Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been nominated for the prestigious ‘Boxer of the Year’ award at the inaugural British Boxing Awards, scheduled to take place on March 28, 2025. This recognition follows a mixed year for Joshua, marked by a stunning victory over Francis Ngannou earlier in 2024 but marred by a surprising defeat to Daniel Dubois in September.
Joshua joins an elite group of nominees, including British heavyweight rival Tyson Fury, and other notable names such as Josh Kelly, Lawrence Okolie, Joshua Buatsi, Chris Billam-Smith, Dennis McCann, Fabio Wardley, Nick Ball, and Dubois.
In the female category, Ireland’s Katie Taylor leads the nominations following her thrilling defence of the undisputed super-lightweight title against Amanda Serrano in November. Also nominated are Savannah Marshall, Natasha Jonas, Charley Davison, Lauren Price, Terri Harper, Sandy Ryan, Caroline Dubois, and Ellie Scotney.
The awards, sponsored by Applied Nutrition, aim to honour excellence across various categories, including Boxer of the Year, Business of the Year, Boxing Journalist/Pundit of the Year, Out of the Ring Award, and Coach/Trainer of the Year.
Boxing icons Ricky Hatton and Nicola Adams will host the event, which will also feature a special Outstanding Contribution to the Sport of Boxing award. Promoter Eddie Hearn and Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh are among the nominees in this category.
“This is an incredible shortlist. The British Boxing Awards will shine a light on the people and organisations contributing to the phenomenal growth of the sport,” said Nicola Adams.
Hatton added, “This is a landmark moment for UK boxing, highlighting the incredible talent and hard work that’s driving the sport forward. It’s going to be a wonderful event.”
The inaugural ceremony represents the first comprehensive recognition of achievements both in and out of the ring, celebrating the athletes and stakeholders driving the sport’s growth and success.
