Ali–Frazier Award

The Ali–Frazier Award (known as the Harry Markson Award prior to 2009) is given annually to the fighters who compete in the Boxing Writers Association of America's Fight of the Year. The award has been conferred annually since the BWAA's awards dinner in 2003. The BWAA votes on the best fight of each year regardless of the weight class or nationality of the fighters.

The award was originally named for Harry Markson, a boxing promoter and publicist who served for five years as the president of boxing operations at Madison Square Garden. In 2009, the award was renamed the Ali–Frazier Award in honor of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and their epic fight trilogy. The award is presented with other honors given by the BWAA at an annual awards dinner.

List of winners edit

YearDateLocationWinnerLoserResultWeight classWorld title(s) at stakeNotes
2002May 18Uncasville, Connecticut, United StatesMicky Ward
 United States
Arturo Gatti
 Canada
Majority decision after 10 rounds (95-93, 94-93, 94-94)WelterweightNoneFirst fight in Gatti-Ward trilogy
2003April 26Mashantucket, Connecticut, United StatesJames Toney
 United States
Vassily Jirov
 Kazakhstan
Unanimous decision after 12 rounds (117-109, 117-109, 116-110)CruiserweightIBF cruiserweight title (Jirov)
2004November 27Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesMarco Antonio Barrera
 Mexico
Erik Morales
 Mexico
Majority decision after 12 rounds (115-113, 115-114, 114-114)Super featherweightWBC super featherweight (Barrera)Final fight of trilogy between the two
2005May 7Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesDiego Corrales
 United States
José Luis Castillo
 Mexico
Technical knockout,
in tenth of 12 rounds
LightweightWBC lightweight title (Castillo)
WBO lightweight title (Corrales)
First of two 2005 fights between the two
2006March 18Levallois-Perret, FranceSomsak Sithchatchawal
 Thailand
Mahyar Monshipour
 France
Technical knockout,
in tenth of 12 rounds
Super bantamweightWBA super bantamweight title (Monshipour)
2007September 29Atlantic City, New Jersey, United StatesKelly Pavlik
 United States
Jermain Taylor
 United States
Technical knockout,
in seventh of 12 rounds
MiddleweightWBC and WBO middleweight titles (Taylor)First of two fights between the two
2008March 1Carson, California, United StatesIsrael Vázquez
 Mexico
Rafael Márquez
 Mexico
Split decision after 12 rounds (114-111, 113-112, 111-114)Super bantamweightWBC super bantamweight title (Vázquez)Third fight of the Israel Vázquez-Rafael Márquez rivalry
2009February 28Houston, Texas, United StatesJuan Manuel Márquez
 Mexico
Juan Díaz
 United States
Technical knockout,
in ninth of 12 rounds
LightweightWBO lightweight title (vacant)
WBA (Super) lightweight title (vacant)
First of two fights between the two
2010December 11Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesAmir Khan
 United Kingdom
Marcos Maidana
 Argentina
Unanimous decision after 12 rounds (114-111, 114-111, 113-112)Light welterweightWBA light welterweight title (Khan)Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana
2011July 15New York, New York, United StatesMajority draw after ten rounds (97-93, 95-95, 95-95)
between Delvin Rodriguez and Pawel Wolak
Super welterweightNoneFirst of two fights between the two
2012December 8Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesJuan Manuel Marquez
 Mexico
Manny Pacquiao
 Philippines
Knockout,
in the sixth of 12 rounds
WelterweightNoneFourth fight between the two
2013March 16Carson, California, United StatesTimothy Bradley
 United States
Ruslan Provodnikov
 Russia
Unanimous decision after 12 rounds (115-112, 114-113, 114-113)WelterweightWBO welterweight title (Bradley)
2014April 26Carson, California, United StatesLucas Matthysse
 Argentina
John Molina, Jr.
 United States
Knockout,
in the eleventh of 12 rounds
Light welterweightNone
2015November 21Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesFrancisco Vargas
 Mexico
Takashi Miura
 Japan
Technical knockout,
in the ninth of 12 rounds
Super featherweightWBC super featherweight title (Miura)[1]
2016June 4StubHub Center, Carson, California, United StatesMajority draw after 12 rounds (115-113, 114-114, 114-114)
between Francisco Vargas and Orlando Salido
Super featherweightWBC super featherweight title (Vargas)[2]
2017April 29Wembley Stadium, London, EnglandAnthony Joshua
 United Kingdom
Wladimir Klitschko
 Ukraine
Knockout, after 11 roundsHeavyweightIBF heavyweight title (Joshua)
WBA (Super) heavyweight title (vacant)
Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko[3]
2018April 7The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, United StatesJarrett Hurd
 United States
Erislandy Lara
 Cuba
Split decision
after 12 rounds (113-114, 114-113, 114-113)
Super welterweightWBA (Super) super welterweight title (Lara)
IBF super welterweight title (Hurd)
2019November 7Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, JapanNaoya Inoue
 Japan
Nonito Donaire
 Philippines
Unanimous decision after 12 rounds (117-109, 116-111, 114-113)BantamweightWBA (Super) bantamweight title (Donaire)
IBF bantamweight title (Inoue)
2018-19 World Boxing Super Series Bantamweight final, Naoya Inoue vs. Nonito Donaire[4]
2020October 3MGM Grand Conference Center, Paradise, NevadaJose Zepeda
 United States
Ivan Baranchyk
 Belarus
Knockout,
in the fifth of 10 rounds
Light welterweightNoneJose Zepeda vs. Ivan Baranchyk
2021October 9T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, NevadaTyson Fury
 United Kingdom
Deontay Wilder
 United States
Knockout,
in the eleventh of 12 rounds
HeavyweightWBC heavyweight title (Fury)Final fight of trilogy between the two
2022March 12Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham, EnglandLeigh Wood
 United Kingdom
Michael Conlan
 Ireland
Technical knockout,
in the twelfth of 12 rounds
FeatherweightWBA (Regular) featherweight title (Wood)
2023June 10Toyota Arena, Ontario, CaliforniaJaime Munguía
 Mexico
Sergiy Derevyanchenko
 Ukraine
Unanimous decision after 12 rounds (115-112, 114-113, 114-113))Super MiddleweightNone

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Muhammad Ali – Joe Frazier Award Fight of the Year". Boxing Writers Association of America. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  2. ^ "Vargas vs. Salido Named as BWAA "Fight of The Year"". BoxingScene. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  3. ^ "BWAA List Of Award Winners For The 2018 Dinner". Boxing Writers Association of America. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  4. ^ "Canelo Alvarez Is The BWAA 2019 Fighter Of The Year". Retrieved 10 February 2020.

External links edit