The Ring magazine was established in 1922. From 1953 to 1988, The Ring gave a Progress of the Year award to the boxer who made the most significant progress during the preceding twelve months. In other words, the fighter who made the most impressive jump from comparative obscurity to international prominence.
1953 – Nino Valdes
1954 – Pascual Perez
1955 – Chuck Spieser
1956 – Eddie Machen
1957 – Roy Harris (boxer)
1958 – Don Jordan
1959 – Charley Scott
1960 – Giulio Rinaldi
1961:
1962:
1963:
1964 – Vicente Saldivar
1965 – Alan Rudkin
1966 – Joe Frazier
1967 – Jimmy Ellis
1968 – Shozo Saijo
1969 – Mac Foster
1970 – George Foreman
1971 – Chris Finnegan
1972 – Bert Nabalatan
1973 – Santos Luis Rivera
1974 – Soo-Hwan Hong
1975 – Mike Colbert
1976 – Ruben Castillo
1977 – Eddie Gazo
1978 – Leon Spinks
1979 – Chan-Hee Park
1980 –
1981 –
1982 –
1983 – John Mugabi
1984 – Francisco Quiroz
1985 – Lonnie Smith
1986 – Samart Payakaroon
1987 – Kelvin Seabrooks
1988 – Michael Nunn