RINGSIDE
won the vacant Ring championship by outpointing highly regarded Carla Merino in her second bout of 2025 and then defended it twice before the end of the year. Unlike the men’s category, this time activity mattered.
announcement, it looks like the Canelo victory will be the final act of a Hall of Fame career. I’m pleased that Crawford exits the combat side of boxing as The Ring’s Fighter of the Year.
but while he’s expected to make a full physical recovery, the emotional and psychological toll of the tragedy has put his 2026 plans – which included an early ring return and then the long- awaited showdown with Tyson Fury later in the year – on hold for the time being. Ghami was Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, while Ayodele was an assistant trainer, but they were also two of his closest friends. On January 8, Joshua posted the following tribute on his Instagram account: “Thank you for all the love and care you have shown my brothers. I didn’t even realise how special they are. I’ll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men. 100% it’s tough for me, but I know it’s even tougher for their parents. I have a strong mind, and I believe God knows their hearts. May God have mercy on my brothers.” Some have speculated that this tragic event could encourage the 36-year-old Brit to retire. If Joshua does indeed hang up his gloves, I expect to see his name on the International Boxing Hall of Fame ballot in three years. He’s an Olympic gold medalist, a two-time unified heavyweight titleholder and bona fide superstar. Even the shocking KOs he suffered to Andy Ruiz and Daniel Dubois – the only times I saw him fight live – rank as two of the most electric atmospheres I’ve ever experienced as a fan and journalist. At one time, he was the most accomplished heavyweight in the sport. His losses shouldn’t overshadow victories over Wladimir Klitschko, Alexander Povetkin, Joseph Parker, Dillian Whyte and Ruiz (in the rematch). Personally, I don’t hold the back- to-back decision losses to Usyk against him. He was competitive in both bouts. No shame in losing to a great fighter. Whatever Joshua decides, The Ring wishes him well.
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While we’re on the subject of Fighter of the Year, congrats to Mizuki Hiruta, who won the female version of the 2025 award. The 29-year-old native of Okayama, Japan, beat out a distinguished field that included future hall of famers Katie Taylor and Mikaela Mayer for the honor. All five female nominees – Hiruta, Taylor, Mayer, Ellie Scotney and Evelin Bermudez – were strong candidates who defeated top opposition in 2025. However, Taylor only fought once (a unanimous decision over archrival Amanda Serrano), while the other nominees each made only two ring appearances last year. Our winner, Hiruta (10-0, 2 KOs) – the first Japanese boxer, male or female, to win the Ring junior bantamweight title – took a page from her superstar countryman’s playbook and fought four times. The athletic southpaw, who has held the WBO 115-pound title since 2022,
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Our hearts go out to Anthony Joshua and to the families of the former heavyweight champ’s teammates, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, who were killed in a car accident in Nigeria on December 29. Joshua, who was vacationing in his parents’ homeland just 10 days after stopping Jake Paul in Miami, was a passenger in the Lexus SUV that collided with a stationary truck along the Lagos- Ibadan expressway in Makun. The professional driver of the vehicle, who escaped with minor injuries, has been charged with dangerous and reckless driving. Joshua also sustained minor injuries and was hospitalized for two days,
Hiruta’s Ring belt was presented by venerable Editor-in-Chief Doug Fischer.
16 RINGMAGAZINE.COM
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