Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Updated in the afterglow of Joe's tremendous performance. This is just my opinion so rather than calling me a fool or worse (which I am :D) just add your own. I am well open to informed opinions.
I have not included Ricky Hatton only because his fight against Mayweather is HUGE and I'll wait til after that.
My apologies for those that that I missed - as I'm sure I have. This is just off my head.
1 - Lennox Lewis - Totally dominant of the flagstaff division. Ruled both sides of the puddle.
2 - Joe Calzaghe - Hasn't lost in 17 years. World Champ for Ten!
3 - Ken Buchanan - Best 'pure' British Boxer. Duran called him his toughest opponent.
4 - Lloyd Honeyghan - Destroyed Curry (no matter what the whingers say - he ruled that fight from start to finish)
5 - Randy Turpin - Beat a prime Sugar Ray Robinson.
6 - Naseem Hamed - At his best was a superb fighter. Lost only to a prime Barrera. Could have been much higher.
7 (tied) - Nigel Benn & Chris Eubank - Eubank could've been better but the Watson result...... Benn overachieved.
9 - John H Stracey - Beat Mantequilla in Mexico City!!!
10 - Dennis Andries - Above better fighters because he EARNED it.
Very Honourable Mentions. (in no order)
Barry McGuigan - Promised so much. Win over Pedroza was great though.
Wayne McCullough - Amazing chin but went downhill after beating Yakushiji for 1st title win.
Duke McKenzie - One of my personal favourites. Saw him live several times.
Jim Watt - Tough gritty Scot. Set the record for most title defences.
Kirkland Laing - Beat Duran a few months before Hands of Stone destroyed Moore
Terry Downes - Outscored an old Sugar Ray but also took many decent scalps. Shame about his bleedin' hooter.
Dave Charnley - Gave Old Bones a close battle and ruled Britain for seven years.
Johnny Nelson - Like a vintage wine. Undefeated in last TEN years of boxing.
Alan Minter - Won full title in Vegas. Also rhyming slang for Splinter.
Steve Robinson - Cinderella Man made seven defences (against 221-22-8 opposition) after a 9-8-1 start.
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Nice list taans...
I personally would have Eubank listed alone.
I'd also like to mention Terry Marsh :-\
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by CutMeMick
Nice list taans...
I personally would have Eubank listed alone.
I'd also like to mention Terry Marsh :-\
Yeah, probably Marsh. Sorry :-[ The cut short thing makes it hard for me to make a decision. Just like I don't rate Salvador Sanchez as high as I should - although I do not rate him low either. I just don't know....
I personally rate Eubank as a better fighter than Benn but I think their careers were on such a parallel that they deserve to be together. Benn had the bigger win of the two. I also think Eubank could have been the greatest British Boxer of all time had it not been for Watson. He may also be a little too cerebral for the game (a problem Lewis also faced - although he didn't face the trauma that Eubank did)
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by CutMeMick
Nice list taans...
I personally would have Eubank listed alone.
I'd also like to mention Terry Marsh :-\
Marsh never beat an elite opponent. He's was an average fighter at best
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by CutMeMick
Nice list taans...
I personally would have Eubank listed alone.
I'd also like to mention Terry Marsh :-\
Marsh never beat an elite opponent. He's was an average fighter at best
He beat Epilepsy AND the British Legal System ;D
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by taansend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by CutMeMick
Nice list taans...
I personally would have Eubank listed alone.
I'd also like to mention Terry Marsh :-\
Marsh never beat an elite opponent. He's was an average fighter at best
He beat Epilepsy AND the British Legal System ;D
Since when is the British Legal System elite?
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by taansend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by CutMeMick
Nice list taans...
I personally would have Eubank listed alone.
I'd also like to mention Terry Marsh :-\
Marsh never beat an elite opponent. He's was an average fighter at best
He beat Epilepsy AND the British Legal System ;D
Since when is the British Legal System elite?
I wouldn't be in the wonderful state of California if it wasn't for them, mate ;D
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by CutMeMick
Nice list taans...
I personally would have Eubank listed alone.
I'd also like to mention Terry Marsh :-\
Marsh never beat an elite opponent. He's was an average fighter at best
I agree hence the smiley next to my comment.
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by taansend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by taansend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by CutMeMick
Nice list taans...
I personally would have Eubank listed alone.
I'd also like to mention Terry Marsh :-\
Marsh never beat an elite opponent. He's was an average fighter at best
He beat Epilepsy AND the British Legal System ;D
Since when is the British Legal System elite?
I wouldn't be in the wonderful state of California if it wasn't for them, mate ;D
Yeah well you be careful. California has stricter male prostitution laws than Britain. I wouldn't want you to get caught up like you did over there. Over here you might not walk
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by taansend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by taansend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by CutMeMick
Nice list taans...
I personally would have Eubank listed alone.
