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Mayweather voted fighter of the year

Floyd Mayweather defeated Saul Alvarez in September © Getty Images

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Pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., who dominated both of his world title fights in two different weight divisions in 2013, was voted winner of the Sugar Ray Robinson Fighter of the Year award in balloting results announced by the Boxing Writers Association of America on Tuesday.

It is the second time Mayweather has won the award. He also won in 2007, the last time he fought at least two times in a calendar year.

"It is a great honor to be voted by the BWAA as fighter of the year. To be recognised by this organisation is special and I truly appreciate it," Mayweather said in a statement given to ESPN. "I also want to congratulate the other winners and also recognise my fellow nominees, whose achievements in the ring this past year afforded them nominations too."

Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs), who turns 37 on February 24, was as dominant as ever last year, easily outpointing interim titlist Robert Guerrero to retain his welterweight world title in May and doing the same against Canelo Alvarez in a junior middleweight unification fight in September. The Mayweather-Alvarez fight also shattered numerous financial records, including domestic pay-per-view revenue ($150 million) and live gate ($20 million).

"I have dedicated my whole career to being the best and because of that I have been on top for 17 years," Mayweather said. "Hard work and dedication got me there and awards like these help keep me there too. On behalf of myself and the entire Money Team, I thank you so very much."

Fight of the Year went to Timothy Bradley's bout with Ruslan Provodnikov © Getty Images

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The Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier Fight of the Year award went to the brutal slugfest between Timothy Bradley Jr. and Ruslan Provodnikov, who slugged it out in a dramatic battle on March 16 in Carson, California. Bradley was nearly knocked out in the first and second rounds and was knocked down in the final seconds of the fight, but he also dished out a lot of punishment in a fight that featured tremendous ebb and flow. Bradley won a close unanimous decision to retain his welterweight world title.

Stung by criticism that he was a boring fighter, Bradley said afterward that he had purposely tried to engage Provodnikov, a noted brawler, because he wanted to prove that he could be exciting.

"It's unbelievable. I can't even imagine, Timothy Bradley in a fight of the year," Bradley said after ESPN had informed him that he had won. "It takes two people willing to engage in that type of action so I've got to give major props to Ruslan Provodnikov for bringing the best out of me. We put it all on the line. We put our lives on the line. I hope that all the fans really appreciated that night.

"I have talked to so many different people who say it was the best fight they have seen in a long time or that it is the best fight they have ever seen, and I'm a part of it. Who would think Timothy Bradley would be in a fight of the year and win the fight of the year? It's a huge accomplishment."

Freddie Roach won his sixth Eddie Futch Trainer of the Year award, a BWAA record, thanks in large part to his work with Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto and Provodnikov.

Pacquiao rebounded to dominate Brandon Rios in November for a lopsided decision victory after having been knocked out in his previous fight in 2012. Working with Cotto for the first time, Roach had him well-prepared for his crushing third-round knockout of Delvin Rodriguez in October as Cotto shook off a two-fight losing streak and looked as good as he had in ages. Later in October, Provodnikov knocked out Mike Alvarado in the 10th round in Alvarado's hometown of Denver to win a junior welterweight world title. Although Roach was not in the corner on fight night because of another obligation, he trained Provodnikov for the bout.

"It's nice to be back in the mix. We had a bad year (in 2012) and we had a much better year (in 2013)," Roach told ESPN. "No. 6? I love being recognised for what we do but without the fighters I wouldn't be here."

Roach also won the award - which is named for the late Hall of Famer Futch, Roach's mentor and trainer during his boxing career - in 2003, 2006 and 2008-2010.

This article originally appeared on ESPN.com

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