Naoya Inoue (30, Ohashi), the unified super bantamweight champion of all four boxing organizations, was named the year’s 23rd MVP (official name: Sugar Ray Robinson Award), determined by a press vote from part of the Boxing Writers Association. of America (BWAA).
On the 19th, Inoue himself and the president of his gym Hideyuki Ohashi (58) were contacted by the president of the association, Joseph Santorikito. This is the first time a Japanese has won the award, which began in 1938. Last year’s two games were both held in Japan and received high praise from media around the world, including the United States.
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At 2pm on the 19th, Inoue was waiting at his gym in Yokohama when he received a phone call from BWAA president Santorikito. He was notified of his 23rd year Player of the Year award using the BWAA’s traditional method which has a 98-year history. The winners were chosen by vote of the BWAA members (94 full members and auxiliary members), including the editor-in-chief of The Ring, a historic American specialized magazine that boasts 100 years of history and authority, as well as boxing reporters for the main US media. Inoue expressed his delight, saying: “We only played two games in Japan last year, but I am honored to receive such praise from journalists around the world.”
Last July he defeated the then undefeated WBC and WBO world champion Stephen Fulton (USA) by TKO in the eighth round. In December of the same year, he defeated WBA Super and IBF world champion Marlon Tapares (Philippines) by tenth-round knockout, and was praised for becoming the second player in history to unify four groups in two weight classes. “I think defeating American Fulton was a big factor,” he said, expressing his honest thoughts.
In July of the same year, Terrence Crawford (USA) became the first player in history to unify all four groups into two weight classes. MVP candidates included Inoue, Crawford, WBA world lightweight champion Jahvontae Davis, WBC interim super middleweight world champion David Benavidez, and WBC super lightweight world champion Devin Haney (all from the United States), but most of the Americans Inoue were supported by journalists.
The BWAA is boxing’s version of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), which has twice selected MLB pitcher Shohei Ohtani (currently of the Dodgers) as AL MVP. Otani played in the United States and won numerous titles, but Inoue’s two matches in 2023 both took place in Japan. There is great value in the fact that Inoue’s fights have been recognized by experts around the world, mainly in the United States, through streaming and broadcast.
After President Santorikito explained that the BWAA was founded in February 1926, Inoue stated: “When I learned that the association has a history of 98 years, I once again felt the weight and magnitude of this award I want to do it,” he said with renewed determination.[Eiji Fujinaka]
◆Sugar Ray Robinson Award The award for best player of the year is decided by a vote of the members of the BWAA, made up of reporters from the main American media, including the editor-in-chief of the historic American magazine The Ring. Robinson, the legendary former two-division world champion, is named. The award started in 1938 and the first recipient was former world heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey (USA). The five people with the most three-award awards are Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Ray Leonard (all from the United States), and Manny Pacquiao (from the Philippines). The two winners include Mike Tyson (USA).
◆Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Founded in February 1926 in Manhattan, New York. An organization dedicated to promoting the highest professional and ethical standards in American boxing coverage, print (including electronic editions), and video, and to promoting better working conditions for those who follow the sport. It is a professional media organization and does not allow bloggers or fans as members. It is made up of professional journalists whose articles are regularly published in specific media outlets. The annual award began in 1938. The official website states that “a significant number of nominees are not admitted to membership” and that it “reflects the need for the same standards” as other professional writing organizations such as the Baseball Writers Association of America ( BBWAA).
○…BWAA President Santorikito gave Inoue his greatest compliment. During the phone call, he said to Inoue: “I would like to officially announce that I have been awarded the Sugar Ray Robinson Award as Fighter of the Year for 23 years The BWAA has a history of 98 years. You made history by winning this award. There are some famous fighters (in world boxing), including Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather and Naoya Inoue. “This it means a lot,” he praised.
After naming the legends who have won the MVP award in previous years, the president said: “Inoue has achieved great things in the last two or three years, so it is natural that he receives this award.” of the people who have won this award have almost been inducted into the Hall of Fame (World Boxing). It’s safe to say that Inoue’s induction into the Hall of Fame is almost certain.”
The president also revealed that he is in a relationship with former WBC and WBO world bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton (USA), who Inoue defeated last July. He shared an episode from when he met Fulton last weekend. “Fulton told me, ‘I would be an idiot if I didn’t give Inoue the title of MVP,'” the president said, laughing as he referred to Inoue. He also said, “We’ll hold an awards ceremony (in the United States) in June, so I would like Inoue to come.”
○…President Ohashi of Ohashi Gym accepted Inoue’s BWAA Athlete of the Year award with a surprised expression. He waited with Inoue in a gym in Yokohama, and when he received official notification from the BWAA that he had won the award, he said, “The first recipient of the award in 1938 was Jack Dempsey. BWAA Player of the Year.” , who started out as a legendary boxer among legends. I can only say that it is surprising that Naoya Inoue is the first Japanese to win this award,” he said with deep emotion. Over the year-end and New Year holidays, Inoue won seven Player of the Year awards in 2013, including in long-running American magazine The Ring and in overseas countries such as the United States. In particular, the BWAA’s annual MVP will be the pinnacle. This year, Inoue will likely advance to the Tokyo Dome for the first time in May as the defending unified champion of all four groups. It is likely that he will be challenged by former “bad boy” two-division world champion Luis Neri (Mexico). President Ohashi predicted, “This is just the beginning. Everyone, please look forward to it.”
◆ Naoya Inoue’s 7 MVP awards in 23 years, the Male Player of the Year award from ESPN, the specialized American sports network, the Boxing Player of the Year award from CBS, one of the three main US networks, and the prestigious magazine The Ring, which has a history of over 100 years. World Boxing News and Boxing Scene.com, two major boxing media outlets, also selected him as their Player of the Year. In addition to the media, he was also selected as the 23rd Player of the Year by Top Rank, a major US promotion company, based on fan voting.
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