The People Have Spoken! 2018’s Best Has a Serious Global Trend!

With the growth of the sport and it’s fan-appeal on the rise, we felt this was the time to put the best of the best into the hands of the athletes to promoter and the fans to determine the best.

There is a common theme among the results and regardless of the geographic position of the final results, the promotion and comments seen and received came from around the globe.

Fan-bases are growing. Female boxing plans are being drafted, redrafted, and implemented for the best interest of the sport, it’s participants, and it’s fans. The world is watching!

2018 #FaceTheFight #BeautifulFighter Humanitarian of the Year

WBC, WBA, and IBF Middleweight Claressa Shields has been a major advocate for her hometown of Flint, Michigan and their ongoing water crisis.

According to WikiPedia:

The Flint water crisis began in 2014 when the drinking water source for the city of Flint, Michigan was changed from Lake Huron and the Detroit River to the cheaper Flint River. Due to insufficient water treatment, over 100,000 residents were exposed to high levels of lead in the drinking water. After a pair of scientific studies proved lead contamination was present in the water supply, a federal state of emergency was declared in January 2016 and Flint residents were instructed to use only bottled or filtered water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing. As of early 2017, the water quality had returned to acceptable levels; however, residents were instructed to continue to use bottled or filtered water until all the lead pipes have been replaced, which is expected to be completed no sooner than 2020.

Until Shields turned professional, she grew up and lived in the community now still reeling from the costly and dangerous decision of 2014.

With family and friends still living and dealing with the issue, the now Florida-based champion continued the awareness and positive efforts of the Michigan town throughout her young professional career.

Upon winning her 2nd division world championships, “T-Rex” showed more of her heart by presenting a check for $7,500 of her boxer purse towards the helpful efforts of her hometown.

Follow the Champ:
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Promoter:
Salita Promotions 

Final Results:

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2018 Story of the Year

Every boxer (male of female) wants the high dollar purse value and prime visual exposure.

While boxer’s promoters are striking sole exclusivity deals for broadcasting/streaming through one provider, one female hit all US available television screens and device applications except ESPN/ESPN+ in 2018. While on display, she made noteworthy viewer statistics.

Salita Promotions’ Claressa Shields has been a constant installment on Showtime Boxing since her second professional bout in early 2017.

In June of 2018, Shields was the Main Event attraction with her destined foe, Christina Hammer in the Co-Main Event. Shields’ WBA and IBF Middleweight title victory over Hanna Gabriels peaked at 410,000 viewers on Showtime Boxing.

In November after Hammer could not compete in their anticipated showdown, WBC Silver Middleweight Champion Hanna Rankin jumped in to face the Unified Champion. Shields moved through Rankin to add the vacant WBC belt to her Middleweight collection in her debut bout on DAZN. Unfortunately, DAZN has not announced any view states on any of their streamed shows yet.

To close 2018, Shields was invited onto HBO Boxing’s final broadcast to be a televised feature for P4P Queen Cecilia Brækhus’ Welterweight stronghold defense. Shields man-handled WBO Super Middleweight Champion Femke Hermans in defense of her Middleweight belts and fetched the highest viewer stats on the broadcast – 379,000 peaked viewers.

Shields has hit all of the most sought after media avenues in 2018 and destined for more as 2019 starts rolling.

Final Results:

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Promoter of the Year

Now, five years removed from throwing punches, former world title challenger Dmitriy Salita has turned to the promotions side of the sport and investing highly with the rapidly progressing Shields in front. He has placed Shields into championship bout after championship bout, with others waiting in the wing.

Additionally, Salita has signed destined opponent and unbeaten WBC Middleweight Champion in Recess and WBO Champion Christina Hammer of Germany to a promotional deal and highlighted her alongside on Shields.

Being of native of Ukraine concentrates a lot on male and female boxers of Eastern Hemisphere that has included Russians Elena Saveleva (Flyweight) and unbeaten IBF Inter-Continental Featherweight Champion Elena Gradinar.

Salita is putting his boxers through tough tests in every competition and providing the fans a great experience in action-packed matchups.

Final Results:

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Manager of the Year

Former 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist Shields signed a management contract with an individual that knows the highest demands on televised boxing. Former HBO executive Mark Taffet spearheaded the HBO PPV model decades ago and now he is spearheading the career of the popular champion Shields with his Taffet Media entity.

Taffet has Shields on the move inside the ring and in the public limelight.

I have seen Taffet speak to athletes with strategic questions to find that story line to sell a matchup, an athlete brand, or show.

Taffet is the marketing machine.

Final Results:

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#NextGenChamp Prospect of the Year

Salita Promotions (along with Russian-based Alexander Nevskiy Promotion Group) Featherweight Elena Gradinar is unbeaten in nine matchups, after a solid amateur career.

After signing with Salita, Gradinar stopped former title challenger Maria Jose Nunez in late 2017.

2018 brought dominating win over Polish  journeywoman Karina Kopinska and IBF Inter-Continental Championship triumph over Canada’s former world champion Olivia Gerula.

Gradinar and her promoters now have their sights set on IBF Champion Jennifer Han and the other top-rated female fighters in the featherweight division.

With Heather Hardy holding the WBO title in New York and Jelena Mrdjenovich holding the WBC belt in Canada, We could be on the verge of a major East vs. West matchup.

Final Results:

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#FightTown Bout of the Year

Atomweights put of heavyweight bout – Fabiana Bytyqi became the first Czech Republic female to become a world champion with an entertaining win over former WBC Muay Thai Champion Denise Castle in September.

At only 22 years old, Bytyqi won the inaugural WBC Atomweight Championship by out-working Castle.

Bytyqi also became the youngest reigning WBC female champion with the win and was honored with their Fight of the Year winner at the WBC 3rd Women’s Convention.

From WBC regarding the Fight of the Year:
“Despite her youth, Bytyqi proved to be a seasoned fighter and just as well, because Castle fought very hard throughout. Castle was moving a lot and throwing clusters of punches, but Bytyqi was able to block many of them, responding with sharp counters.”

Follow the Champ:
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Promoter:
SES Boxing

Final Results:

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#LadyBossmatic #ChampionStatus Boxer of the Year

What more can you say about unified Middleweight Champion Claressa Shields?

Shields is blossoming into the obvious face of female boxing, soon to take the top spot in all of boxing from Cecilia Brækhus.

2018 was an absolute brilliant year for Shields with honors earned all over the place.

Salita has not been shy with the exposure she gets with respects to opposition.

Shields handed Tori Nelson her first career defeat in her first defense of her WBA and IBF Super Middleweight belts in January in upstate New York.

Followed that up with her June bout with Costa Rica’s Hanna Gabriels where Shields showed her mortal side. Shields was floored early before dominating the remaining 9 Rounds to capture the WBA and IBF Middleweight Championships.

In November, Shields added the WBC Middleweight crown to her collection by shutting out Scotland’s Hannah Rankin.

To close out the year, Shields showcased her skills in another shutout decision win over WBO Super Middleweight Champion Femke Hermans of Belgium.

Taffet always stated that he desired Shields to fight the best and she has faced exactly that, with the clash with unbeaten Hammer on the horizon.

It will not be long before Shields will be undisputedly #1 on everyones Pound for Pound list, putting Brækhus in the past.

Final Results: