IBF Featherweight Champ Jennifer Han wins 2015 SWFight.com Boxer of the Year Award
In 2015, Jennifer Han claimed two titles; first the IBF Inter-Continental Featherweight strap in April against Kenya’s Fatuma Zarika, a fight that was put together in two weeks after Ghana’s Helen Joseph was unable to obtain a visa in time for a scheduled IBF Featherweight world title fight versus Han.
Jennifer Han claimed the IBF Featherweight world title vs. Helen Joseph on Sept. 19, 2015 in El Paso.
Eventually, Han’s shot at Joseph and the vacant IBF title would come five months later at the Don Haskins Event Center in front of 1,500 fans in her hometown of El Paso, Texas.
In dominating fashion, Han would outbox Joseph with ease and become the first born and raised El Pasoan to claim a world title.
Fans can expect El Paso’s Sweetheart back in the ring in the first quarter of 2016.
Honorable Mention:
Austin Trout (Las Cruces, NM): went 2-0 with 2KOs in nationally televised bouts. His competition, a combined 44-6-1 with 28KOs, was lesser than what we’ve become accustomed to seeing him face in the last four years. Trout finishes the year ranked #4 by the WBO putting him in a great position to fight for a world title in 2016.
Josh Torres (Albuquerque, NM): Went 2-1 in 2015 and claimed the WBC USNBC Super Lightweight title against the heavy-handed Ranee Ganoy in April in front of a crowd of about 1,500 in his hometown of Albuquerque. He would lose that title four months later to Cameron Kreal a 7-7-2 fighter out of Las Vegas, NV. A shocking result if you don’t take into consideration the very respectable 44-7-6 record that Kreal’s opponents sported in wins over him.
Brian Mendoza (Rio Rancho, NM): The Rio Rancho fighter was definitely busy in 2015 going 8-0 with 5KOs fighting from 143.5 to 156 lbs. wherever he could get a fight; Arizona, New Mexico, Virginia, Wisconsin and Kansas. At just 21-years-old with an 11-0, 7KO record–along with being signed to manager Cameron Duncan– the future is bright for Mendoza. In 2015 his opponents held a sub .500 record of 13-56-3. A rise in competition in 2016 should see the Atrisco-trained fighter’s launch to stardom.
Past Winners:
2014: Abraham Han (El Paso, TX)
2013: Fidel Maldonado Jr. (Albuquerque, NM)
2012: Austin Trout (Las Cruces, NM)
