British Top 30 P4P January 2011

[Horse]

1. (1.) Carl Froch
2. (3.) Amir Khan
3. (2.) David Haye
4. (4.) Nathan Cleverly
5. (6.) Ricky Burns
6. (5.) Rendall Munroe
7. (7.) Matthew Macklin
8. (8.) John Murray
9. (10.) Ryan Rhodes
10. (9.) Matthew Hatton

11. (11.) Kell Brook
12. (12.) Brian Magee (Irish)
13. (13.) Paul McCloskey (Irish)
14. (RE.) John Simpson
15. (14.) Kevin Mitchell
16. (15.) Junior Witter
17. (16.) Jamie McDonnell
18. (18.) Darren Barker
19. (19.) Jason Booth
20. (20.) Stephen Foster

21. (21.) Gavin Rees
22. (NE.) James DeGale
23. (22.) Willie Casey (Irish)
24. (23.) Stuart Hall
25. (17.) Martin Lindsay (Irish)
26. (24.) Andy Lee (Irish)
27. (25.) Dereck Chisora
28. (26.) Stephen Smith
29. (27.) Ola Afolabi
30. (28.) Sam Webb

Out - (29.) Nicky Cook
Out - (30.) Ajose Olusegun

[Horse]

Any comments, criticisms or P4P lists are very welcome.

[Dioufy]

Bang on New Year. Nice timing, Horsey. Nice list, too.

[Andypittcov]

Won't criticise your list too much,you obviously do some research but I'd never have clev ahead of burns,burns is world champion!!
And although he's only had 9 or 10 fights everyone knows James degale is much higher than 22, he's top 10 no doubt.

[mickey1975]

Gavin Rees way too low.The guy is a former World Champ at a higher weight with only one loss to a genuine World Class opponent.Steven Smith also way below a guy he beat whilst carrying an injury(albeit closely)!I would have Degale top ten myself but am suprised you have him in at all after he beat the unranked Paul Smith.

[goldenears]

in terms of quality DeGale is easily in the Top 10 of that list.

I can see it's based on achievements as much as anything otherwise the likes of Mitchell and Witter would be slipping down dramatically. DeGale dealt with a class operator in Smith after so few fights and that puts him way up there in our best fighters. You could easily argue he's already fought a better opponent in Smith than anyone that Brook has faced (I dont count Mick Jennings because that fight hadn't even started before he cut him - and it wasnt even a punch)

Cleverly can't be above Burns on current form/achievements IMHO and Macklin still has a hell of a lot to prove for me.

[stujones]

Think John Simpson is a little too high following his win over Lyndsay - 14 places above a guy he lost to in 2010.

[beagleboy]

Wasn't there quite a furore about Smigga not being in the December list ? At least the scousers have calmed down.

[Newport Daz]

Good list. Personally Macklin is too high for me as is Hatton. I'd have Brian Magee around 9 or 10 but that's my opinion. Good work anyway. Good to see Froch and Khan above Haye, it's well deserved.

[stujones]

Ola is nearly slipping out of the list despite being active. There is no way the likes of Stuart Hall should be ahead of him.

I think your 30 is pretty much correct - I don't think there such a massive case for any fighter not to be included. I would though consider omitting Witter for inactivity and replacing with Olusegun.

I do think Ola needs to be comfortably inside the top 20.

I agree with your ranking of Degale - he isn't top 20 yet (in terms of achievement) - potential he is well inside the top 10.

Clev feels to high for me. I would definately have Burns ahead of him. Maybe Munroe.

Out of curiosity - how close is Buckland based on him smashing the British champion.

[simonsays]

Matthew Hatton 10th in the british p4p list don't say much for our boxing!!!!

[Horse]

Bang on New Year. Nice timing, Horsey. Nice list, too.

[dbf]

Good list but I think Booth needs to be higher.

[Horse]

Won't criticise your list too much,you obviously do some research but I'd never have clev ahead of burns,burns is world champion!!

Burns' last opponent was weaker than Cleverly's last opponent in my opinion, so I didn't think that Burns deserved to move ahead of Cleverly.

And although he's only had 9 or 10 fights everyone knows James degale is much higher than 22, he's top 10 no doubt.

He should be in the top 10 for beating Paul Smith? I strongly disagree with that. I didn't have Smith in the top 30, so a win against him is not enough to get him into the top 10.

[Horse]

Gavin Rees way too low.The guy is a former World Champ at a higher weight with only one loss to a genuine World Class opponent.

