From the Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn fights and the carnage that surrounded both those events, to an all female card at the Royal Albert Hall, and Fabio Wardley becoming heavyweight champion, there have been some incredible moments in British boxing this year.
Moses Itauma’s rise continued, making light work of both his opponents as he was named ESPN’s best young fighter this year.
So, who else come out on top in the last 12 months.
Here are ESPN’s British boxing awards for 2025.
Men’s Fighter of the Year – Fabio Wardley
Boxing has never seen a story like Fabio Wardley.
After just a handful of white collar bouts, Wardley turned professional in 2017. Since then, he has stormed up the ladder with knockout after knockout and was officialy crowned heavyweight champion of the world in 2025.
While he didn’t get his big “and the new!” moment in the ring, Wardley’s Round 11 stoppage win over Joseph Parker was fully deserving of a title fight. The win over Parker earned him the WBO interim title and when Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt, Wardley became champion.
The Parker fight followed an emphatic knockout of Justis Huni in June. Down on the cards, Wardley produced a sensational KO in Round 10, flooring the Australian with a right hand from which he never recovered.
Big fights await in 2026, but Wardley enjoyed Christmas with a world title under the tree before defending his belt next year.
– No delays, no warm-ups; the time for Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury is now
Women’s Fighter of the Year – Ellie Scotney
Ellie Scotney remains one of the most undervalued and underrated fighters in British boxing.
The unbeaten 27-year-old defended her IBF, WBO and Ring titles in January with a comprehensive win over Mea Motu, before adding the WBC junior featherweight title to her collection with a win over Yamileth Mercado in July.
Injury forced her to withdraw from an undisputed fight against Mayelli Flores but Scotney will be back in 2026 to try and pick up all the belts. Fighting under Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, big fights are up for grabs for Scotney on both sides of the Atlantic.
Fight of the Year – Callum Smith def. Joshua Buatsi (UD)
Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn I deserves a special mention, but Callum Smith’s win over Joshua Buatsi had all the action as well as the technical ability. Buatsi was the pre-fight favourite but Smith wound back the clock with an impressive display of skill and grit against his equally game opponent.
From the opening bell, the two went nose-to-nose and didn’t relent for 12 pulsating rounds. At times, it looked as though they were holding on to each other to ensure there would be no running away.
Buatsi was hurt in Round 6 and Smith pushed for the knockdown, but Buatsi rallied to fire a huge left hook which rocked Smith at the end of a remarkable round which had the crowd on their feet in Riyadh.
Smith peppered Buatsi with body shots relentlessly but Buatsi always looked to fire back and hurt his opponent on more than one occasion. After a pulsating start, both fighters looked tired from early in the fight but never let up in a fight fought in the pocket and provided fans with a gripping contest.
– Boxing’s top 25 under 25: Itauma, Norman, Mason, Fundora, more
Knockout of the Year – Fabio Wardley vs. Justis Huni
Both the circumstances and the execution made for a remarkable finish when Wardley floored Huni in June. Huni, who took the fight at short notice, was in complete control and boxing his way to a huge upset against his more experienced opponent on his home turf in Ipswich.
But, Wardley’s knockout power was well known and he took his moment with 90 seconds left in Round 10, unleashing a huge right hand which caught Huni square on the nose and sent him to the canvas. The referee waved it off and Wardley sent Portman Road Stadium into meltdown.
Of course, we now know that punch set him on a path to fight and beat Joseph Parker and win a world title, which will no doubt make the KO all the more sweeter for Wardley.
Moment of the Year – Chris Eubank Sr.’s arrival at Eubank Jr. vs. Benn
2025 will be known as the year we finally saw Chris Eubank Jr. fight Conor Benn. While we got 24 rounds, and the first fight in particular will be remembered as a classic battle, the storylines and narratives around the fight are just as important.
There was none more memorable than seeing Chris Eubank Sr. swing open the door of his SUV as he arrived — completely unexpectedly– at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April.
Sr. had been estranged from his son and made it clear he wanted no part in the fight, until of course, he did.
The noise the crowd made when they saw father and son arrive at the stadium was incredible; a truly classic moment.
Equally, the image of the Conor and Nigel Benn — Sr.’s long time rival — watching the Eubank entrance was another iconic image in the spectacle that was Eubank Jr. vs. Benn.