UK boxing is buzzing. We currently have 12 world champions at the moment, including several division leaders.
More and more of our fighters are travelling overseas to claim world honours and plenty are still thrilling crowds on these shores. Some have been underdogs, some favourites. Whatever the case, the UK has become one of the leading forces in the sport and looks set to continue to do so.
We’ve taken a closer look at our current world champions and what they’ve achieved this year. Click below to read on.
Kell Brook
The Sheffield star dethroned IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter last year and has since made two successful defences. First of all, he had to recover from a horrific machete attack he was the victim of while on holiday shortly after his world title triumph.
Stoppage wins over Jo Jo Dan and Frankie Gavin on home soil were expected but Brook still looked mightily impressive in doing it. Injuries prevented him from nailing down a big fight to close out the year, but he remains unbeaten and one of the top talents in his division. If he can secure fights with the other titlists at 147lbs, 2016 could be a huge year for him.
Lee Selby
Years ago, we dubbed him ‘The Welsh Mayweather’ and the Barry hero is starting to live up to the name. In May, IBF world featherweight champion Evgeny Gradovich travelled with a formidable reputation to London to face Selby only to be outclassed over eight rounds. A clash of heads caused a cut over Gradovich’s right eye, causing the fight to be stopped and taken to the cards – Selby was way, way ahead and crowned the new champion.
He was snapped up by influential advisor Al Haymon and made the first defence of his title over in America on a Premier Boxing Champions show. Selby outpointed the gritty Fernando Montiel to retain.
Liam Smith
Though undoubtedly talented, few expected Liam to be the first of the fighting Smith clan to claim a world title. However, he was granted an opportunity at the vacant WBO super-welterweight strap against rangy American John Thompson. Smith took it with both hands. Despite some shaky moments during which Thompson kept a bullish Smith at bay, the Liverpudlian ended up walking right through the visitor, stopping him in seven rounds.
He makes his first defence against the unbeaten, but overmatched, Jimmy Kelly on December 19.
Jamie McDonnell
A former IBF world champion – before being infamously stripped – McDonnell picked up the WBA ‘regular’ title last year. While Juan Carlos Payano holds the ‘super’ title at bantamweight, McDonnell has proven himself as a legitimate world champion this year.
He twice travelled to Texas to take on the talented Tomoki Kameda – unanimously outpointing him both times. Jamie rose from a third-round knockdown to defy the odds the first time around and looked even better in the rematch, dropping Kameda in the 12th.
Scott Quigg
Quigg’s sole fight in 2015 was the standout performance of his career to date. Defending his WBA ‘regular’ super-bantam strap, he faced former IBF king Kiko Martinez. Rather than the tough night many predicted for Quigg, he blitzed the Spaniard in two rounds.
He has since been elevated to ‘super’ champion and signed to fight domestic rival Carl Frampton in February. Speaking of Frampton…
Carl Frampton
Much like Brook, Carl also made two successful defences of his title after winning it last year. In February he whipped a raucous Belfast crowd into a frenzy by destroying Chris Avalos in five rounds before signing with Al Haymon.
He then travelled to America to face Alejandro Gonzalez Jnr and was given a much tougher fight than expected. Dropped twice in the opener, Frampton displayed impressive levels of composure and grit to seize control of the fight and earn a decision.
Lee Haskins
This slick Bristol bantamweight sensationally stopped Ryosuke Iwasa in June to claim the IBF interim title and earn himself a shot at full champion Randy Caballero.
He was set to face Caballero on the huge Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez undercard, however Randy weighed in way over the limit. He was stripped, the fight was called off and Haskins became the full champion. While bitter sweet for Haskins, it grants him some big fights in the future.
Terry Flanagan
Flanagan’s shot at the vacant WBO world lightweight title against Jose Zepeda ended in relative disappointment after the Californian had to retire after two rounds due to dislocating his left shoulder. Flanagan was awarded the belt but the victory was marred by the injury, although he had become England’s first lightweight world champion.
Three months later, any Flanagan critics were silenced when he stopped Diego Magdaleno in two rounds to retain his title. It was a sensational win which truly introduced the Mancunian to the world.
Anthony Crolla
Manchester gained another world lightweight champion last month when Crolla emphatically stopped WBA champion Darleys Perez in five rounds in front of a hometown crowd.
In July, the pair fought to a contested draw despite the champion being deducted two points and Crolla boxing out of his skin – that became inconsequential when they met for a second time.
More importantly, Crolla had recovered from career-threatening injuries he sustained while trying to stop a robbery of a neighbours’ home.
James DeGale
DeGale made history in May when he won the vacant IBF world super-middleweight title against Andre Dirrell, becoming Britain’s first Olympic gold medalist to win a world title. He dropped the talented American twice and went on to win a well-earned decision before he was also signed by Al Haymon. His first defence came at the weekend when he faced a former owner of the belt, Lucian Bute. He travelled to the Romanian’s adopted home country (Canada) and was pushed hard by the veteran. However, he left with his title intact and status enhanced after an entertaining scrap.
Tyson Fury
The giant traveller became Britain’s latest world champion when he stunned Wladimir Klitschko in Germany on Saturday night. Few outside of Fury’s team gave him much chance against the dominant champion, but the defiant upstart remained composed throughout and outfoxed the linear champion to usurp his throne. The heavyweight champion of the world is British, and it’s quite something.
Billy Joe Saunders
In the sport’s first ever world title fight between two men from traveller communities, Saunders outpointed Ireland’s Andy Lee to take his WBO world middleweight title. On the night, Billy Joe dropped the champion twice and outfoxed him over 12 rounds. He earned his title shot the hard way, winning British, Commonwealth and European titles along the way.
