WELCOME TO BRITISH BOXING’S “GOLDEN ERA”
It is quite possible that British boxing is heading into a genuine golden era. Never in my time have I seen British boxing so rich in world champions and British fighters being involved in so many fights that’s making noise or have caught the attention of the boxing world.
The absolute pinnacle of this is the change in landscape of the heavyweight division. It is widely considered that the heavyweights are the marquee division in boxing and if the heavyweight division is healthy, then boxing is healthy.
With Fury claiming the WBA, IBF & WBO crowns in an underwhelming but highly significant win in Germany, back in November. Then being stripped of the IBF crown which Anthony Joshua blasted his way through Charles Martin in two rounds to claim emphatically.
All of a sudden, Britain are the majority holders and shot callers in the most influential division in boxing. To add to that, there is also the former WBA champion David Haye on the comeback trail and already making noise, planning a heavyweight title challenge.
In my 20 odd years of watching boxing, I have never witnessed such an era we are embarking on in British boxing. And it’s not just due to their hijacking of the heavyweight division. Britain has no less than 12 world champions:
Tyson Fury & Anthony Joshua (Heavyweight.). James DeGale. (Super Middleweight). Billy Joe Saunders. (Middleweight). Liam Smith (Super Welterweight). Kell Brook (Welterweight). Anthony Crolla & Terry Flanagan (Lightweight). Lee Selby (Featherweight). Carl Frampton (Super Bantamweight). Jamie McDonnell & Lee Haskins (Bantamweight).
This is the most champions I remember Britain having at any one given time. In addition to those world champions, Britain also has the likes of Amir Khan who has fought at world level for sometime and will be challenging Saul Canelo Alvarez for his middleweight title in a mega fight in May.
Britain also has a healthy array of challengers making their way through the rankings in other divisions. Tony Bellow and Ovill McKenzie at Cruiserweight. George Groves campaigning for a third world title challenge, after coming so close on two occasions at Super Middleweight. Also at Super Middleweight the highly touted prospect Callum Smith.
In addition, I am sure it will only be a matter of time until Chris Eubank Jr challenges for a world Middleweight title. Matthew Macklin is still there or there about in the Super Welterweight division, looking for a fourth world title challenge.
Another who is still there and there about is Ricky Burns who is fighting for the WBA Light Welterweight title in May. Also Stephen Smith will be challenging for the IBF Super Featherweight title in April.
Though Scott Quigg lost his unification bout to Frampton in February. He’s still in the Super Bantamweight mix and looking to regain his momentum and possibly a rematch with Frampton or another title shot. Derry Matthews held the interim lightweight title and only recently lost it via a unanimous points decision to fellow Brit Terry Flanagan.
It is very conceivable that by the end of the year, Britain could have as much as 15 or 16 world champions in boxing.
That’s a huge amount for Britain and it’s possible that tally or record, could stand for a very long time in British boxing, not to mention today’s of 12 which I feel is already unprecedented.
Another huge world title prospect is Super Flyweight Khalid Yafai. He could be fighting for a version of the world title very soon. Other British boxers that could still make some noise at world level are Nathan Cleverly (Light Heavyweight). Dillan White (Heavyweight). Frank Buglioni (Super Middleweight). (Scott Cardle & Luke Campbell (Lightweight). Josh Warrington (Featherweight). Gavin McDonnell (Super Bantamweight). Jamie Conlan (Super Flyweight).
Britain’s new found success could have all started with the successful London Olympics of 2012, where TeamGB did so well. It’s safe to say, since then, it seems British boxing is in the midst of a renaissance.
It also helps that Britain have had a few recent super fights with Groves v Froch 1&2. Frampton v Quigg. Eubanks v Saunders and even the Hull derby Campbell v Coyle.
To add to that, there have been plenty words exchanged between Khan & Brook. Saunders & Eubank for a possible rematch, as well as Groves & DeGale for their possible rematch. Also recently Fury, Joshua and Haye have begun to wet the boxing public’s appetite with their own early signs of trash talk against each other.
Due to this, it seems fans have spoken with their feet and pocket with more and more packing out stadiums. More fights seems to be getting made, locally and on the world level and as a result, these days, it seems more fights are being televised by multiple TV channels and companies…..
All in all it makes for a very exciting and intriguing next few years for British boxing. As their battles home and abroad are not just making headlines in Britain, the world have been forced to sit up and take notice….The British invasion is not coming. It’s HERE!!!!!
