Boxing as a sport as a professional sport at the highest level saw much action this year and fighters needed to be managed well again in pro boxing.
Whether prospects or world champions, a non-snake oil salesman, actual manager, a quality advisor or manager, can be hugely beneficial for a boxer.
This is always a difficult award but there are many behind the scenes managers that could have been in contention.
Not even known to many boxing fans.
2025 Boxing News and Views Manager Of The Year Award
But we will stick with a manager who was quiet but powerful and did a good job for his client, Naoya Inoue.
That’s Akihiko Honda.
Inoue had a great year and finished it strongly as he always does, with a big win on December 27th.
He was managed brilliantly and Honda secured a major sponsorship deal for Inoue earlier in 2025 as well worthy nearly twenty million dollars just in sponsorship.
Inoue went 4-0 this year defending undisputed super-bantamweight titles with dominant performances.
Honda’s role in building and protecting one of boxing’s pound-for-pound elites makes him a perennial contender.
