Sergio Martinez, the late-blooming Argentine who beat Kelly Pavlik and Paul Williams in 2010, has been named Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Martinez outpointed Pavlik in April to win THE RING middleweight championship and two sanctioning-body titles. He then avenged a controversial loss to Williams by scoring a sensational one-punch second-round knockout of his rival in November.

He is the second Argentine to win the award. The great middleweight Carlos Monzon won it in 1972.

In other awards, Freddie Roach was named Trainer of the Year for the third consecutive time and fifth time overall. Roach guided Manny Pacquiao (who was second in the Fighter of the Year voting) and Amir Khan to two big victories each in 2010.

The Amir Khan-Marcos Maidana fight in December, in which Khan survived a harrowing 10th round after he was hurt by a big right but went on to win a decision, was named Fight of the Year.

Lightweight contender Robert Guerrero, who put his career on hold as his wife Casey battled leukemia and then made a successful return to the ring, won the award for “Courage in Overcoming Adversity.”

Veteran boxing writer Jack Obermayer won the award for “Long and Meritorious Service.” Publicist Bill Caplan won the “Good Guy” award.

And, as was announced earlier, Micky Ward won the award for “Honesty and Integrity,” and writer/broadcaster Steve Farhood won the “Fleischer Award” for “Excellence in Boxing Journalism.”

No winners were named for Manager of the Year and Broadcaster of the Year.

The award winners will be honored at the BWAA's 86th annual dinner, tentatively set for May 6, 2011 in Las Vegas.