THE 2025 RING AWARDS NOMINEES: TRAINER, FIGHTER, KO OF THE YEAR & MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
The Ring’s second annual awards gala is scheduled for the night of Friday, January 30 in New York.
Nominees for the eight awards that will be revealed the night before “The Ring 6” card at Madison Square Garden will be released throughout the day today. This story will be updated hourly, after each group of nominees is posted on our social media channels.
The event is not open to the public a week from Friday night, but it can be viewed via several Ring social media channels. More details to come.
PROSPECT OF THE YEAR
(Listed alphabetically)
Pat Brown
This 26-year-old light heavyweight displayed plenty of star potential by knocking out each of his five opponents inside of five rounds in 2025. Brown (5-0, 5 KOs), a 2024 Olympian from Greater Manchester, England, intends to step up his level of opposition after stopping Dominican veteran Felix Valera in the second round November 1.
Jhon Orobio
The Colombian-born, Montreal-based Orobio (16-0, 14 KOs) has torn through his opposition since he made his pro debut in March 2023. This ascending, 22-year-old junior welterweight went 4-0 against more formidable foes in 2025 and produced three quick knockouts. Orobio is set to oppose Puerto Rico’s Yomar Alamo (22-5-1, 13 KOs) on March 5 at Casino de Montreal.
Reito Tsutsumi
This 23-year-old Japanese southpaw is powerful, as Tsutsumi showed when the emerging junior lightweight knocked out each of his final three opponents of 2025. A Ring ambassador, Tsutsumi (4-0, 3 KOs) has taken advantage of his placement on high-profile cards and wants to face more experienced, imposing opposition this year.
Ben Whittaker
“The Surgeon” is 28, yet this light heavyweight remains in the developmental phase of his promising career. Whittaker (10-0-1, 7 KOs) fought just twice in 2025, but the West Bromwich, England native stopped Liam Cameron in the second round of their rematch April 20. The 2020 Olympic silver medalist punctuated his year by knocking out durable German Ben Gavazi (19-2, 13 KOs) in the first round November 29.
Emiliano Vargas
The most talented of former junior middleweight champ Fernando Vargas’ three fighting sons, Las Vegas’ Vargas (16-0, 13 KOs) has all the makings of a future star. This fast-handed, hard-hitting junior welterweight knocked out his first three opponents of 2025, before he went 10 rounds for the first time in a wide win over Jonathan Montrel on November 15. Vargas, 21, is scheduled to square off against Argentina’s Agustin Quintana (22-2-1, 13 KOs) on February 28 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.