I\'d also like to mention Terry Marsh :-\\
Marsh never beat an elite opponent. He\'s was an average fighter at best
He beat Epilepsy AND the British Legal System ;D
Since when is the British Legal System elite?
I wouldn\'t be in the wonderful state of California if it wasn\'t for them, mate ;D
Yeah well you be careful. California has stricter male prostitution laws than Britain. I wouldn\'t want you to get caught up like you did over there. Over here you might not walk
LMAO. That was just wrong. Funny. But wrong
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by taansend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by taansend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
Quote:
Originally Posted by CutMeMick
Nice list taans...
I personally would have Eubank listed alone.
I'd also like to mention Terry Marsh :-\
Marsh never beat an elite opponent. He's was an average fighter at best
He beat Epilepsy AND the British Legal System ;D
Since when is the British Legal System elite?
I wouldn't be in the wonderful state of California if it wasn't for them, mate ;D
Yeah well you be careful. California has stricter male prostitution laws than Britain. I wouldn't want you to get caught up like you did over there. Over here you might not walk
Thanks for heads up, VD.
I make sure I pop over the border before popping under the border nowadays...... :o
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
So apart from VD paying for sex with me, is there any fighters I missed? ???
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Thats a good list I was watching Ken buchanan on the History of boxing DVD I have...that Duran fight was brilliant...only one i wouldnt really be able to say is Randy Turpin...i mean robinson was very good at this point not in his Prime Prime...but good enough... The story i heard behind it was that Robinson
was just drained for the fight he was on a 9 fight Euro tour i beleive...and Turpin got owned in the rematch.And ive never heard of turpin doing anything else.....
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
My List:
1. Ken Buchanan
2. Lennox Lewis
3. Naseem Hamed
4. Joe Calzaghe
5. Lloyd Honeyghan
6. Howard Winstone
7. Chris Eubank
8. Nigel Benn
9. John Conteh
10. Ricky Hatton
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
1. Nigel Benn
2. Lennox Lewis
3. Ricky Hatton
4. Ken Buchanan
5. Joe Calzaghe
6. Howard Winstone
7. Naseem Hamed
8. Lloyd Honeyghan
9. John Conteh
10. John H Stracey
Eubank would have been the greatest British fighter ever if not for the Watson tragedy - he was an awesome finisher coming up and in his early pomp, and danced well
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Is that a joke?
You have joe at number two, but eubank and hatton absolutely nowhere to be seen..
when in fact they should be in the top ten and i'd be somewhat insulted to see them in the honourable mentions section
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tins06
Thats a good list I was watching Ken buchanan on the History of boxing DVD I have...that Duran fight was brilliant...only one i wouldnt really be able to say is Randy Turpin...i mean robinson was very good at this point not in his Prime Prime...but good enough... The story i heard behind it was that Robinson
was just drained for the fight he was on a 9 fight Euro tour i beleive...and Turpin got owned in the rematch.And ive never heard of turpin doing anything else.....
Robinson was in his prime - his record was 128-1-2 at the time - but he may have taken Turpin lightly. However, that's not Turpins fault. He trained to fight the best and beat the best while at his physical prime. We can't detract.
Apart from that, Turpin had a record of 66-8-1 in an era that probably the toughest boxing era. He won the British, European & World Middleweight Titles (when they all meant something). He ko'd Don Cockell for the British & Commonwealth Lightheavy titles - the same Don Cockell who fought Marciano for the Heavyweight title. He then dropped back down to win the Commonwealth Middleweight title, European Middleweight Title and a version of the World title. He also lost a close fight to Bobo Olsen for Robinsons vacated title.
Whether or not he deserves to be in the top ten is subjective but he DID do a lot in boxing and is respected by historians worldwide.
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by taansend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tins06
Thats a good list I was watching Ken buchanan on the History of boxing DVD I have...that Duran fight was brilliant...only one i wouldnt really be able to say is Randy Turpin...i mean robinson was very good at this point not in his Prime Prime...but good enough... The story i heard behind it was that Robinson
was just drained for the fight he was on a 9 fight Euro tour i beleive...and Turpin got owned in the rematch.And ive never heard of turpin doing anything else.....
Robinson was in his prime - his record was 128-1-2 at the time - but he may have taken Turpin lightly. However, that's not Turpins fault. He trained to fight the best and beat the best while at his physical prime. We can't detract.
Apart from that, Turpin had a record of 66-8-1 in an era that probably the toughest boxing era. He won the British, European & World Middleweight Titles (when they all meant something). He ko'd Don Cockell for the British & Commonwealth Lightheavy titles - the same Don Cockell who fought Marciano for the Heavyweight title. He then dropped back down to win the Commonwealth Middleweight title, European Middleweight Title and a version of the World title. He also lost a close fight to Bobo Olsen for Robinsons vacated title.
Whether or not he deserves to be in the top ten is subjective but he DID do a lot in boxing and is respected by historians worldwide.
