PHILADELPHIA - IBF junior lightweight champion Tevin Farmer, won three championship bouts in 2018, and when it came to deciding the "2018 Philly Fighter of the Year"  Briscoe Award, Farmer proved to be unbeatable.  In fan voting, Tevin led the field of nominees to earn the top honor at the Briscoe Awards, which will be presented on April, 14, 2019, at Xfinity Live! in South Philadelphia.

"It's an honor, Farmer said about being named the "Philly Fighter of the Year".  "I say it's an honor because we have a lot of great fighters in Philadelphia. Anybody could have gotten this award, but I got it.  That's big."

Last August, Farmer defeated Australian Billy Dib by unanimous 12-round decision to win the vacant IBF belt, and then defended it twice before the end of the year.  In October, Farmer knocked out Irishman James Tennyson in Boston, for his first title defense, and then decisioned Francisco Fonseca of Costa Rica at New York's Madison Square Garden to close out his year.  Recently he defended his title for a third time in Philadelphia.

The only current world champion from Philadelphia also earned the "Performance of the Year" award for his title-winning effort against Dib.  Farmer has won Briscoe Awards on four previous occasions, making these his fifth and sixth Briscoe trophies.

"It means a lot, Farmer said.  "And I'm definitely gonna be there." 

The awards, named after Philly middleweight boxing legend Bennie Briscoe, have been recognizing the best achievements of the Philly boxing scene since 2007.

This year's event will be held on Sunday, April 14, 2019, at Xfinity Live! in South Philadelphia (1100 Pattison Avenue), 1-4 PM.  Tickets for the Briscoe Awards cost $10 each, and can be purchased in advance at BriscoeAwards.com, or by calling 609-377-6413.

The Briscoe Awards are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501c3 Non-Profit organization, dedicated to preserving and honoring the great legacy of boxing in and around the city of Philadelphia. For more information, call John DiSanto at 609-377-6413.

ARCHIE SHARP has drawn up battle plans to takeover the super-featherweight division at domestic and world level.

The WBO European super-featherweight champion returns at the SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday April 27, live on BT Sport.

Sharp (14-0, 7KOS) put his rivals on notice with a stunning title winning performance when he outpointed fellow prospect Lyon Woodstock in October.

“In a year and a half I want to be talked of among world level fighters,” declared the Welling boxer.

A challenge for Sam Bowen’s British title looks certain this year and could double as an eliminator for WBO champion Masayuki Ito’s WBO title. Bowen is ninth in the organisation’s rankings and Sharp 12th.

Sharp, 23, said: “The Bowen fight is going to happen. We’re both unbeaten, we’re both under Frank Warren, we’re both top prospects so it’s gonna happen. When? I’m not too sure.

“He has mentioned Scott Quigg and wants to move on but I have names I want. There’s Lee Selby and Sam is among those names.

“Sam is a great fighter, but I’m a great fighter. We would make a great fight. What a clash of styles it will be. He is very strong and I am very classy.

“The British title is a great belt to have and that is a belt we want, but I am ranked 12th in the WBO rankings so there are other fights out there.”

Unfortunately injury and illness meant that Sharp couldn’t train for four weeks earlier this year costing him a Royal Albert Hall title defence in early March.

His return will be a non-title eight rounder on promoter Frank Warren’s bill that is stacked with prospects.

Sharp explained: “Ideally I want big fights. I know I am only boxing an eight rounder in April, but after injury and illness I need to get back in there and see how everything is.

“I have just got to be clever. If I jump straight back in there and my injury doesn’t hold out I will have made a big mistake.

“I was upset and frustrated over not being able to fight at the Royal Albert Hall, but I remained mentally strong and now I am back out.”

Former world amateur champion Hurshid Tojibaev wants to move quickly in the professional game after making an eye-catching debut.

 

The Uzbek hero demolished Krzysztof Rogowski inside three rounds in Poland on March 23 and having fought in two Olympic Games before turning professional, is ready to race to the top of the paid ranks.

Tojibaev said: “I have been waiting a long time for this moment and I enjoyed it. I won the AIBA title over 12 rounds so I know what longer fights are like.

“I simply want to become world champion as a professional now and I know I have what it takes to get there.

“I don’t want to waste time and I hope to be fighting for some kind of title after a handful of bouts.

“I’m so pleased to be with MTK Global alongside my friend and former Olympic champion Shakhobidin Zoirov. We believe we are with the people who can guide us best.

“It’s the biggest boxing management company in the world and I’m so pleased they chose me for their team. I believe they’ll make a major difference to how my career develops.”

With Tojibaev up and running, compatriot Zoirov takes his professional bow on a glitzy card Round 10 Boxing Club card in Dubai on April 5; broadcast live on ESPN and iFL TV.