The New Year brings lots of expectation and British boxing is no exception. 2018 looks to be a great year with some terrific fights to look forward to, and thereβs plenty of talent coming through.
A handful of my picks to rise to the top and hit the headlines this year are:
Anthony Yarde
βThe Beastβ, Hackney light heavyweight is blasting his way through the division since turning professional after a short stint at amateur he continues to improve with every fight.
https://twitter.com/mranthonyyarde/status/950113989882720256
He has a perfect record of 14 straight wins, with 13 of those wins by KO and has everything needed to get to the very top. Expect his rise to world level to be quick just like his fights. He is taking his own path in a division packed with tough talented fighters, but I think the 26 year old Yarde has what it takes to mix it with the best.
Josh Taylor
Hard to believe ‘The Tartan Tornado’ has still only had 11 fights but at 27 years old is wasting no time at all. Taylor picked up the Commonwealth title in only his 7th fight, expect him to add to that this year, and quickly be mixing with the very best in the world. The very talented southpaw Taylor has it all and I expect him to follow in the line of Scottish greats in 2018 and pick up a world title in another star-studded division.
Mark Heffron
Super middleweight is the division in the headlines in 2018 with the World Super Series coming to a climax with three British fighters looking to lead the world in the division. But hot on the heels of Groves, Eubank Jnr, and Callum Smith is the young man from Oldham, Mark Heffron. He has gone under the radar picking up 18 straight wins in an unblemished career, and I think this will be the year ‘Kid Dynamite’ comes out of the shadows.
Lewis Ritson
The young Geordie raised the eyebrows of many with his excellent performance picking up the British title then defending it in emphatic style in November with a one sided bashing of Robbie Barrett in November raising his unbeaten record to 13 with 7 of those inside schedule.
Very excited to announce the signing of newly crowned British champion @lewis_ritson to the @MatchroomBoxing@SkySportsBoxing team ππΌπ¬π§ pic.twitter.com/E0QorBfg4L
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) October 10, 2017
The lightweight division is crammed with British big name talent but I think Ritson will get amongst the mix and at 24 years old has time on his side.
Sam Bowen
Let’s hope opportunity knocks for Bowen in 2018 as he seems much avoided in the super featherweight division. This aggressive hard punching Midlands fighter deserves the chance to fight for titles this year and when he does he will not disappoint.
No one would fight him for the Midlands no one would fight him for the English so after 12 fights Sam bullet bowen finally gets a crack at the vacant British super featherweight title against maxi Hughes gonna be a great fight ππ pic.twitter.com/OVV9S4Q10Y
— Carl Greaves (@CarlGreavesPro) January 11, 2018
Excellent skills, aggressive style and big punch might be the reasons why he is sidelined, but this year he will get the chance to prove his enormous promise.
Back at it this morning with Sam bullet bowen @Ninaboom29 and comeback kid @AdamKet#NoPainNoGain ππ pic.twitter.com/8hgKnDjBAG
— Carl Greaves (@CarlGreavesPro) December 28, 2017
Just a few names to keep your eyes on in what promises to be another British boxing boom.READ MORE:
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