Elite British Prospects - Better Than America?

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.

What about that "new Naz" guy?

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Originally Posted by Starr

What about that "new Naz" guy?

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I've known Lee since he was 13 years old so it's not like I'd not mention him if I could, I just wouldn't quite put him in the bracket of these guys.

Since 13. Was he a good amateur? How far do you think he can go?

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Originally Posted by Starr

Since 13. Was he a good amateur? How far do you think he can go?

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Let me tell you, he came straight in off the street and was a little B******. Never trained hard, always disobeyed everybody. He had his first amateur fight when he was 15, his last when he was 18. He was brash and cocky, and went long periods out of the gym but clearly had ability. Didn't take boxing seriously. I think his amateur record was 11-4. He was a very dirty fighter back then, but he did win the Western Counties senior ABA's at bantumweight.

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Originally Posted by WWatt

Roman Greenberg - 2000 Junior World Championship silver medalist, Angelo Dundee claims he has the fastest hands of any heavyweight since Muhammad Ali

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don't even bloody go there......Angelo must be off his nut

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Originally Posted by The_One77

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Originally Posted by WWatt

Roman Greenberg - 2000 Junior World Championship silver medalist, Angelo Dundee claims he has the fastest hands of any heavyweight since Muhammad Ali

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don't even bloody go there......Angelo must be off his nut

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Agreed.

I think Eddie Chambers is a good heavyweight prospect

What about Andre Ward?

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Originally Posted by The_One77

What about Andre Ward?

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GARBAGE...people dis on my boy Wlad for not being able to take a shot, well this guy Ward got seriously hurt by some MAJOR bums

What about those kids from Brooklyn?

Roy Jones Jr.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Oscar Dela Hoya
are better than any of them, but in the past 4 years I would say British fighters might be better than the new American ones, but we'll see... Britain has had some promising amateurs/looked impressive until they fought the big fights(Naseem, Audley who didn't even fight a good competition and still lost), but United States has quite a few (Grant, Lacy, Zab Judah, and a few more who were thought to have the talent, but we found out otherwise). I think british fighters for the most part are better mentally prepared as fighters than Americans.

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Originally Posted by Lyle

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Originally Posted by The_One77

What about Andre Ward?

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GARBAGE...people dis on my boy Wlad for not being able to take a shot, well this guy Ward got seriously hurt by some MAJOR bums

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Yea Ward is a Middleweight and he was stunned by a light heavyweight from a shot to the temple.. yea he can't take a shot ::> He came back and won every other round didn't he?

Oh but you want to go with the Boone fight?

Boone is not a bum he;s the "prospect killer" let me show you his resume

Chris Archer 4-0

Boone beat him

Ronald Johnson 6-0

Boone beat him

James Countryman 8-0

Boone beat him.

He's a prospect killer and he's going to test Anthony Thompson in 3 days. Boone ain't no bum.

And Andre Ward is set to fight Andy Kolle 9-0 7 KO's in his next fight. Whomever wins that fight is real, the one who loses that fight is on the comeback trail.

Ward can right the ship, but lets don't go overboard about him beating Kolle just cause he's undefeated, he's only fought in Idaho and Minnesota(tough competition) and he's only fought one guy with a winning record. Beating this guy means nothing for Ward, he's just gotta keep trying to get better and he'll be allright

Another good guy from UNited states is Calvin Brock.

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

Ward can right the ship, but lets don't go overboard about him beating Kolle just cause he's undefeated, he's only fought in Idaho and Minnesota(tough competition) and he's only fought one guy with a winning record. Beating this guy means nothing for Ward, he's just gotta keep trying to get better and he'll be allright

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believe if I tell you that Kolle is going to be a challenge. And Like I said with Zab before Baldomir, if Ward doesn't use his jab, then he will be in difficulty.

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Originally Posted by Starr

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

Ward can right the ship, but lets don't go overboard about him beating Kolle just cause he's undefeated, he's only fought in Idaho and Minnesota(tough competition) and he's only fought one guy with a winning record. Beating this guy means nothing for Ward, he's just gotta keep trying to get better and he'll be allright

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believe if I tell you that Kolle is going to be a challenge. And Like I said with Zab before Baldomir, if Ward doesn't use his jab, then he will be in difficulty.

