Daniel Dubois was named the boxer of the year at the British Boxing Board of Control’s awards ceremony in central London.

The governing body of the sport in the UK recognised Dubois’ achievements over rival contenders Nick Ball, Anthony Cacace, Jack Catterall, Lauren Price and Hamzah Sheeraz, after having watched him, as the underdog, stop fellow heavyweights Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua, and end 2024 as the IBF heavyweight champion. 

The trainer of the 27-year-old Dubois, Don Charles, was – perhaps therefore unsurprisingly – named the trainer of the year. Ben Davison, Joe Gallagher, Shane McGuigan, Jamie Moore and Paul Stevenson were the other contenders. 

“This means a lot to me – it’s taken many years to get here,” Charles said. “I want to thank my team, because without the team – I’m not alone – [and] the support… it’s a team.

“Not to mention the fighters who actually got in the ring to fight. The most recent, Daniel Dubois, who’s set the whole scene alight. 

“But it’s not complete. There’s so much more work to do.”

The first fight between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke – the bruising and dramatic draw of March 2024, for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles – was awarded contest of the year. Dubois-Joshua was one of the fights it was recognised over; Derek Chisora-Joe Joyce, Stephen McKenna-Joe Laws, and Lee Cutler-Stephen McKenna were the other three contenders.

“Thank you to everyone who attended the event and turned it into the spectacle that it was,” said Wardley, 30. “Thank you to the promoters, the managers, and the opponent as well. To be awarded fight of the year is a very special thing to me – especially for the British heavyweight title. I think we all hold it very, very highly – I couldn’t think of a more prestigious belt to be recognised for for fight of the year. 

“It was a tremendous fight. It had its ups and downs; its moments. It was chaos. It was all the emotions, and this award and this recognition really does make the blood, sweat and tears all very much worth it.

“To have a great fight, you need a great dance partner, and I was fortunate enough to have Frazer Clarke on the other side of the ring from me. A man with a tremendous amount of heart, grit, determination, dedication, willingness to win, and to fight on. A special thanks to Frazer Clarke – one hell of a man, one hell of a fighter.” 

Mikaela Mayer, who travelled to Liverpool to fight, and ultimately lose, to Natasha Jonas in January 2024, was recognised as the overseas boxer of the year. Mayer, 34, fights Sandy Ryan in a rematch in Las Vegas on March 29, and therefore accepted her award remotely, via video.

“I apologise for not being able to make it,” she said, having beaten fellow contenders Abass Baraou and Jadier Herrera. “I’m in a very important training camp, for a very important rematch. But I want to say thank you. Everyone knows that I thoroughly enjoyed the last two years, fighting in the UK – even when things didn’t go my way. I am beyond grateful for all the support from the UK fans.”

For the first time at the Board awards, a young boxer of the year was recognised. The young boxer of the year was previously named at the Boxing Writers’ Club annual dinner, but the Boxing Writers’ Club ceased to exist in 2024. The talented Adam Azim, 22, became its first winner since then.

“This is a privilege holding this, so thank you to the British [Boxing] Board of Control,” he said. “Hopefully 2025’s going to be a massive year.

“I’m going to put on great performances. Great fights in 2025, and I want to become a world champion.”