The BWWA’s website states as follows in this regard:

“The Boxing Writers Association of America is proud to announce its annual winners for 2023.

Based on his brilliant 2023 year, the BWAA is proud to announce Naoya Inoue as the 2023 Fighter of the Year, based on his victories over then-undefeated WBC/WBO 122-pound titleholder Stephen Fulton in July and WBA/IBF 122-pound belt holder Marlon Tapales in December.

Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) makes history as the first Japanese fighter to win the prestigious honor in the 85-year history of the award.

The 30-year-old from Yokohama, Japan, was a universal choice for 2023, also being selected FOY by other respected boxing media outlets like Ring Magazine and BoxingScene.

“This is a great honor for me, because all of the writers from the United State and around the world voted for me,” said Inoue, who said he would make arrangements for the BWAA awards dinner at a time and place to be determined later this year. “That means a lot to have my performances recognized in the United States, even though I was fighting in Japan.”

Inoue is the undisputed junior featherweight world champion, after being the undisputed bantamweight world champion. He joins undisputed welterweight world champion Terence Crawford, a 2023 FOY nominee, as the only male two-division undisputed champions of the four-belt era.

Inoue won over a distinguished class that included Crawford, Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis and David Benavidez.”