The year in boxing has been limited to two-plus months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
As a result, not many elite boxers have had the opportunity to fight in 2020. Some did, though. And a few of those made massive statements in the ring before the sport was shut down completely last month.
Of course, it’s too early to determine who will win year-end awards. After all, the sport almost certainly will resume sometime in the next several months.
That said, these are the fighters to beat in selected categories so far.
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Tyson Fury
Slam dunk. Fury and Deontay Wilder fought to a controversial draw in December 2018. The rematch, on Feb. 22 in Las Vegas, wasn’t even competitive. Fury, employing a more-aggressive strategy, dominated the then-titleholder from beginning to end. He put Wilder down in Rounds 3 and 5 and finally stopped him in Round 7. Fury just never gave Wilder and chance to unload his big right hand. It was a virtuoso performance in a super fight, which made the accomplishment all the more spectacular.
Runner up: Jeison Rosario
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KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR
Ryan Garcia KO 1 Francisco Fonseca
Tyson Fury’s stoppage of Deontay Wilder was the most important knockout so far. Garcia gave us the most spectacular. Some background: Garcia, the charismatic 21-year-old lightweight contender, had already generated a great deal of intrigue with two early knockouts in 2019. He simply added to the excitement against the veteran Fonseca on Feb. 4. A single left hook relieved the Nicaraguan from his senses and took out breath away only 80 seconds into the fight.
Runner up: Fury KO 7 Wilder
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UPSET OF THE YEAR
Jeison Rosario TKO 5 Julian Williams
Williams’ stature going into the Jan. 18 fight was what made Rosario’s thorough victory special. Remember, Williams, the then-junior middleweight titleholder, was coming off a career-defining victory over Jarrett Hurd eight months earlier. He had climbed onto some pound-for-pound lists. And Rosario, a Dominican, beat the you-know-what out of him. Rosario hurt Williams about two minutes into Round 5 and followed with a brutal barrage of hard shots the forced the referee to end the fight and give Rosario the title.
Runner up: Robert Helenius TKO 4 Adam Kownacki
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COMEBACK OF THE YEAR
Roman Gonzalez
The former No. 1 fighter pound for pound had already won back-to-back fights since he lost consecutive bouts to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in 2017, the second loss being a brutal knockout. Still, many had doubts about whether the 32-year-old Nicaraguan was still an elite fighter. He proved against then-unbeaten junior bantamweight titleholder Kal Yafai on Feb. 29 that he has plenty more to give. He gave Yafai a boxing lesson for eight-plus rounds and then stopped him in Round 9. Vintage Gonzalez.
Runner up: Mikey Garcia UD 12 Jessie Vargas
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BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR
Joseph Diaz Jr.
Diaz, the former U.S. Olympian, had failed in attempts to win a major title and a secondary one, losing on the cards to Gary Russell Jr. and failing to make weight before outpointing Jesus Rojas, which precluded him from winning the belt. Some wondered whether Diaz would ever get over the hump. And then he did. Then-junior lightweight titleholder Tevin Farmer was one of the hottest fighters around yet an inspired Diaz took him to school, winning a decision that wasn’t as close as the cards indicate to finally claim a belt.
Runner up: Jeison Rosario TKO 5 Julian Williams