Usyk named ESPN 2018 fighter of the year

The Ukrainian boxer won all of his three fights in 2018 – against Mairis Briedis in Latvia, Murat Gassiev in Russia and Tony Bellew in the UK. Usyk won the Muhammad Ali Trophy as the victor in the eight-man World Boxing Super Series tournament and unified all major belts in the cruiserweight division.

Other contenders for the ESPN fighter of the year award included Vasyl Lomachenko, Mikey Garcia, Anthony Joshua and Maurice Hooker