2022 Fighter of the Year: Dmitry Bivol couldn’t be a more obvious choice

Editor’s note: This is the last of four year-end awards.

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Who else?

Dmitry Bivol dominated consensus pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez on May 7 and then easily outpointed previously unbeaten Gilberto Ramirez on Nov. 5, making the 32-year-old Russian the obvious choice for 2022 Fighter of the Year.

Bivol’s victory over Alvarez in Las Vegas turned the sport upside down. The Mexican star hadn’t lost since way back in 2013, when he was outclassed by Floyd Mayweather. It seemed he couldn’t be beaten. Then Bivol did it … convincingly.

We shouldn’t have been shocked. Bivol had a strong track record, including a series of victories over elite opponents over the past half decade. He had universal respect. And the 175-pound titleholder had a natural size advantage over Alvarez, the undisputed 168-pound champ.

Still, it was difficult to imaging anyone topping the great Canelo. Until we witnessed it.

Bivol not only was bigger, he was much better. Bottom line: He outboxed one of the best boxers of the generation, using his jab and well-timed combinations to pick Alvarez apart from a distance and taking surprisingly few punches himself.

By mid-fight, Alvarez was frustrated and beginning to tire. By the championship rounds, it seemed his only hope was a big shot that never came.

All three judges had the same score, 115-113 for Bivol, seven rounds to five. Those with their eyes open had Bivol winning a wider decision. Boxing Junkie scored it 117-111, nine rounds to three.

Bivol had done what some were beginning to believe was impossible. And he wasn’t finished.

Ramirez wasn’t nearly as accomplished as Alvarez but he was unbeaten (44-0 at the time) and a former 168-pound titleholder with a number of quality victories. Yet he was overmatched against Bivol in his first shot at a 175-pound belt.

Bivol was better than Ramirez in every way en route to a unanimous decision victory, although his impenetrable defense stood out most. Ramirez landed only 1 in 10 punches he threw, according to CompuBox., clear evidence of the winner’s superiority.

Bivol was two for two in ’22: two fights, two dominating victories.

Dominating. That’s the best word to describe Bivol’s year, one in which he made history by taking down the biggest star in the sport in impressive fashion and then outclassing a proven veteran who had never tasted defeat.

Not many have had a better year.