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How do you know what kind of challenge Kolle will be?

The Petersons are decent

Brock isn't a prospect anymore he's a challenger

I don't rate brock. But the heavies aint so good so who knows....
John Murray (manchester) looks class,
kell Brook is sposed to be pretty decent,

Any more good U.S. prospects?

Heres a few US prospects that are lined up for BIG things.....

Vicente Escobedo
Chad Dawson
Raul Martinez
Nestor Rocha
Mike Oliver
Jason Litzau
Gary Stark Jr.
Demetrius Hopkins
Allan Green
Rock Allan
Adrian Mora
The Petersons
Jaidon Crodington
Curtis Stevens

Let's bump this up and see what everyone thinks now'a'days

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Originally Posted by Taeth

Another good guy from UNited states is Calvin Brock.

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How is Calvin Brock a prospect? He's already fought for a world title plus he's in his thirties!

Lee Heskins stepped up tooo quick and got bet.

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Originally Posted by CutMeMicK

Heres a few US prospects that are lined up for BIG things.....

Vicente Escobedo
Chad Dawson
Raul Martinez
Nestor Rocha
Mike Oliver
Jason Litzau
Gary Stark Jr.
Demetrius Hopkins
Allan Green
Rock Allan
Adrian Mora
The Petersons
Jaidon Crodington
Curtis Stevens

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nice list CC Mick .. I seen San Antonio prospect Raul Martinez the other day, hes looking sharp. knee high to grasshopper. but has good power and instinct.

Wel Codrington shot his load a bit early. Demetrious looks good. Wudnt call him a prospect tho. Bit past that stage. Dawson looks quality.

We'll see how Amir kahn does tonight.

Frankie gavin is supposed to be the next best thing coming out of the amatuers here in the UK.

Can we dare suggest that Audley Harrison is now a British prospect? He was pretty impressive against Danny Williams tonight, and it is a weak division, but I still don't see him beating Klitshcko, the others might be open to him though. He needs a few more good results against creditable fighters before that stage thoiugh.

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Originally Posted by Lords Gym

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Originally Posted by CutMeMicK

Heres a few US prospects that are lined up for BIG things.....

Vicente Escobedo
Chad Dawson
Raul Martinez
Nestor Rocha
Mike Oliver
Jason Litzau
Gary Stark Jr.
Demetrius Hopkins
Allan Green
Rock Allan
Adrian Mora
The Petersons
Jaidon Crodington
Curtis Stevens

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nice list CC Mick .. I seen San Antonio prospect Raul Martinez the other day, hes looking sharp. knee high to grasshopper. but has good power and instinct.

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Thanks Lords,
Well heres an up-date on the prospects I listed and what they have done since March, 2006 the month that I posted this...

Vicente Escobedo - The very next month in April he lost a tough hard fight against the newly crowned WBO NABO Super Feather Champ. Daniel Jimenez whos turning out to be something. Last night he fought a rough & rugged fighter who kept coming forward at him throwing non-stop, he (Jimenez) won via TKO rd. 9. Escobedo has won his last 3 fights after that loss.

Chad Dawson - He is now the NABF Light Heavy. Champ and was rumored to be fighting Adamek but the talks of that fight have fell through. 2 of his last 2 fights have fell through (Drews) being the other fight, now he is not scheduled to fight anyone. He needs to stay active
even if it's not a title shot he needs to find good opponents to face.


Raul Martinez - He has stepped up the quality of his opponents, espcially his last one he fought a tough vet. in the undercard of Kelley vs. Hernandez. Kids got skills and is showing vast improvement.

Nestor Rocha - Both he & Martinez (above) fought on this same card (Kelley-Hndz.) Same deal also the quality of his opponents has move up a bit and hes shown improvements hin his game. Who knows possible match up betweeb he & Martinez in a couple of years if both fighters are still around doing there thing.

