View source for Best Fighter ESPY Award

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox award
| name           = Best Fighter ESPY Award
| current_awards = 
| image          = 
| imagesize      = 
| alt            = 
| caption        = 
| awarded_for    = best fighter
| presenter      = ESPN
| country        = 
| year           = 2007
| year2          = 2018
| website        = {{URL|www.espn.co.uk/espys/}}
}}

The '''Best Fighter ESPY Award''' was an annual award honoring the achievements of an individual from the world of [[combat sport]]s. The Best Fighter ESPY Award trophy was presented to the [[Professional boxing|professional]] or [[Amateur boxing|amateur]] boxer or [[Mixed martial arts|mixed martial artist]] adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year at the annual ESPY Awards ceremony in [[Los Angeles]]. It was first awarded as part of the [[ESPY Award]]s in 2007, subsuming the [[Best Boxer ESPY Award]]<ref name="Johnson2017">{{cite web|url=http://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/demetrious-johnson/sorry-conor-mcgregor-demetrious-johnson-wins-espy-fighter-year/|title=Sorry Conor McGregor, Demetrious Johnson wins the ESPY for "Fighter of the Year"|last=Taylor|first=Tom|date=July 13, 2017|publisher=BJ Penn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122235105/http://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/demetrious-johnson/sorry-conor-mcgregor-demetrious-johnson-wins-espy-fighter-year/|archive-date=January 22, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=January 21, 2018}}</ref> until 2019, when the [[Best MMA Fighter ESPY Award]] was established, and the ESPY Awards began awarding boxers and mixed martial arts fighters separately. [[Voting|Balloting]] for the award was undertaken by fans over the Internet from between three and five choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee, which is composed of a panel of experts.<ref>{{cite book|author-link=Murry R. Nelson|first=Murry R.|last=Nelson|title=American Sports: A History of Icons, Idols and Ideas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tfTXAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA399|publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]]|year=2013|isbn=978-0-313-39753-0|location=[[Santa Barbara, California]]|pages=399–401|access-date=March 25, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325040624/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tfTXAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA399&redir_esc=y|archive-date=March 25, 2018|via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> It was conferred in July to reflect performance and achievement over the preceding twelve months.<ref>{{cite press release|title=New categories unveiled for The 2002 ESPY Awards|url=http://www.espn.com/espy2002/s/awardcategories.html|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=2002|access-date=December 20, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222052554/http://www.espn.com/espy2002/s/awardcategories.html|archive-date=December 22, 2017}}</ref>

The inaugural winner of the Best Fighter ESPY Award was American [[welterweight]] champion [[Floyd Mayweather Jr.]], who defeated the incumbent category title holder [[Oscar De La Hoya]] two months prior.<ref name=ESPY2007>{{cite web|title=ESPYs: Couture and Jackson miss out|url=https://www.mmamania.com/2007/07/12/espys-couture-and-jackson-miss-out|publisher=[[SB Nation|MMA Mania]]|date=July 12, 2007|access-date=January 21, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123072350/https://www.mmamania.com/2007/07/12/espys-couture-and-jackson-miss-out|archive-date=January 23, 2018}}</ref> He is one of two people to have been presented with the award more than once, winning the accolade a total of six times;<ref name=Mayweather2014>{{cite news|first=Rosalinda L.|last=Orosa|title=Mayweather edges Pacquiao, cops 2014 ESPY Best Fighter plum|url=http://www.philstar.com/sports/2014/07/17/1347241/mayweather-edges-pacquiao-cops-2014-espy-best-fighter-plum|newspaper=[[The Philippine Star]]|date=July 17, 2014|access-date=January 21, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123075340/http://www.philstar.com/sports/2014/07/17/1347241/mayweather-edges-pacquiao-cops-2014-espy-best-fighter-plum|archive-date=January 23, 2018}}</ref> Mayweather was also nominated in 2015.<ref name=Ronda2015>{{cite news|title=Floyd Mayweather taunted by UFC star Ronda Rousey|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxing/floyd-mayweather/11743475/Floyd-Mayweather-taunted-by-UFC-star-Ronda-Rousey.html|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=July 16, 2015|access-date=January 21, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122235056/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxing/floyd-mayweather/11743475/Floyd-Mayweather-taunted-by-UFC-star-Ronda-Rousey.html|archive-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref> Filipino boxer [[Manny Pacquiao]] has the second most awards won with victories in 2009 and 2011.<ref name=Pacquiao2011>{{cite news|last=Ramos|first=Josef T.|title=Pacquiao wins second ESPY Award|url=http://www.pressreader.com/philippines/manila-times/20110715/282222302408600|newspaper=[[The Manila Times]]|date=July 15, 2011|access-date=January 21, 2018|via=[[PressReader]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123072306/http://www.pressreader.com/philippines/manila-times/20110715/282222302408600|archive-date=January 23, 2018}}</ref> It has been presented to one woman in its history, American [[bantamweight]] mixed martial arts fighter [[Ronda Rousey]] in 2015.<ref name=Ronda2015/> Between 2007 and 2018, boxers were most successful at the ESPY Awards with nine victories and twenty-four nominations, followed by mixed martial arts with three wins and nineteen nominations.

