiece on two scorecards entering the 12th round of their flyweight title unification match March 13 in Tokyo. Teraji knew he needed a knockout and acted accordingly by bombarding his countryman with various power punches that prompted referee Katsuhiko Nakamura to step between them and halt the action with 1:29 to go in the final round. Akui was hurt and exhausted, but on his feet when their bout ended.

Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn I, 12

A spent Benn displayed an abundance of courage by taking several vicious left hooks from Eubank in the final three minutes of their first fight April 26 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Benn threw back as hard as he could, but he couldn’t hurt Eubank, who won their grueling grudge match by the same score, 116-112, on all three cards.

Filip Hrgovic vs. David Adeleye, 8

Hrgovic dropped London’s Adeleye with a right hand early in the eighth round of their heavyweight fight August 16 in Riyadh. Adeleye composed himself, beat the count and cracked Hrgovic with a left hook that got his attention soon thereafter. The resilient Adeleye unleashed a barrage of power punches later in the eighth, but the courageous Croatian contender took those shots and fired back with hard punches of his own. Hrgovic won their 10-rounder by unanimous decision (99-90, 99-90, 98-91).

UPSET OF THE YEAR

(Listed chronologically)

Rolando Romero def. Ryan Garcia, UD 12

A motivated Romero ruined Garcia’s rematch with Devin Haney in the main event of The Ring’s card May 2 at Times Square in New York. North Las Vegas’ Romero dropped Garcia, who entered their bout as an 11-1 favorite, in the second round and won their fight for the WBA’s secondary welterweight title by unanimous decision (118-109, 115-112, 115-112).

Ekow Essuman def. Josh Taylor, UD 12

England’s Essuman outworked the former undisputed junior welterweight champ to win a unanimous decision May 24 in Glasgow, Scotland. Taylor was a 3-1 favorite, despite that he had lost back-to-back bouts to Ring 140-pound champ Teofimo Lopez and rival Jack Catterall. Scotland’s Taylor retired following this loss due to an eye injury.

Armando Resendiz def. Caleb Plant, SD 12

Plant, a former IBF 168-pound champ, was listed as at least a 20-1 favorite by several sportsbooks. Mexico’s Resendiz delivered the best performance of his career and upset Las Vegas’ Plant by split decision May 31 in Las Vegas. Resendiz won 116-112 on two scorecards, whereas Plant won 115-113 on a third card.

Ricardo Sandoval def. Kenshiro Teraji, SD 12

Japan’s Teraji was at least a 6-1 favorite according to most sportsbooks, but Southern California’s Sandoval upset him by split decision to win the WBC flyweight title from him July 30 in Yokohama. Sandoval overcame a knockdown and won 117-110 and 115-112 on two scorecards, despite that he fought in Teraji’s home country. The esteemed Teraji, who won world titles in two weight classes, edged Sandoval 114-113 on one card.

Fabio Wardley def. Joseph Parker, TKO 11

New Zealand’s Parker, a former WBO heavyweight champ, was a 4-1 favorite to defeat the comparatively inexperienced Wardley. England’s Wardley withstood Parker’s hardest punches and hurt him again in the 11th round, when their fight for the WBO interim title was stopped October 25 at O2 Arena in London. Wardley ended the remarkable run Parker made by beating Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole in his three previous fights.

TRAINER OF THE YEAR

(Listed alphabetically)

Robert Garcia

Garcia, who won this award last year, guided Ring/WBA/WBC/WBO 115-pound champ Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez to two impressive victories over former WBA champ Fernando Martinez and previously undefeated Phumelela Cafu in 2025. The Riverside, California-based Garcia also trains WBC interim super welterweight champ Vergil Ortiz, who soundly defeated former WBA champ Israil Madrimov on points and knocked out respected contender Erickson Lubin in the second round last year.

Rudy Hernandez

Los Angeles’ Hernandez has done his best work with three-division champ Junto Nakatani. Japan’s Nakatani withstood a tough test from then-unbeaten Mexican Sebastian Hernandez in his final fight of 2025, but the strong southpaw dealt three fighters their first loss in each of his three outings last year. Rudy Hernandez also works with WBO flyweight champ Anthony Olascuaga, who defended his 112-pound crown three times in 2025.

Shingo Inoue

Japan’s Inoue instructed his son, Naoya, to four victories last year, including a decisive, impressive 12-round points win against nemesis Murodjon Akhmadaliev. Naoya Inoue is The Ring’s junior bantamweight champ and No. 2 on our pound-for-pound list. Shingo Inoue also helped prepare his younger son, Takuma, to win the WBC bantamweight title. Takuma captured that vacant WBC belt by beating countryman Tenshin Nasukawa unanimously on points November 24 in Tokyo.

Brian McIntyre

Terence Crawford’s career-long trainer guided the recently retired five-division champion to a legacy-defining defeat of Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez, whom Crawford convincingly outpointed in their 12-round super middleweight championship clash September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Earlier last year, McIntyre trained Keyshawn Davis for Davis’ fourth-round destruction of then-unbeaten Ukrainian Denys Bernichyk, which won Davis the WBO lightweight title.

Manny Robles

The underrated Robles was in Armando Resendiz’s corner when the Mexican contender upset Caleb Plant by split decision to win the WBA’s secondary super middleweight championship May 31 in Las Vegas. Robles, most known for working with former unified heavyweight champ Andy Ruiz when he upset Anthony Joshua in June 2019, also trains Ring/WBO junior bantamweight women’s champ Mizuki Hiruta, who went 4-0 last year.

PROSPECT OF THE YEAR

(Listed alphabetically)

Pat Brown

This 26-year-old light heavyweight displayed plenty of star potential by knocking out each of his five opponents inside of five rounds in 2025. Brown (5-0, 5 KOs), a 2024 Olympian from Greater Manchester, England, intends to step up his level of opposition after stopping Dominican veteran Felix Valera in the second round November 1.

Jhon Orobio

The Colombian-born, Montreal-based Orobio (16-0, 14 KOs) has torn through his opposition since he made his pro debut in March 2023. This ascending, 22-year-old junior welterweight went 4-0 against more formidable foes in 2025 and produced three quick knockouts. Orobio is set to oppose Puerto Rico’s Yomar Alamo (22-5-1, 13 KOs) on March 5 at Casino de Montreal.

Reito Tsutsumi

This 23-year-old Japanese southpaw is powerful, as Tsutsumi showed when the emerging junior lightweight knocked out each of his final three opponents of 2025. A Ring ambassador, Tsutsumi (4-0, 3 KOs) has taken advantage of his placement on high-profile cards and wants to face more experienced, imposing opposition this year.

Ben Whittaker

“The Surgeon” is 28, yet this light heavyweight remains in the developmental phase of his promising career. Whittaker (10-0-1, 7 KOs) fought just twice in 2025, but the West Bromwich, England native stopped Liam Cameron in the second round of their rematch April 20. The 2020 Olympic silver medalist punctuated his year by knocking out durable German Ben Gavazi (19-2, 13 KOs) in the first round November 29.

Emiliano Vargas

The most talented of former junior middleweight champ Fernando Vargas’ three fighting sons, Las Vegas’ Vargas (16-0, 13 KOs) has all the makings of a future star. This fast-handed, hard-hitting junior welterweight knocked out his first three opponents of 2025, before he went 10 rounds for the first time in a wide win over Jonathan Montrel on November 15. Vargas, 21, is scheduled to square off against Argentina’s Agustin Quintana (22-2-1, 13 KOs) on February 28 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.