I agree Robinson was in his prime for the Turpin fight. He just took him lightly. That was pretty obvious in the rematch. Robinson brutalized Turpin to get his revenge. Not only ruining his career but ruining his life.
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Don't understand why Honeyghan is so high with some people. I know he had a great win against Curry, but don't think he did enough to be above the likes of Benn (although I'll admit bias with Benn). Not seen anything of Conteh, but my dad reckons he would have been superb without problems outside the ring. Have to say that Hatton is best I've seen since started watching boxing in mid-80s. Have problem with Lewis because I'm not a big fan of the heavyweights, but I still think he's underrated by some people.
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wright
Don't understand why Honeyghan is so high with some people. I know he had a great win against Curry, but don't think he did enough to be above the likes of Benn (although I'll admit bias with Benn). Not seen anything of Conteh, but my dad reckons he would have been superb without problems outside the ring. Have to say that Hatton is best I've seen since started watching boxing in mid-80s. Have problem with Lewis because I'm not a big fan of the heavyweights, but I still think he's underrated by some people.
I can see why Benn would be rated above Lloyd. I can see why Lloyd would be rated above Nigel. Honeyghan was the dominant man in his division (for a short while). Benn wasn't. It's a difficult one to decide.
I totally skipped Conteh. :-[ Sorry John. He should be on there. He's a lot better than many I posted.
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Well the only one i know is right is Lennox because he is by far the best fighter to come out of Britain.
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by taansend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tins06
Thats a good list I was watching Ken buchanan on the History of boxing DVD I have...that Duran fight was brilliant...only one i wouldnt really be able to say is Randy Turpin...i mean robinson was very good at this point not in his Prime Prime...but good enough... The story i heard behind it was that Robinson
was just drained for the fight he was on a 9 fight Euro tour i beleive...and Turpin got owned in the rematch.And ive never heard of turpin doing anything else.....
Robinson was in his prime - his record was 128-1-2 at the time - but he may have taken Turpin lightly. However, that's not Turpins fault. He trained to fight the best and beat the best while at his physical prime. We can't detract.
Apart from that, Turpin had a record of 66-8-1 in an era that probably the toughest boxing era. He won the British, European & World Middleweight Titles (when they all meant something). He ko'd Don Cockell for the British & Commonwealth Lightheavy titles - the same Don Cockell who fought Marciano for the Heavyweight title. He then dropped back down to win the Commonwealth Middleweight title, European Middleweight Title and a version of the World title. He also lost a close fight to Bobo Olsen for Robinsons vacated title.
Whether or not he deserves to be in the top ten is subjective but he DID do a lot in boxing and is respected by historians worldwide.
Must also be remembered that Turpin was boxing superbly in the rematch in the US. Until he got caught by one of the best punches ever landed in the 10th.
Great list by the way. ;)
Re: Top Ten Post-War British Boxers
Quote:
Originally Posted by WelshDevilRob
Quote:
Originally Posted by taansend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tins06
Thats a good list I was watching Ken buchanan on the History of boxing DVD I have...that Duran fight was brilliant...only one i wouldnt really be able to say is Randy Turpin...i mean robinson was very good at this point not in his Prime Prime...but good enough... The story i heard behind it was that Robinson
was just drained for the fight he was on a 9 fight Euro tour i beleive...and Turpin got owned in the rematch.And ive never heard of turpin doing anything else.....
Robinson was in his prime - his record was 128-1-2 at the time - but he may have taken Turpin lightly. However, that's not Turpins fault. He trained to fight the best and beat the best while at his physical prime. We can't detract.
Apart from that, Turpin had a record of 66-8-1 in an era that probably the toughest boxing era. He won the British, European & World Middleweight Titles (when they all meant something). He ko'd Don Cockell for the British & Commonwealth Lightheavy titles - the same Don Cockell who fought Marciano for the Heavyweight title. He then dropped back down to win the Commonwealth Middleweight title, European Middleweight Title and a version of the World title. He also lost a close fight to Bobo Olsen for Robinsons vacated title.
Whether or not he deserves to be in the top ten is subjective but he DID do a lot in boxing and is respected by historians worldwide.
Must also be remembered that Turpin was boxing superbly in the rematch in the US. Until he got caught by one of the best punches ever landed in the 10th.
Great list by the way. ;)
Yeah, he was level on one card and down by just one & two points on the other cards. It was a close match and he was stopped on his feet (a la Castillo-Corrales) at the end of the round.
While VD was wrong in stating that Turpin was "brutalized" by Robinson (Randy had already been kayoed quicker) he was right when he said this was the beginning of the end of the Leamington Licker. He could never reach those heights again and it played on his psyche. For a mixed race kid (a rare thing in England in those days) to have a huge crowd singing "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" as he outboxed the Worlds Greatest Fighter was a huge deal back then.
