2005 Fighter of the Year

Edward J. Neil Trophy 2005 Fighter of the Year RICKY HATTON	BWAA Fighter of the Year 1938 -- Jack Dempsey 1939 -- Billy Conn 1940 -- Henry Armstrong 1941 -- Joe Louis 1942 -- Barney Ross 1943 -- Boxers of the armed forces 1944 -- Benny Leonard 1945 -- James J. Walker 1946 -- Tony Zale 1947 -- Gus Lesnevich 1948 -- Ike Williams 1949 -- Ezzard Charles 1950 -- Sugar Ray Robinson 1951 -- Jersey Joe Walcott 1952 -- Rocky Marciano 1953 -- Kid Gavilan 1954 -- Carl "Bobo" Olson 1955 -- Carmen Basilio 1956 -- Floyd Patterson 1957 -- Carmen Basilio 1958 -- Archie Moore 1959 -- Ingemar Johansson 1960 -- Floyd Patterson 1961 -- Gene Fullmer 1962 -- Dick Tiger 1963 -- Emile Griffith 1964 -- Willie Pastrano 1965 -- Muhammad Ali 1966 -- Dick Tiger 1967 -- Carlos Ortiz 1968 -- Bob Foster 1969 -- Joe Frazier 1970 -- Ken Buchanan 1971 -- Joe Frazier 1972 -- Carlos Monzon 1973 -- George Foreman 1974 -- Muhammad Ali 1975 -- Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier 1976 -- Howard Davis, Leo Randolph, Sugar Ray Leonard, Leon Spinks, Michael Spinks 1977 -- Ken Norton 1978 -- Larry Holmes 1979 -- Sugar Ray Leonard 1980 -- Thomas Hearns 1981 -- Sugar Ray Leonard 1982 -- Aaron Pryor 1983 -- Marvin Hagler 1984 -- Thomas Hearns 1985 -- Marvin Hagler 1986 -- Mike Tyson 1987 -- Julio Cesar Chavez 1988 -- Mike Tyson 1989 -- Pernell Whitaker 1990 -- Evander Holyfield 1991 -- James Toney 1992 -- Riddick Bowe 1993 -- Pernell Whitaker 1994 -- George Foreman 1995 -- Oscar De La Hoya 1996 -- Evander Holyfield 1997 -- Evander Holyfield 1998 -- Shane Mosley 1999 -- Lennox Lewis 2000 -- Felix Trinidad 2001 -- Bernard Hopkins 2002 -- Vernon Forrest 2003 -- James Toney 2004 -- Glen Johnson 2005 -- Ricky Hatton
By Kevin Iole Las Vegas Review-Journal May 5, 2006 It took a fight in England, against a Russian who lives in Australia, to make Ricky Hatton known to American boxing fans. Hatton, though, is OK with that, especially given the rewards. Hatton had his coming out party for American fans in June 2005, when he systematically tore apart the legendary super lightweight champion Kostya Tszyu. Hatton so thoroughly dominated the fight that he made the once-great Tszyu quit on his stool. To prove that was no fluke, Hatton unified the super lightweight title in November by thrashing Colombian Carlos Maussa in similar fashion. It was enough to earn him the respect of the Boxing Writers Association of America, whose members voted him its 2005 Fighter of the Year, despite competition from a very strong list of candidates. Hatton doesn't plan on resting on his laurels. He'll challenge Luis Collazo for a welterweight title later this month and has plans to take on several of the division's biggest names in the coming months. "I always believed in myself and in what I could do, but it's gratifying to see that others respect what I've done," Hatton said. "If I surprised some people, I'm glad it was a pleasant surprise." Hatton's banner 2005 campaign earned him the BWAA's top honors against a field that included middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, with two wins over Bernard Hopkins, and top contender Winky Wright. But Hatton's performances against Tszyu and Maussa, as well as the large, adoring throngs that paid big money to see him, didn't escape the notice of many of the top super lightweights and welterweights. All of a sudden, Hatton's name was most definitely on their lips. "This is the position I've always dreamed of being in," Hatton said. "It was just 12 months ago that I was the one doing the chasing and looking for all the big names. I guess now I'm universally recognized as No. 1 in the (super lightweight) division and they're all looking for me. To be in a position where I can pick my opponents, wow, that's a fighter's dream, really." He wants to take advantage of his hard-won popularity in the U.S. and plans to spend much of his time campaigning here. He vows he won't let himself succumb to the temptations of his success and not be prepared for every challenge. "Once you hit this level, every fight becomes a big fight, but I've always approached every one of my fights that way," Hatton said. "The only fight that really matters to me is the one I'm fighting at a given moment. You can't get caught looking down the line, because if you do, you might get surprised by the guy in front of you. "I'm going to be the same way I was before: Hungry, prepared and determined. That's the only way I know how to do it." And that's largely the reason that Hatton has earned an award previously bestowed on greats like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. "Not bad company," he said. "Not bad at all."
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