Your fight-size boxing update:
- Undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk was awarded the "Fighter of the Year" award by the Boxing Writers Association of America.
- The New York State Boxing Hall of Fame has announced all 24 inductees for its 2019 class. Some of the names listed include Wilfredo Benitez, Don King and Steve Albert. The full list of inductees can be seen below:
- Wilfredo Benitez
- Dick DiVeronica
- Rogelio Tuur
- Davey Vasquez
- Michael Olajide
- Monte Barrett
- Jimmy Carter
- Al "Bummy" Davis
- Marty Servo
- Roland LaStarza
- Paddy DeMarco
- Sid Terris
- Leach "The Fighting Dentist" Cross
- Don King
- John McKaie
- Steve Albert
- Arthur Mercante Jr.
- Bob Jackson
- Dewey Fragetta
- Johnny LoBianco
- Wayne Kelly
- Harry Hill
- Jimmy Cannon
- Joe Dwyer
- Promoter Lou DiBella announced that he has signed current WBA Female junior middleweight champion Hanna Gabriels to a promotional deal. Gabriels successfully defended her WBA on January 26 with a unanimous decision victory over Sarah Dwyer in Nicaragua. Details of Gabriels' first fight under the DiBella Entertainment banner will be announced in the near future.
- Amateur standout Raymond Ford announced on Twitter that he has signed a promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing and will make his pro debut on the March 15 card in Philadelphia. The card, headlined by Tevin Farmer vs. Jono Carroll, will be streamed on DAZN.
Happy to announce that I am now sign to @matchroomboxing @eddiehearn , no longer an amateur fighter. And I will be making my pro debut March 15 in Philadelphia ! Appreciate all the love, and I am excited to move on to this next chapter in my career. #SavageTime-- pic.twitter.com/AMyYlaxakF
— Raymond Ford (@raysavage856) January 29, 2019
- EBU heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel will defend his title against Andriy Rudenko on March 2 in Magdeburg, Germany.
