I know amateur boxing 'doesnt mean S***' on this board, and I'm not trying to start any UK vs US S*** either.
But there a bunch of Limey boxing prospects right now, from Elite backgrounds, that I'd just like to bring to your attention..
Amir Khan - 2003 International Junior Olympic gold medalist, 2004 Olympic Games silver medalist (losing only to the best lb4lb amateur of the last 10 years)
John O'Donnell - 2003 International Junior Olympic gold medalist
Kevin Mitchell - 2001 International Junior Olympic silver medalist, youngest ever winner of senior ABA title
David Haye - 2001 Senior World Championship silver medalist
Carl Froch - 2001 Senior World Championship bronze medalist (first British boxer to ever win a medal at senior world championships), floored his World Championship semi-final opponent in 30 seconds (his Russian semi-final opponent went on to win the gold medal), knocked out Rubin Williams in 30 seconds at the England vs USA match
Roman Greenberg - 2000 Junior World Championship silver medalist, Angelo Dundee claims he has the fastest hands of any heavyweight since Muhammad Ali
Ricky Hatton - 1996 Junior World Championship bronze medalist (his semi-final loss to the Russian that went on to win the gold medal is considered to be the worst robbery in amateur boxing of the last 10 years)
Joe Calzaghe - 1990 Junior European Championship robbery and it was reported to of made Roy Jones Jr's loss to Park Si-Hun look fair by comparison (the Eastern European he was robbed against in Eastern Europe went to win the gold medal and then won the world championships the following year), first boxer to ever win three senior ABA titles at three different weights
These cats all want to hit the States!
I don't want to get into any UK vs US S***, but I'm just pointing out a fact that no US amateur was rated ahead of those guys in their category in the amateurs other than one kid over Kevin Mitchell.
My personal pick as the best of the bunch is darkhorse John O'Donnell, who is over-shadowed by Amir Khan and Kevin Mitchell. O'Donnell holds his own with Carl Froch in sparring. I believe O'Donnell is the full package, a sound technical boxer who is always looking to add moves and punches to his repertoire - he only opens up when he needs to and has some real good speed of hand when needed. And I genuinely have never known a more confident, assured young boxer than John O'Donnell - he actually genuinely believes he'd expose Khan and Mitchell on the same night.
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