The Ali–Frazier Award, known alternatively as the Boxing Writers of America Fight of the Year and previously known as the Harry Markson Award prior to 2009, 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 including the Fight of the Century. The award is presented with other honors given by the BWAA at an annual awards dinner.
Past recipients YearDateLocationWinnerLoserResultWeight classWorld title(s) at stakeNotes2002May 18Uncasville, Connecticut, United StatesMicky WardArturo GattiMajority decision after 10 rounds (95–93, 94–93, 94–94)WelterweightNoneFirst fight in Gatti-Ward trilogy2003April 26Mashantucket, Connecticut, United StatesJames ToneyVassily JirovUnanimous decision after 12 rounds (117–109, 117–109, 116–110)CruiserweightIBF cruiserweight title (Jirov)2004November 27Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesMarco Antonio BarreraErik MoralesMajority decision after 12 rounds (115–113, 115–114, 114–114)Super featherweightWBC super featherweight (Barrera)Final fight of trilogy between the two2005May 7Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesDiego CorralesJosé Luis CastilloTechnical knockout,in tenth of 12 roundsLightweightWBC lightweight title (Castillo)WBO lightweight title (Corrales)First of two 2005 fights between the two2006March 18Levallois-Perret, FranceSomsak SithchatchawalMahyar MonshipourTechnical knockout,in tenth of 12 roundsSuper bantamweightWBA super bantamweight title (Monshipour)2007September 29Atlantic City, New Jersey, United StatesKelly PavlikJermain TaylorTechnical knockout,in seventh of 12 roundsMiddleweightWBC and WBO middleweight titles (Taylor)First of two fights between the two 2008March 1Carson, California, United StatesIsrael VázquezRafael MárquezSplit decision after 12 rounds (114–111, 113–112, 111–114)Super bantamweightWBC super bantamweight title (Vázquez)Third fight of the Márquez–Vázquez rivalry2009February 28Houston, Texas, United StatesJuan Manuel MárquezJuan DíazTechnical knockout,in ninth of 12 roundsLightweightWBO lightweight title (vacant)WBA (Super) lightweight title (vacant)First of two fights between the two2010December 11Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesAmir KhanMarcos MaidanaUnanimous decision after 12 rounds (114–111, 114–111, 113–112)Light welterweightWBA light welterweight title (Khan)Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana2011July 15New York, New York, United StatesMajority draw after ten rounds (97–93, 95–95, 95–95) between Delvin Rodriguez and Pawel WolakSuper welterweightNoneFirst of two fights between the two2012December 8Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesJuan Manuel MarquezManny PacquiaoKnockout, in the sixth of 12 roundsWelterweightNoneFourth fight between the two2013March 16Carson, California, United StatesTimothy BradleyRuslan ProvodnikovUnanimous decision after 12 rounds (115–112, 114–113, 114–113)WelterweightWBO welterweight title (Bradley)2014April 26Carson, California, United StatesLucas MatthysseJohn Molina, Jr.Knockout, in the eleventh of 12 roundsLight welterweightNone2015November 21Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesFrancisco VargasTakashi MiuraTechnical knockout, in the ninth of 12 roundsSuper featherweightWBC super featherweight title (Miura)Takashi Miura vs. Francisco Vargas2016June 4StubHub Center, Carson, California, United StatesMajority draw after 12 rounds (115–113, 114–114, 114–114) between Francisco Vargas and Orlando SalidoSuper featherweightWBC super featherweight title (Vargas)2017April 29Wembley Stadium, London, EnglandAnthony JoshuaWladimir KlitschkoKnockout, after 11 roundsHeavyweightIBF heavyweight title (Joshua) WBA (Super) heavyweight title (vacant) Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko2018April 7The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, United StatesJarrett HurdErislandy LaraSplit 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 InoueNonito DonaireUnanimous 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 2020October 3MGM Grand Conference Center, Paradise, NevadaJose ZepedaIvan BaranchykKnockout, in the fifth of 10 roundsLight welterweightNoneJose Zepeda vs. Ivan Baranchyk2021October 9T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, NevadaTyson FuryDeontay WilderKnockout, in the eleventh of 12 roundsHeavyweightWBC heavyweight title (Fury)Final fight of trilogy between the two2022March 12Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham, EnglandLeigh WoodMichael ConlanTechnical knockout, in the twelfth of 12 roundsFeatherweightWBA (Regular) featherweight title (Wood)2023June 10Toyota Arena, Ontario, CaliforniaJaime MunguíaSergiy DerevyanchenkoUnanimous decision after 12 rounds (115–112, 114–113, 114–113)Super MiddleweightNone2024May 18Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaOleksandr UsykTyson FurySplit decision after 12 rounds (115–112, 114–113, 113–114)HeavyweightWBC (Fury)WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring (Usyk)First of two fights between the two2025April 26Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, EnglandChris Eubank JrConor BennUnanimous decision after 12 rounds (116–112, 116–112, 116–112)MiddleweightNoneFirst of two fights between the two
See also The Ring magazine Fight of the Year BWAA Fighter of the Year
References
External links List of award winners. Boxing Writers Association of America official website