Overview
- Pat McAfee announced Crawford as the 2026 Best Fighter winner Wednesday, handing the trophy to the retired boxer at the ESPY window that ran to June 30, 2026.
- Crawford’s case rested on his September victory over Canelo Alvarez that made him an undisputed, multi‑division champion before retiring.
- Gaethje was the lone MMA nominee after wins over Paddy Pimblett and a fourth‑round TKO of Ilia Topuria that unified the UFC lightweight title at the White House.
- Gaethje’s manager Ali Abdelaziz called the result “mind blowing” on social media, and fans and outlets debated whether betting odds and upset wins or historic weight‑class achievement should carry more weight.
- The outcome has renewed questions about ESPN’s merged category and could prompt scrutiny of how future awards compare accomplishments across boxing and MMA.