Whether solidified top-tier champions or contenders on the cusp of glory, Great Britain has a vast array of talent to offer the current boxing scene. Here, we pick out the nation’s top ten current pound-for-pound fighters.
TYSON FURY
Tyson Fury unquestionably cemented his position as Britain’s best with a virtuoso performance over Deontay Wilder last month, stopping the unbeaten American in the seventh round of a thoroughly one-sided affair to become the WBC heavyweight champion of the world.
JOSH TAYLOR
Josh Taylor’s progress as a professional has been nothing short of exceptional in just sixteen fights, and the Edinburgh native further underlined his world championship credentials recently with a sensational victory over highly-touted Louisianan Regis Prograis in their unification showdown.
ANTHONY JOSHUA
As the unified heavyweight champion of the world, Anthony Joshua has occupied the position of Britain’s biggest boxing draw for quite some time. Despite a shock defeat to Andy Ruiz in June, Joshua rebounded six months latter to swiftly put things right, returning to the summit of the heavyweight division in the process.
JOSH WARRINGTON
Leodensian Josh Warrington has defied doubters on numerous occassions throughout the past couple of years, defeating Lee Selby at Elland Road to capture the IBF featherweight title, successfully defending it against former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton before dispatching of tricky challenger Kid Galahad to assert himself as one of the UK’s most formidable champions.
BILLY JOE SAUNDERS
Southpaw Billy-Joe Saunders has flattered to deceive somewhat in recent years with a string of underwhelming displays, but the Hatfield native’s quality remains plainly evident. Indeed the two-weight world champion will certainly be eager to display his skills on the global stage should he be able to eventually secure a superfight with the likes of Canelo Alvarez or Gennady Golovkin.
CALLUM SMITH
Super-middleweight Callum Smith captured world title glory in the unlikeliest of surroundings; pummelling George Groves into submission in the seventh-round of their contest in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. However, by all accounts he was extremely fortunate to have retained his title against John Ryder; and will surely be looking to silence the growing number of skeptics with a decidedly more assured showing in his next fight, regardless of who it is against.
CARL FRAMPTON
Despite his lopsided unanimous decision defeat to Josh Warrington in December, Belfast’s Carl Frampton still remains one of this country’s most accomplished operators. A former unified super-bantamweight champion as well as a former featherweight champion, a potential world title fight against Jamal Herring looms on the horizon in the near future for ‘the Jackal’; an opportunity to enhance his legacy even further.
LUKE CAMPBELL
‘Coolhand’ Luke Campbell, a former Olympic gold medallist, has transitioned seamlessly into the professional ranks and has amassed considerable experience in world title challenges against Jorge Linares and the phenomenal Vasyl Lomachenko. A southpaw with poise and punching power, the Hull man continues to fly the flag as one of the top contenders in the lightweight division.
LIAM WILLIAMS
Joining forces with Dominic Ingle has breathed new life into Liam Williams career. After two contested losses to Liam Smith, the Welshman has moved up to middleweight and produced a string of impressive displays. With his busy jab, punching power and tenacious approach, many believe he would be more than a handful for some of the champions, including WBO king Demetrius Andrade, who he is expected to fight next.
DILLIAN WHYTE
Dillian Whyte describes himself as the ‘Can Man’ and although he has seemingly been frustrated in his efforts to secure a WBC title shot, the Brixton-bred fighter continues to amass a cult following by challenging and beating some of the top available fighters in the division.
Article by: Navi Singh
Follow Navi on Twitter at: @DarkMan________