World middleweight champion Sergio Martinez was named fighter of the year over pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao by the prestigious Boxing Writers Association of America Sunday.
Martinez, who will be presented with the Sugar Ray Robinson trophy, was cited for scoring two huge wins in 2010 by the BWAA which will fete its honorees during its annual banquet tentatively scheduled May 6 in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao, who achieved an incredible record of eight world titles in eight different weight divisions last year, was second in the balloting by the organization’s membership followed by heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, junior flyweight champion Giovani Segura and super middleweight titlist Andre Ward.
Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach maintained his perennial position as “Trainer of the Year,” winning the award for the third time in a row and fifth overall.
The award is named after his late mentor Eddie Futch, who was in Manila as trainer of Joe Frazier in his world heavyweight title fight against Muhammad Ali at the Araneta Coliseum in October 1975.
WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan, who was pushed to the limit in winning a unanimous 12-round decision over Marcos Maidana last December, shared the “Ali-Frazier” award for “Fight of the Year.”
Khan trained alongside Pacquiao while the Filipino champ prepared for his vacant WBC light middleweight/super welterweight title fight against Antonio Margarito last November at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas.
Pacquiao pulverized Margarito to win by a 12-round shutout.
