Sidekick Awards For Boxing 2025
Boxing in 2025 delivered the full spectrum of the sport. Brutal finishes, shocking defeats, and elite-level performances that shifted legacies and divisions alike. This wasn’t a year defined purely by belts and records, but by moments that changed how fighters are viewed and where their careers now point.
From highlight-reel knockouts to nights that unraveled carefully built narratives, these awards reflect the fights and fighters that truly shaped the year.
Best KO: Jai Opetaia vs David Nyika
Some knockouts excite a crowd. Others silence an entire arena.
Jai Opetaia’s finish of David Nyika was one of those moments that instantly felt bigger than the bout itself. After hurting Nyika early, Opetaia closed the show with a ruthless sequence that left no ambiguity about the outcome. The fight ended decisively, and the visual impact of the knockout lingered long after the referee stepped in.
What elevated this KO above the rest was the level at which it occurred. This was not a showcase mismatch. It was elite competition, and Opetaia delivered a reminder of how unforgiving the sport becomes when world-class fighters make mistakes.
Most Embarrassing Loss: Ryan Garcia vs Rolando Romero
Few fighters entered 2025 with expectations as heavy as Ryan Garcia’s.
Instead of a statement performance, Garcia endured a nightmare night against Rolando Romero. Dropped early and unable to regain control, Garcia watched as Romero dictated the fight and secured a clear decision victory. The upset was not a controversial one, but a convincing result that stunned much of the boxing world.
What made the loss particularly damaging was the context. The stage was massive, the narrative was set, and the outcome went completely against the script. Rather than moving forward into bigger opportunities, Garcia was left answering uncomfortable questions about his direction and durability.
Breakthrough Fighter Of The Year: Moses Itauma
Breakthrough seasons are about more than wins. They’re about perception shifting.
Moses Itauma’s 2025 marked the year he stopped being spoken about as a future talent and started being treated as a present danger. Competing in the heavyweight division, Itauma showed composure, power, and maturity well beyond his years, consistently overwhelming opponents who were meant to test his development.
By the end of the year, it was no longer about potential. Itauma looked like a fighter rapidly outgrowing the matchmaking around him, and his performances made it clear that his ceiling sits far above the level he was operating at in 2025.
Best Fighter Of The Year: Terence Crawford
When the year’s biggest fight produces its most complete performance, the award becomes unavoidable.
Terence Crawford’s 2025 was defined by a historic victory over Canelo Alvarez, a win that combined technical mastery, adaptability, and composure at the highest possible level. Moving up in weight against an established elite champion, Crawford delivered a performance that felt controlled from start to finish.
It wasn’t just the result that stood out, but the manner of it. Crawford dictated the tempo, solved problems in real time, and reaffirmed his status as one of boxing’s most complete fighters. In a year full of chaos, his performance stood as the clearest example of elite excellence.
SHOP: Kickboxing Equipment
The Sidekick Awards for Boxing 2025 capture a year where extremes defined the sport. From devastating knockouts to humbling losses and career-defining greatness, these moments shaped boxing’s narrative and reminded everyone why the sport continues to command attention, controversy, and respect.
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