Mike Oliver - He is now the current USBA Super Bantamweight Champ. he has fought sine the day of my post he has fought 5 times, twice in June :o well either he really want's this or he needed money? I havent followed up on this kid here but I must say hes jumped the furthest up (aside from Dawson) from the rest... Currently ranked on avg. at #15.

Jason Litzau - Since the day of my post hes fought 3 times and won via KO/TKO beating a few tough vets. his style and sense of balls out
fighting has landed him on HBO and is set to fight IMO the toughest of his opponents to date Jose Hernandez and I say that because Hndz. has never been KO/TKO'd and I don't know how Litzaus gonna cope if he can't get' em out of there early in fashion being that it's his coming out party on HBO.

Gary Stark Jr. - Anybody know if hes Stark Jr. (son of former N.Y. Knicks player) ??? Havent followed him to be honest judging from his
record I say that hes moved along accordingly and on par with the rest listed here.

Demetrius Hopkins - Has moved a bit slow IMO, I mean his mid-way to 30 fights and has yet to face an actual challenge. Hopefully now that he won the eliminator ::** he can actually fight for the title (IBF Light Welterweight) which would be the winner of Hatton-Urango which IMO sets up a very good match up in Hopkins vs. Hatton.

Allan Green - He didn't look good in his last fights and but he beat tough vet. in Linton, both fighters kept busy through out the fight and both traded shots. Green either took an night off or he was overlooking Linton. Expecting him to fight for some type of title soon. (WBO NABO, NABF etc. etc.) Cause I don't think hes ready for the Champs. just yet.

Rock Allen - Moving slow if you ask me and his level of competion is just the same, would like to see him fight someone with a wining record.

Adrian Mora - Moving slow not much of an improvement in his record but his still wining and is keeping busy. Havent really followed him.

The Petersons - Both bros. are moving just fine, both set to kick off the ESPN 2 fight show on Jan. 5th, the younger bro. Anthony is the more exciting fighter hes scheduled to fight on that day for the WBO NABO Lightweight title and Lamont the older bro. is more the technician.

Jaidon Crodington - He won 4 fights straight since his KO loss to Green, notice how he had already lost and I still lisyed him. I think he can bounce back


Curtis Stevens - Has moved up the quality of his opponents just fine, he was upset bu Primera who had a record of 19-15-2 when they fought for WBC Youth title, he re-matched Primera and he decision Primera this time around.

WE are also really good at showjumping.

In fact, that is our major most representative national sport these days.

;D

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Originally Posted by X

WE are also really good at showjumping.

In fact, that is our major most representative national sport these days.

;D

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Dude....you're so blinkered in your view of british sport....we are also superb at darts, fishing, bowls and trampolining! Give our wonderful sporting heroes a break!

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Originally Posted by superheavyrhun

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Originally Posted by X

WE are also really good at showjumping.

In fact, that is our major most representative national sport these days.

;D

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Dude....you're so blinkered in your view of british sport....we are also superb at darts, fishing, bowls and trampolining! Give our wonderful sporting heroes a break!

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You can't forget competitive shin kicking

From fights i've actually seen, the peterson's and litzau looks like very good prospects. The first time litzau was knocked down he moved into a punch that was pretty nasty but he got up and won the fight (i actually used that fight as a topic for an english paper). It's been awhile since i saw either peterson fight but they are pretty good as well.

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Originally Posted by Lyle

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Originally Posted by The_One77

What about Andre Ward?

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GARBAGE...people dis on my boy Wlad for not being able to take a shot, well this guy Ward got seriously hurt by some MAJOR bums

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Garbage? Far from it. The guy is electrifying. Don't think he was prepared for that fight with Boone. He was in San Jose on the Thursday of that week and weighed in on Friday.

And how was Calzaghe on that original list?

Not seeing much from Escobedo. Rock Allan is good but he has been inactive. The Petersons are getting theres. Berto looks like he will be the first of the 2004 amatuer class to get a title shot. Next year for sure imo.