==Winners and nominees==
{|class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Best Fighter ESPY Award winners and nominees
|- 
! scope=col | Year
! scope=col class=unsortable | Image
! scope=col | Winner 
! scope=col | Nationality
! scope=col | Sport
! scope=col | Sanctioning body or league
! scope=col | Weight class
! scope=col class=unsortable | Nominees
! scope=col class=unsortable | {{Abbr|Ref|Reference}}
|-
| 2007
| [[File:Mayweather.jpg|100px|alt=Floyd Mayweather Jr at a WWE event in 2008]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Floyd|Mayweather Jr.}} 
| {{flag|USA}}
| [[Boxing]]
| {{n/a}}
| [[Welterweight]]
| align=left | [[Miguel Cotto]] ({{flag|PRI}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Randy Couture]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]] <br>[[Quinton Jackson]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]] <br>[[Manny Pacquiao]] ({{flag|PHL}}) – [[Boxing]]
|<ref name=ESPY2007/>
|-
| 2008
| [[File:Floyd Mayweather Jr 2010.jpg|100px|alt=Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2010]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Floyd|Mayweather Jr.}} (2)
| {{flag|USA}}
| [[Boxing]]
| {{n/a}}
| [[Welterweight]]
| align=left | [[Joe Calzaghe]] ({{flag|GBR}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Holly Holm]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Kelly Pavlik]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Georges St-Pierre]] ({{flag|CAN}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]]
|<ref>{{cite news|last=Scalzo|first=Joe|title=No ESPY, no problem|url=http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/jul/17/no-espy-no-problem/|newspaper=[[The Vindicator]]|date=July 17, 2008|access-date=January 21, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123072234/http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/jul/17/no-espy-no-problem/|archive-date=January 23, 2018}}</ref>
|-
| [[2009 ESPY Awards|2009]]
| [[File:Manny Pacquiao 2010.jpg|100px|alt=Manny Pacquiao in 2010]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Manny|Pacquiao}}
| {{flag|PHI}}
| [[Boxing]]
| {{n/a}}
| [[Light welterweight]] <br> [[Welterweight]]
| align=left | [[Lyoto Machida]] ({{flag|BRA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]] 
[[Shane Mosley]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Anderson Silva]] ({{flag|BRA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]]
|<ref>{{cite news|last=Leyba|first=Olmin|title=Pacquiao is 2009 ESPY Awards' Best Fighter|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/content/167506/pacquiao-is-2009-espy-awards-best-fighter/story/|publisher=[[GMA Network]]|date=July 16, 2009|access-date=January 21, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122235011/http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/content/167506/pacquiao-is-2009-espy-awards-best-fighter/story/|archive-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref>
|-
| [[2010 ESPY Awards|2010]]
| [[File:Floyd Mayweather, Jr. 2011.jpg|100px|alt=Floyd Mayweather Jr. at a press conference in 2011]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Floyd|Mayweather Jr.}} (3)
| {{flag|USA}}
| [[Boxing]]
| {{n/a}}
| [[Welterweight]]
| align=left | [[Manny Pacquiao]] ({{flag|PHI}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Georges St-Pierre]] ({{flag|CAN}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]]
|<ref>{{cite web|last=Reyes|first=Leo|title=Floyd Mayweather Jr Beats Manny Pacquiao in ESPY's Top Awards|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/420860-floyd-mayweather-jr-beats-manny-pacquiao-in-espys-top-awards|publisher=[[Bleacher Report]]|date=July 15, 2010|access-date=January 21, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122181702/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/420860-floyd-mayweather-jr-beats-manny-pacquiao-in-espys-top-awards|archive-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref>
|-
| [[2011 ESPY Awards|2011]]
| [[File:Manny Pacquiao with Harry Reid and Daniel Inouye (cropped).jpg|100px|alt=Manny Paquiao in 2011]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Manny|Pacquiao}} (2)
| {{flag|PHI}}
| [[Boxing]]
| {{n/a}}
| [[Welterweight]]
| align=left | [[Bernard Hopkins]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Jon Jones]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]] <br>[[Sergio Martínez (boxer)|Sergio Martínez]] ({{flag|ARG}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Georges St-Pierre]] ({{flag|CAN}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]]
|<ref name=Pacquiao2011/>
|-
| [[2012 ESPY Awards|2012]]
| [[File:Floyd Mayweather, Jr. at DeWalt event.jpg|100px|alt=Floyd Mayweather Jr at a promotional event in 2010]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Floyd|Mayweather Jr.}} (4)
| {{flag|USA}}
| [[Boxing]]
| {{n/a}}
| [[Welterweight]]
| align=left | [[Jon Jones]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]] <br>[[Anderson Silva]] ({{flag|BRA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]] <br>[[Andre Ward]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Boxing]]
|<ref>{{cite news|title=Floyd earns 4th ESPY honor|url=https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/cebu-daily-news/20120714/281986079667256|newspaper=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer|Cebu Daily Times]]|date=July 14, 2012|access-date=January 21, 2018|via=[[PressReader]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123072226/https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/cebu-daily-news/20120714/281986079667256|archive-date=January 23, 2018}}</ref>
