In the first of a series of articles in which the BoxingScene writers look back on the best and worst of 2024 there is surely only one place to start…
What was your favorite fight of 2024?
Kieran Mulvaney: Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano II. As with their first fight, I thought Serrano won, but also as with their first fight, it was a tremendous battle of skill and physicality. That it was viewed on Netflix by 74 million worldwide will hopefully prove another huge boost to women’s boxing.
Lucas Ketelle: Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury I. It was an undisputed heavyweight title fight that lived up to the hype. It also was the end of an era.
Owen Lewis: Usyk-Fury I. Prior to the fight, I couldn’t conceive of how it would look. The matchup also had plenty of detractors. Then both men showed the very best of themselves, round nine earned my vote for the most condensed drama in any sport in 2024, and Usyk pulled out a narrow, deserved victory. I shouted during that round; I also may have teared up when Usyk got the decision and completed his unlikely quest for heavyweight greatness.
Matt Christie: As a hopeless devotee to the heavyweight division, irrespective of the quality on offer in any given era, it was a joy to see No. 1 and No. 2 – Usyk and Fury – at last come together. The contest exceeded my expectations, too. It was of the highest quality and, thankfully, there wasn’t a shred of controversy.
Declan Warrington: Fury-Usyk I. It was the most essential fight that could be made at any weight anywhere in the world, was difficult to pick a winner for with any confidence, and, most importantly, proved a high-quality, entertaining and dramatic fight. In other words, it was everything heavyweight boxing should be at its very best.
Jason Langendorf: Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol. Best? Maybe not. But this undisputed light heavyweight battle between two of the greatest fighters in the world was a fascinating on-paper matchup that lived up to our highest hopes in terms of quality – or at least came awfully close to it.
Lance Pugmire: Usyk-Fury I: As fight fans, most of our memories of the legendary heavyweight bouts were kept to grainy television images and fast-to-end Mike Tyson knockouts, but this one was the generation’s “Thrilla in Manila” in that both men had moments to fully reveal their fighting hearts. Usyk’s momentum-turning response leading to the deciding ninth-round knockdown was so compelling and provided such drama that gripped even the most grizzled fight fans throughout with its quality.
Tris Dixon: It was spectacular to be ringside at Naoya Inoue-Luis Nery and to see Tim Tszyu’s bravery against Sebastian Fundora. At a lower level, the two-round war between Tyrone McKenna and Dylan Moran in Waterford, Ireland, will live long in the memory.
Eric Raskin: Raymond Ford KO 12 Otabek Kholamatov – even though it cost me money. Or perhaps because it cost me money, as my small bet on Kholmatov to win had me deeply invested in the action. The Uzbek, despite fighting much of the bout with a torn ACL, was leading through 11 rounds of an outstanding scrap. Ford needed a knockout (or at least three 12th-round knockdowns) to win, and he proceeded to grab a featherweight belt and deprive me of a few bucks in spectacularly dramatic fashion, forcing the stoppage with seven seconds left on the clock.
Elliot Worsell: I’d have to go with Usyk vs. Fury I. It was not only the fight that had to happen this year, but it really delivered on the night as well. Watching round nine was as “alive” as I have felt watching any boxing this year and, best of all, we had a pretty good idea at the end of the fight who had won. That Usyk then got the decision he deserved only helped solidify this as one of boxing’s great nights.
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