2019 Boxing Fight Of The Year Nominees

Welcome to The Queensberry Rules’ annual year-end boxing awards, continuing throughout this week. Here’s how we do it around these parts:

The major categories are Knockout of the Year, Fight of the Year and Fighter of the Year. For each category, we give five finalists, with video and/or relevant info. On the second day after a category is introduced, we’ll give you the winner and explain why.

Previously: Knockout of the Year nominees. On deck: Knockout of the Year winner and Fighter of the Year nominees.

FIGHT OF THE YEAR FINALIST NOMINEES (in chronological order)

Julian Williams vs Jarrett Hurd

Williams got his redemption arc. But Hurd didn’t just hand it to him — far from it.

Jose Ramirez vs Maurice Hooker

Not a lot of flirting in this one. An awful lot of power punching, and the only one here that ended in a stoppage.

Errol Spence vs Shawn Porter

Porter fights are always, at minimum, rugged. Rarely are they this aesthetically pleasing.

Josh Taylor vs Regis Prograis

If extremely skilled offensive fighters at or near the highest level of the sport matching up is your thing, 2019 wasn’t half-bad.

Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire

Take two: If extremely skilled offensive fighters at or near the highest level of the sport matching up is your thing, 2019 wasn’t half-bad. Thanks for this one and the last, World Boxing Super Series.

FIGHT OF THE YEAR NOMINEE HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

Artur Beterbiev vs Oleksandr Gvozdyk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfRIqV9ClHY

Guillermo Rigondeaux vs Julio Ceja