British fighters who beat the world #1

[oliverfennell]

We've had many world champions but how many of our guys beat the universally accepted world leader in their division?

I don't mean British boxers who became world number one over the course of time, such as Hamed, but the ones who actually unseated the world leader in either winning or defending a title.

I also mean clear cut examples of the world number one, not in times/divisions when the issue was up for debate.

Also I assume in almost all of the cases before title fragmentation, the world champion was also the world number one, so of our champs since title fragmentation, the following have beaten the division leaders:

Lewis (Holyfield)
Calzaghe (Hopkins)
Honeyghan (Curry)
Hatton (Tszyu)
Stracey (Napoles)
McGuigan (Pedroza)
Buchanan (Napoles)

Would you consider Hodkinson over Villasana and Minter over Antuofermo?

Am I missing any?

For all their fame and the respect they earned, Hamed, Winstone, Benn and Eubank never beat the absolute top guys in their divisions.

[Deserter]

I think the list is smaller than that Oliver, as in the case of Lewis-Holyfield and Calzaghe-Hopkins, it was the Brits who were considered the world number one at the time, not their opponents.
If I was being really pedantic, Pedroza was also on the slide and Nelson was probably regarded as the world's best at that weight at the time.

[oliverfennell]

I think the list is smaller than that Oliver, as in the case of Lewis-Holyfield and Calzaghe-Hopkins, it was the Brits who were considered the world number one at the time, not their opponents.
If I was being really pedantic, Pedroza was also on the slide and Nelson was probably regarded as the world's best at that weight at the time.

Good call on Pedroza, but definitely Holyfield was number 1. Lewis may have been enjoying better form, but Holyfield was undoubtedly number 1 from beating Tyson and had not been unseated or emphatically surpassed. And Hopkins was number 1 at LHW - remember Calzaghe was debuting at the weight.

[Deserter]

I think the list is smaller than that Oliver, as in the case of Lewis-Holyfield and Calzaghe-Hopkins, it was the Brits who were considered the world number one at the time, not their opponents.
If I was being really pedantic, Pedroza was also on the slide and Nelson was probably regarded as the world's best at that weight at the time.

Good call on Pedroza, but definitely Holyfield was number 1. Lewis may have been enjoying better form, but Holyfield was undoubtedly number 1 from beating Tyson and had not been unseated or emphatically surpassed. And Hopkins was number 1 at LHW - remember Calzaghe was debuting at the weight.

Yep, good points as I'd completely forgotten about the Hopkins fight being at LH. I guess with Lewis vs Holyfield I was basing it on the fact that if memory serves me correctly Lewis was the overwhelming favourite, whereas the others you mentioned were real 'underdog' scenarios.

[stujones]

I think a big case could be made for Dawson being the #1 LH at the time of the Calzaghe vs Hopkins fight - Hopkins "retired" after the Tarver fight, so I'm not sure how a fighter can announce his comeback and fit straight back to the #1 position.

Holyfield for my money was definately the #1 at the time. Tyson was the reigning WBA champion and he never lost the WBC belt in the ring. And then Holyfield went on to avenge his loss vs Moorer. Lewis was in the form though.

David Haye vs Mormeck?

[stujones]

If you want to be pedantic you could say Lewis vs Rahman. Although I think BM put Tyson down as the #1 Heavy after Rahman beat Lewis.

[jonp]

Turpin v Robinson

[jonp]

Mills v Lesnevich ?

[jonp]

This is a hard one from memory but wasnt Buchanons opponent Laguna not napoles?

Fitzsimmons vs corbett
Fitzsimmons vs Dempsey?

[Scrap]

Berg v Chocolate

[dbf]

Haye v Mormeck

[Autobarn]

I think a big case could be made for Dawson being the #1 LH at the time of the Calzaghe vs Hopkins fight - Hopkins "retired" after the Tarver fight, so I'm not sure how a fighter can announce his comeback and fit straight back to the #1 position.

Holyfield for my money was definately the #1 at the time. Tyson was the reigning WBA champion and he never lost the WBC belt in the ring. And then Holyfield went on to avenge his loss vs Moorer. Lewis was in the form though.

David Haye vs Mormeck?

hopkins was regarded as the proper champ of the division & dawson was desperately calling him out. hopkins kept his ring mag title, not sure he retired after tarver.

good call on haye vs mormeck. absolutely belongs on the list.

[stujones]

I think a big case could be made for Dawson being the #1 LH at the time of the Calzaghe vs Hopkins fight - Hopkins "retired" after the Tarver fight, so I'm not sure how a fighter can announce his comeback and fit straight back to the #1 position.

Holyfield for my money was definately the #1 at the time. Tyson was the reigning WBA champion and he never lost the WBC belt in the ring. And then Holyfield went on to avenge his loss vs Moorer. Lewis was in the form though.

David Haye vs Mormeck?

hopkins was regarded as the proper champ of the division & dawson was desperately calling him out. hopkins kept his ring mag title, not sure he retired after tarver.

good call on haye vs mormeck. absolutely belongs on the list.

Hopkins did announce his retirement after the Tarver fight - which is my point. Had he not then I would whole heartedly agree - but I think retirement should mean "stripped" even if the retirment is 4 years or one month.

