England amateur international middleweight James DeGale confirmed his potential at world level when he beat current Olympic welterweight champion Bakhtiyar Artayev in Sheffield last night.
In Part I we weaved in and out of the parallel careers of Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis to see just how clear it was that Lewis would always beat Tyson. In Part II we will look at the series of events that exploded in 2001, and gave us confirmation that Lewis would win their clash.
BBN welcomes Russ Middleton to our writing team. He immediately puts his neck on the block and argues that Britain's best is a man buried deep in the history books...
That old question? Greatest British fighter ever? If it was possible to bestow such an accolade? If one could compare eras?
By any reasonable criteria 2007 has been an exceptional year for boxing. Here in the UK we now have a stack of world titleholders, as well as three linear champions in Joe Calzaghe, David Haye and Ricky Hatton.
All over the world shrewd matchmaking has resulted in string of 50-50 match-ups, which in turn provided exciting fights, the kind of stuff we needed to put boxing back on the map.
1- David Haye v Enzo Maccarinelli, WBC/WBA/WBO cruiserweight championships
Why? This made number three on my list last year, but both men have gone on to bigger things, making the fight even more enticing now. Haye scored one of the famous British victories on foreign soil by dethroning world leader Jean-Marc Mormeck in November, while WBO titlist Maccarinelli validated his own credentials by soundly outpointing Wayne Braithwaite in July. These results make them natural rivals in a battle for not only domestic superiority, but world renown too. And it’s not just the high stakes which make this so appealing – both men possess a combination of power and vulnerability, which would make for an utterly compelling spectacle.
Recent rumours have stated, and since been refuted by the fighter, that Ricky Hatton was going to go the route of blaming, and sacking, trainer Billy Graham for his recent loss at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Promoter Frank Warren has been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame for 2008. Much of the discussion had concerned whether Naseem Hamed would make the grade as he is now eligible having not boxed for five years. Hamed was not elected alongside his former promoter.
Even the most passionate Ricky Hatton fan knew their man would have to perform outstandingly to beat Floyd Mayweather for the WBC welterweight championship. Hatton failed to do so and was eventually outclassed and knocked out in the tenth round of their contest at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.
Britishboxing.net is giving you the chance to ask questions or air your views on British boxing - good or bad - via the launch of a new 'Mail Bag'. Correspondence will be handled by well known British boxing pundit, Ben Carey
BritishBoxing.net have teamed up with LiveNation.co.uk and Wembley Arena to give you the chance to win a pair of tickets to see Julius Francis' debut at Cage Rage 23, 'Unbelievable' at Wembley Arena on the 22nd September.
It was a case of deja-vu when once again Carl Froch picked up the Boxer of the Year award at the Midlands Area Awards ceremony in Birmingham last week.