Winner
Floyd Mayweather
While Floyd Mayweather only fought twice in 2015, going 2-0, one of those wins was against Manny Pacquiao. It had longed been discussed who was the better fighter of their generation Mayweather or Pacquiao and Mayweather's one-sided unanimous decision win made the answer crystal clear. After winning his first fight of 2015 Mayweather went on to take an easier fight against Andre Berto and while he wasn't as offensively minded in that fight as some fans would have liked he boxed as beautifully as ever and cruised to a wide unanimous decision win. After his win over Berto, Mayweather retired from the sport and while many people expect him to return, if he doesn't he will leave the sport as Big Time Boxing's 2015 Fighter of the Year.
Runner-Up
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez
Coming in a close second is Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, who also fought twice in 2015 going 2-0 with one knockout. Alvarez started off the year by filling up a baseball stadium in Houston against slugger James Kirkland. Fans expected a good show and while they got one, it was a short one. In the third round Alvarez caught Kirkland with a punch he didn't see coming and ended the fight. Later in the year Alvarez took on future Hall of Fame inductee Miguel Cotto and won a unanimous decision in a close fight. The win over Cotto was the biggest of Alvarez's career and could make him the new face of boxing after Pacquiao retires.
Honorable Mention
Tyson Fury
Like the two names above him Tyson Fury only fought two times in 2015. In those two fights Fury went 2-0 with one knockout. His first fight of 2015 came against the 17-3 Christian Hammer, but Fury finds himself on this list for what he accomplished later in the year, beating Wladimir Klitschko to become the man in the heavyweight division. Not only did Fury beat Klitschko but he made the long reigning champion look bad. Fury won that fight by the way of unanimous decision and 2016 could end up being a very fun year for the big men.
In the Running
Gennady Golovkin
Like most years 2015 was a busy one for Gennady Golovkin who has become one of the hardest working men in boxing. Golovkin was involved in three title fights in 2015, the first being against solid challenger Martin Murray. Murray lasted longer than most do against Golovkin but was eventually taken care of by the way of eleventh round stoppage. Next came the light hitting but slick boxing Willie Monroe Jr. who Golovkin toyed with before stopping him in the sixth round. The biggest fight of the year for Golovkin came against slugger David Lemieux. That fight was supposed to be a war but instead Golovkin put on a boxing clinic with his jab before stopping Lemieux in the eighth round to go 3-0 with three knockouts for the year.
Roman Gonzalez
Last but certainly not least is Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez. Gonzalez had himself another busy year in 2015 fighting three times and going 3-0 with three knockouts. Gonzalez started the year off by stopping the overmatched Valentin Leon in the third round and followed that win up by stopping Edgar Sosa a round sooner. The biggest fight for Gonzalez in 2015 came against skilled veteran Brian Viloria. Viloria was able to give Gonzalez his best fight of the year but not even he could make it to the championship rounds as Gonzalez stopped him in round nine to finish his year with a perfect record.
Floyd Mayweather
While Floyd Mayweather only fought twice in 2015, going 2-0, one of those wins was against Manny Pacquiao. It had longed been discussed who was the better fighter of their generation Mayweather or Pacquiao and Mayweather's one-sided unanimous decision win made the answer crystal clear. After winning his first fight of 2015 Mayweather went on to take an easier fight against Andre Berto and while he wasn't as offensively minded in that fight as some fans would have liked he boxed as beautifully as ever and cruised to a wide unanimous decision win. After his win over Berto, Mayweather retired from the sport and while many people expect him to return, if he doesn't he will leave the sport as Big Time Boxing's 2015 Fighter of the Year.
Runner-Up
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez
Coming in a close second is Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, who also fought twice in 2015 going 2-0 with one knockout. Alvarez started off the year by filling up a baseball stadium in Houston against slugger James Kirkland. Fans expected a good show and while they got one, it was a short one. In the third round Alvarez caught Kirkland with a punch he didn't see coming and ended the fight. Later in the year Alvarez took on future Hall of Fame inductee Miguel Cotto and won a unanimous decision in a close fight. The win over Cotto was the biggest of Alvarez's career and could make him the new face of boxing after Pacquiao retires.
Honorable Mention
Tyson Fury
Like the two names above him Tyson Fury only fought two times in 2015. In those two fights Fury went 2-0 with one knockout. His first fight of 2015 came against the 17-3 Christian Hammer, but Fury finds himself on this list for what he accomplished later in the year, beating Wladimir Klitschko to become the man in the heavyweight division. Not only did Fury beat Klitschko but he made the long reigning champion look bad. Fury won that fight by the way of unanimous decision and 2016 could end up being a very fun year for the big men.
In the Running
Gennady Golovkin
Like most years 2015 was a busy one for Gennady Golovkin who has become one of the hardest working men in boxing. Golovkin was involved in three title fights in 2015, the first being against solid challenger Martin Murray. Murray lasted longer than most do against Golovkin but was eventually taken care of by the way of eleventh round stoppage. Next came the light hitting but slick boxing Willie Monroe Jr. who Golovkin toyed with before stopping him in the sixth round. The biggest fight of the year for Golovkin came against slugger David Lemieux. That fight was supposed to be a war but instead Golovkin put on a boxing clinic with his jab before stopping Lemieux in the eighth round to go 3-0 with three knockouts for the year.
Roman Gonzalez
Last but certainly not least is Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez. Gonzalez had himself another busy year in 2015 fighting three times and going 3-0 with three knockouts. Gonzalez started the year off by stopping the overmatched Valentin Leon in the third round and followed that win up by stopping Edgar Sosa a round sooner. The biggest fight for Gonzalez in 2015 came against skilled veteran Brian Viloria. Viloria was able to give Gonzalez his best fight of the year but not even he could make it to the championship rounds as Gonzalez stopped him in round nine to finish his year with a perfect record.
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