British fighters who beat the world #1

[oliverfennell]

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

Fitzsimmons vs corbett
Fitzsimmons vs Dempsey?

Yeah, typo there, sorry.

As for Fitz, of course, but as I said, almost every example of beating a champ before title fragmentation meant you were beating the no. 1, so my list was to establish who beat the division leaders AFTER the title picture got messed up.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Maurice Hope beat tough guy Rocky Mattioli and drew with Eckhard Dagge in Berlin. It is a shame Maurice Hope doesn't get more mentions - apart from Bennie! Hope lost his world title to an all time great in Wilfred Benitez.

I suppose Minter beating Antuerfermo was another case as Antuerfermo drew with Hagler.

I know Colin McMillian won a WBO title but he defeated one of the best featherweights around the time in Maurizio Stecca.

[Old bones Ian]

Hope beating Rocky Mattioli in Italy, is one of the best southpaw boxing displays i've ever seen.

[oliverfennell]

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.

Yeah, probably, although some might make a case for Cunningham. Would tend to agree that it deserves to be on the list, just saying it's not as clear cut as, say, a Tszyu or a Curry.

[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.

At super middle, yeah, it took him a few years to establish his position, and he did so through longevity more than opposition, but who would you have ranked over him once he got there? Ottke? He was just as guilty of poor matchmaking as Joe.

And at light heavy? Well, if beating the division number one doesn't make you the division number one, then what does?

You can justifiably criticise a lot about Calzaghe's career, but to say he was NEVER regarded as no. 1 at either weight is just nonsense.

[oliverfennell]

Maurice Hope beat tough guy Rocky Mattioli and drew with Eckhard Dagge in Berlin. It is a shame Maurice Hope doesn't get more mentions - apart from Bennie! Hope lost his world title to an all time great in Wilfred Benitez.

I suppose Minter beating Antuerfermo was another case as Antuerfermo drew with Hagler.

I know Colin McMillian won a WBO title but he defeated one of the best featherweights around the time in Maurizio Stecca.

Yes, Hope is desperately underappreciated, but was Mattioli the universally accepted no. 1?

As for Stecca, agreed, very good fighter, above average for the WBO calibre of the day, but again, not the division leader (Hoko, for one, would rank above him at the time).

[orbtastic]

I love how there's always this retrospective regrading.

http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_R ... al_Ratings

Toney
Jones
Liles
Ottke for years
Calzaghe

Hopkins was their "champ" at 175 for 2006-7.

[J]

kirkland laing beating duran...

[banjo]

kirkland laing beating duran...

Was Duran regarded as #1 at the time though? I don't think he was, definitely a fantastic win though.

[J]

thnk he was coming off a loss to benitiez come to think of it Banj..my bad.

[flatnoseflynn]

Lloyd Honeyghan vs Donald Curry

[flatnoseflynn]

I know it's been mentioned already but most likely the best underdog British boxer beating a undisputed (which Curry was by a big margin!) world #1 champion, in British boxing history IMO brillant.

[hurlock]

turpin v robinson

hatton v tzyu

honeyghan v curry

conteh v saad

howard winston v ??

buchanon v???

ted kid lewis v??

[boxer70]

Turpin v Robinson. Great shout!

[whatashambles]

Ricky Burns against Martinez?

[hurlock]

i think honeyghans win was the best imo.

people forget how great curry was.

[bfchunk]

Ricky Burns against Martinez?

[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.

Yeah, probably, although some might make a case for Cunningham. Would tend to agree that it deserves to be on the list, just saying it's not as clear cut as, say, a Tszyu or a Curry.

cunningham was very underrated but it was mormeck and bell who were unifying the division.

cunningham eventually got his shot for the lineal and ring mag title (as well as the IBF) in a #1 vs #2 matchup and was edged in a great fight by tomasz adamek.

cunningham has always been a threat, has always been good, but has never really been "the man."

[orbtastic]

Ricky Burns against Martinez?

I think Fana was/is rated above Martinez but some rated Martinez number 1. Depends which set of rankings you subscribe to.

[oliverfennell]

Ricky Burns against Martinez?

I think Fana was/is rated above Martinez but some rated Martinez number 1. Depends which set of rankings you subscribe to.

Yeah, SFW is a pretty shallow division at the moment but even so, I don't think many considered Martinez the best. Even if you do, it's certainly not clear-cut, as asked for in the OP.