WITH 12 world champions, boxing in the UK is on a serious high after an unforgettable 2015.
Tyson Fury became heavyweight champion of the world, England gained its first ever lightweight world champion in Terry Flanagan while Jamie McDonnell pulled off heroics overseas – twice.
Those were just a few highlights from a year littered with UK success stories, but how do these fighters stack up? We’ve listed out top 10 active UK fighters, pound for pound. Click below to read on.
10. Terry Flanagan
His win over Jose Zepeda was inconclusive given the Californian had to pull out after two rounds with a dislocated shoulder. However Flanagan’s demolition of Diego Magdaleno in October proved the Mancunian is world class.
9. Lee Selby
The gifted Welshman wrenched the IBF world featherweight title from Evgeny Gradovich in May, leading to influential advisor Al Haymon scooping him up. In October he made his American debut and overcame the tough Fernando Montiel.
8. Billy Joe Saunders
Saunders achieved a lifelong dream when he smartly outboxed Andy Lee to claim the WBO world middleweight title. The Hatfield traveller had earned his shot the hard way, winning the British, Commonwealth and European titles along the way, scalping the likes of Nick Blackwell, Chris Eubank Jnr and Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan.
7. Jamie McDonnell
Two standout wins on away soil over Tomoki Kameda in Texas highlighted McDonnell’s talent and were some of the best British away days in recent memory. McDonnell’s performances have gone slightly under the radar but the WBA ‘world’ bantamweight champion is a class operator, and is eyeing a move up in weight.
6. Scott Quigg
A destructive win over Kiko Martinez this year forced many to sit up and pay attention to the fiercely dedicated Bury man. Though Quigg was elevated to ‘super’ champion status by the WBA without beating anyone for it, he is one of the world’s best at super-bantam and will square off with the man who sits just one place ahead of him on this list in February.
5. Carl Frampton
‘The Jackal’ has impressed many with his explosive style – including Haymon – and is keen to prove himself against the elite level. Frampton survived a torrid first round against Alejandro Gonzalez earlier this year to outpoint the Mexican, answering plenty of questions in the process.
4. James DeGale
The Londoner made history when he defeated the uber-talented Andre Dirrell earlier this year to become the first British fighter to win an Olympic gold medal and professional world title. He enhanced his status as the division leader when he defended his IBF world super-middleweight title against Lucian Bute in November.
3. Amir Khan
A two-time super-lightweight world champion, Khan’s body of work is admirable, with wins over Zab Judah, Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana. His career has stalled recently while the Bolton man has tried to secure a fight with Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, but few can deny his talent.
2. Kell Brook
Shawn Porter remains the largest scalp on Brook’s CV but the Sheffield star improves with each fight and rarely looks flustered. Hellbent on becoming the best welterweight in the world, injuries have stunted Brook’s momentum since winning his IBF world title and he needs a big 2016.
1. Tyson Fury
The Wilmslow giant strides into first place after beating Wladimir Klitschko in Germany – a level of achievement matched by no other fighter on this list. The enormity of Fury’s win cannot be understated – almost no one expected him to beat a man who hadn’t lost in over a decade.
