Fans were invited to vote in a BBC poll with the options being Tyson Fury, Natasha Jonas, Chantelle Cameron, and Sunny Edwards for their 2022 British Fighter of the Year.
In a stellar twelve months for many UK fighters, the four champions shone on the big stage and won, or retained, world titles. Over 60% of BBC voters opted for Fury as their winner, with Jonas, Cameron, and Edwards following in that order.
The British boxer of the year 2022, as voted for by you, has been revealed! 🤩#BBCBoxing
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 3, 2023
‘The Gypsy King’ fought twice in 2022, once in April against Dillian Whyte and then again in December against Derek Chisora. As he points out himself, a total of 154,000 fans turned out to watch him win via stoppage over both men.
It was a true homecoming year for Fury, who holds the WBC heavyweight belt, after five fights in Las Vegas – three of those against Deontay Wilder.
His partnership with trainer SugarHill Steward saw his new style develop further, with opponents now most concerned about his power rather than his defence or movement.
At one stage in between, the champion put his feet up in retirement for a moment or two. It didn’t last, and he entered into doomed negotiations with Anthony Joshua.
That fight has been put on the back burner for the foreseeable now as Fury moves towards an undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk. His WBC belt will go up against the Ukrainian’s WBA, IBF, and WBO titles to crown a sole champion in the division for the first time since Lennox Lewis.
Refreshingly for boxing fans who are too often subject to failed talks, things behind the scenes look to be progressing well with a date in March and a venue in the Middle East rumoured to be announced soon.
It’s a fight that’s all about legacy and cementing the winner’s place in history, and, should Fury come out on top, he may just be looking at the same award for 2023.