[stujones]

Fitz did it. My memory of Lewis-Holyfield differs as I am sure that many neutrals had Holyfield as favourite going in. Both men were coming off relatively poor performances but Lewis' was derided and the Akinwande/McCall II fights were still quite fresh in the memory whilst wins over Golota and Briggs were pooh-poohed. Holyfield was deffo the consensus king ahead of the fight and many believed he would expose Lewis' heart problems.

If memory serves me the bookies couldn't split them. Evens the pair of them. Remember Holyfield had that Vaughan Bean fight also (which he looked awful). Lewis' win over Golota especially was applauded in the states. Golota was considered one of the few viable threats to the Lewis/Tyson/Holyfield era.

[forcefraser]

Turpin v Robinson

Spot on

[dberry]

I think the list is smaller than that Oliver, as in the case of Lewis-Holyfield and Calzaghe-Hopkins, it was the Brits who were considered the world number one at the time, not their opponents.
If I was being really pedantic, Pedroza was also on the slide and Nelson was probably regarded as the world's best at that weight at the time.

Pfffft, Calzaghe has never been regarded as the world no. 1, let alone at light heavy where he fought Hopkins at.

[MightyWarrior]

Would you consider Minter over Antuofermo?

Yes I think it's a fair call to say Minter did it. Marvin Hagler was known as the uncrowned champ, but he eventually got his shot at Antuofermo and couldn't manage it, coming away with a draw. Then Minter beat Antuofermo, so fair enough there I'd say.

[J]

I thought G man was number one when benn fought generally thought of p4p number 2 to RJJ or was it when RJJ was at super middle? If so thats a frikkin tuff callon gman and benn!

[orbtastic]

Eubank wasn't the number one anyway, he never was at any point.

It took Calzaghe about 8 years to get rated the number one in his division.

[Autobarn]

I think a big case could be made for Dawson being the #1 LH at the time of the Calzaghe vs Hopkins fight - Hopkins "retired" after the Tarver fight, so I'm not sure how a fighter can announce his comeback and fit straight back to the #1 position.

Holyfield for my money was definately the #1 at the time. Tyson was the reigning WBA champion and he never lost the WBC belt in the ring. And then Holyfield went on to avenge his loss vs Moorer. Lewis was in the form though.

David Haye vs Mormeck?

hopkins was regarded as the proper champ of the division & dawson was desperately calling him out. hopkins kept his ring mag title, not sure he retired after tarver.

good call on haye vs mormeck. absolutely belongs on the list.

Hopkins did announce his retirement after the Tarver fight - which is my point. Had he not then I would whole heartedly agree - but I think retirement should mean "stripped" even if the retirment is 4 years or one month.

he was still champ though, defended it vs winky wright as well (albeit in a terrible catchweight) and i'm sure all the media had hopkins as the champ, or the top man, when calzaghe dethroned him.

[J]

I thought G man was number one when benn fought generally thought of p4p number 2 to RJJ or was it when RJJ was at super middle? If so thats a frikkin tuff callon gman and benn!

Nah, he was WBC 160lb holder moving up in weight so wasn't #1 at 168lb by any means. You had Collins, WBO, moving up to beat Eubank and Jones, IBF moving up to beat Toney, Gerald would have completed the set but it wasn't to be.

Jones actually defended on the same night Chris lost to Collins. I'm not a huge Merchant fan but he put it into perspective, "Roy, Chris lost tonight. He lost a close decision in Dublin to an Irishman on St Patrick's night."

(Bemused look from Roy)

good skills

[Captain Hook]

I think the list is smaller than that Oliver, as in the case of Lewis-Holyfield and Calzaghe-Hopkins, it was the Brits who were considered the world number one at the time, not their opponents.
If I was being really pedantic, Pedroza was also on the slide and Nelson was probably regarded as the world's best at that weight at the time.

Pfffft, Calzaghe has never been regarded as the world no. 1, let alone at light heavy where he fought Hopkins at.

Behave mate, who was then Anthony Mundine or Danny Green?!

[dberry]

I think the list is smaller than that Oliver, as in the case of Lewis-Holyfield and Calzaghe-Hopkins, it was the Brits who were considered the world number one at the time, not their opponents.
If I was being really pedantic, Pedroza was also on the slide and Nelson was probably regarded as the world's best at that weight at the time.

Pfffft, Calzaghe has never been regarded as the world no. 1, let alone at light heavy where he fought Hopkins at.

Behave mate, who was then Anthony Mundine or Danny Green?!

Don't drag them into it.
Hopkins (oh I see the error in my post now, sorry, my mistake. Calzaghe wasn't the #1 light heavy when he fought Hopkins though.) wasn't the #1 light heavy when he fought Calzaghe though, was he?

[Old bones Ian]

Berg v Chocolate

Good call there, i think that result gets over looked when great wins are mentioned.
Kid Chocolate was 55-0-1 at the time, and many rated him one of the lb4lb boxers in the world.

[oliverfennell]

I think the list is smaller than that Oliver, as in the case of Lewis-Holyfield and Calzaghe-Hopkins, it was the Brits who were considered the world number one at the time, not their opponents.
If I was being really pedantic, Pedroza was also on the slide and Nelson was probably regarded as the world's best at that weight at the time.

Pfffft, Calzaghe has never been regarded as the world no. 1, let alone at light heavy where he fought Hopkins at.

Behave mate, who was then Anthony Mundine or Danny Green?!

Definitely Danny Green, he's a THREE-weight world champ, don't forget! ;)