|-
| [[2013 ESPY Awards|2013]]
| [[File:Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (June 2011).jpg|100px|alt=Floyd Mayweather Jr. at a press conference in 2011]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Floyd|Mayweather Jr.}} (5)
| {{flag|USA}}
| [[Boxing]]
| {{n/a}}
| [[Welterweight]]
| align=left | [[Canelo Álvarez|Canelo Alvarez]] ({{flag|MEX}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Danny Garcia (boxer)|Danny García]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Jon Jones]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]] <br>[[Anderson Silva]] ({{flag|BRA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]]
|<ref>{{cite web|last=Satterfield|first=Lem|title=Mayweather Wins Fifth ESPY Award|url=https://www.ringtv.com/179759-mayweather-wins-fifth-espy-award/|work=[[The Ring (magazine)|The Ring]]|date=July 18, 2013|access-date=February 9, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209093028/https://www.ringtv.com/179759-mayweather-wins-fifth-espy-award/|archive-date=February 9, 2018}}</ref>
|-
| [[2014 ESPY Awards|2014]]
| [[File:Floyd Mayweather, Jr. June 2011.jpg|100px|alt=Floyd Mayweather Jr attending a press conference in 2011]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Floyd|Mayweather Jr.}} (6)
| {{flag|USA}}
| [[Boxing]]
| {{n/a}}
| [[Welterweight]]
| align=left | [[Jon Jones]] ({{flag|USA}}) –  [[Mixed martial arts]] <br>[[Manny Pacquiao]] ({{flag|PHI}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Ronda Rousey]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]] <br>[[Andre Ward]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Boxing]]
|<ref name=Mayweather2014/>
|-
| [[2015 ESPY Awards|2015]]
| [[File:Rrousey.jpg|100px|alt=Ronda Rousey in 2015]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Ronda|Rousey}}
| {{flag|USA}} 
| [[Mixed martial arts]]
| [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]]
| [[Bantamweight]]
| align=left | [[Donald Cerrone]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]] <br>[[Terence Crawford]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Gennady Golovkin]] ({{flag|KAZ}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Floyd Mayweather Jr.]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Boxing]]
|<ref name=Ronda2015/>
|-
| [[2016 ESPY Awards|2016]]
| [[File:McGregor London 2015.jpg|100px|alt=Conor McGregor speaking at a press conference in 2015]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Conor|McGregor}}
| {{flag|IRL}} 
| [[Mixed martial arts]]
| [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]]
| [[Featherweight]]
| align=left | [[Canelo Álvarez]] ({{flag|MEX}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Gennady Golovkin]] ({{flag|KAZ}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Román González (boxer)|Román González]] ({{flag|NIC}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Robbie Lawler]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]]
|<ref>{{cite web|last=Doyle|first=Dave|title=Conor McGregor, Holly Holm winners at 2016 ESPY awards|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/7/14/12185784/conor-mcgregor-holly-holm-winners-at-2016-espy-awards|publisher=MMA Fighting|date=July 14, 2016|access-date=January 21, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122235025/https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/7/14/12185784/conor-mcgregor-holly-holm-winners-at-2016-espy-awards|archive-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref>
|-
| [[2017 ESPY Awards|2017]]
| [[File:Demetrious Johnson.jpg|100px|alt=Demetrious Johnson in 2011]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Demetrious|Johnson|dab=fighter}}
| {{flag|USA}} 
| [[Mixed martial arts]]
| [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]]
| [[Flyweight]]
| align=left | [[Terence Crawford]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Gennady Golovkin]] ({{flag|KAZ}}) – [[Boxing]] <br>[[Conor McGregor]] ({{flag|IRL}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]] <br>[[Andre Ward]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Boxing]]
|<ref name=Johnson2017/>
|-
| [[2018 ESPY Awards|2018]]
|  –
! scope=row | {{sort name|Terence|Crawford}}
| {{flag|USA}}
| [[Boxing]]
| {{n/a}}
| [[Light welterweight]]
| align=left | [[Vasyl Lomachenko]] ({{flag|UKR}}) – [[Boxing]]<br>[[Rose Namajunas]] ({{flag|USA}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]]<br>[[Georges St-Pierre]] ({{flag|CAN}}) – [[Mixed martial arts]]
|<ref name=2018winner>{{cite news|title=Omaha native Terence 'Bud' Crawford wins 2018 ESPY for Best Fighter|url=https://omaha.com/sports/local-sports/omaha-native-terence-bud-crawford-wins-espy-for-best-fighter/article_8a5997bb-3f11-5695-8991-5ef2840d9744.html|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=July 19, 2018|access-date=July 19, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719091241/https://omaha.com/sports/local-sports/omaha-native-terence-bud-crawford-wins-espy-for-best-fighter/article_8a5997bb-3f11-5695-8991-5ef2840d9744.html|archive-date=July 19, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lynch|first=James|title=Georges St-Pierre, Rose Namajunas Nominated for "Best Fighter" ESPY Award|url=https://www.mmanews.com/news/st-pierre-namajunas-espy/|publisher=MMA News|date=June 21, 2018|access-date=August 11, 2024|archive-date=August 11, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240811092825/https://www.mmanews.com/news/st-pierre-namajunas-espy/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|}

==Statistics==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Winners by nationality
|-
! scope=col | Country
! scope=col data-sort-type=number | Winners
! scope=col data-sort-type=number | Nominations
|-
! scope=row | {{flag|USA}}
| 9
| 21
|-
! scope=row | {{flag|PHI}}
| 2
| 3
|-
! scope=row | {{flag|IRL}}
| 1
| 1
|-
! scope=row | {{flag|BRA}}
| 0
| 4
|-
! scope=row | {{flag|CAN}}
| 0
| 4
|-
! scope=row | {{flag|KAZ}}
| 0
| 3
|-
! scope=row | {{flag|MEX}}
| 0
| 2
|-
|}
{{col-2}}
{| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Multiple winners and nominees
|-
! scope=col | Name
! scope=col data-sort-type=number | Wins
! scope=col data-sort-type=number | Nominations
|-
! scope=row | {{sortname|Floyd|Mayweather Jr.}}
| 6
| 1
|-
! scope=row | {{sortname|Manny|Pacquiao}}
| 2
| 3
|-
! scope=row | {{sort name|Terence|Crawford}}
| 1
| 2
|-  
! scope=row | {{sortname|Conor|McGregor}}
| 1
| 1
|-
! scope=row | {{sortname|Ronda|Rousey}}
| 1
| 1
|-
! scope=row | {{sortname|Jon|Jones}}
| 0
| 4
|-
! scope=row | {{sortname|Georges|St-Pierre}}
| 0
| 4
|-
! scope=row | {{sortname|Gennady|Golovkin}}
| 0
| 3
|-
! scope=row | {{sortname|Anderson|Silva}}
| 0
| 3
|-
! scope=row | {{sortname|Andre|Ward}}
| 0
| 3
|-
! scope=row | {{sortname|Canelo|Alvarez}}
| 0
| 2
|}
{{col-end}}

==See also==
* [[The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year|''The Ring'' magazine Fighter of the Year]]
* [[Sugar Ray Robinson Award]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.espn.com.au/espys/}}

{{ESPY Best Fighter}}
{{ESPYs}}

{{featured list}}
[[Category:ESPY Awards]]
[[Category:Boxing awards]]
[[Category:Mixed martial arts awards]]
[[Category:Most valuable player awards]]
[[Category:Awards established in 2007]]