His win against M'Baye was almost 3 1/2 years ago and his only win in a 8-12 round fight since then is against Watson, which earned him a place in the rankings at No. 21. I think Rees' position in the rankings is fair and certainly not way too low.

Steven Smith also way below a guy he beat whilst carrying an injury(albeit closely)!

Lindsay was ranked at 17th in the rankings, so Simpson was always likely to be ranked considerably higher than Smith in the rankings if he beat Lindsay.

Smith's only good result is against Simpson and that was a controversial win. Whereas Simpson has good wins against Morris x2, Truscott x2, Bell & Lindsay as well as close/controversial losses to Williams, Mathews, Appleby & Smith.

I would have Degale top ten myself but am suprised you have him in at all after he beat the unranked Paul Smith.

Based on achievement DeGale is nowhere near deserving of a top 10 place.

[Deno1986]

Only one problem with the list, Horse. Why is Casey below the Stephen Foster Jr? Both European champions but Casey has also won PF. You have also docked Casey one place despite him fighting and winning more recently than a few fighters in front of him.

[Horse]

in terms of quality DeGale is easily in the Top 10 of that list.

I can see it's based on achievements as much as anything otherwise the likes of Mitchell and Witter would be slipping down dramatically. DeGale dealt with a class operator in Smith after so few fights and that puts him way up there in our best fighters. You could easily argue he's already fought a better opponent in Smith than anyone that Brook has faced (I dont count Mick Jennings because that fight hadn't even started before he cut him - and it wasnt even a punch)

In terms of quality of opposition DeGale is not a top 10 quality fighter. I don't think beating one good British level fighter puts him up with the best in Britain and Ireland.

Cleverly can't be above Burns on current form/achievements IMHO and Macklin still has a hell of a lot to prove for me.

I think Cleverly's recent record is better than Burns'. I think Macklin has less to prove than almost everyone below him.

[Yes We Can]

I think Cleverly's recent record is better than Burns'. I think Macklin has less to prove than almost everyone below him

Agree with that, dont see the relevance of Junior Witter anymore though, to inactive.

Would probably have Chisora higher on the list, personally think his resume is better than the likes of Degales.

[whiskey]

Fairly solid list.

I think each name has a case for being higher than other. but generally the content of the 30 names is about correct.

[Horse]

Think John Simpson is a little too high following his win over Lyndsay - 14 places above a guy he lost to in 2010.

Simpson has proven a lot more than Smith has and Simpson's loss to Smith was controversial with many (possibly most) thinking Simpson deserved the win more than Smith.

I thought Simpson deserved to go above Witter as he has been inactive and Mitchell because of his recent defeat.

[Horse]

Wasn't there quite a furore about Smigga not being in the December list ? At least the scousers have calmed down.

Does anyone think I was right to keep Smith out of the top 30?

[Yes We Can]

Wasn't there quite a furore about Smigga not being in the December list ? At least the scousers have calmed down.

Does anyone think I was right to keep Smith out of the top 30?

I think his ommision is right. Before the Degale fight he would have been in the 25-30 mark, but after such a lopsided loss he should not get near.

[Horse]

Good list. Personally Macklin is too high for me as is Hatton.

Macklin looked fairly rubbish in his last fight, but I don't think that there are many fighters below him that have a good argument to be above him.

Hatton's opposition has been good enough to earn him a top 10 place. Many may think he doesn't have the abilities of many fighters below him, but if they are so talented then why aren't they fighting better opposition? They may have genuine reasons, but Hatton is producing the goods and they are not doing as much.

I'd have Brian Magee around 9 or 10 but that's my opinion. Good work anyway.

Magee didn't fight at all in 2009, so that held him back a bit. If had fought in 2009 then I would probably have him a few places higher now at about 9th or 10th.

Good to see Froch and Khan above Haye, it's well deserved.

Yes, I think the new order of the top 3 is more accurate.

[Horse]

Ola is nearly slipping out of the list despite being active. There is no way the likes of Stuart Hall should be ahead of him.

Hall has wins against Power x2, Napa & Davies (all stoppages) in the last 18 months. That is a good domestic record. Afolabi's loss against Huck was over a year ago and his only win in the last 18 months is against Siproshvilli, so I would say Hall's recent wins are much better than Afolabi's.

I think your 30 is pretty much correct - I don't think there such a massive case for any fighter not to be included. I would though consider omitting Witter for inactivity and replacing with Olusegun.

According to BoxRec Witter is currently scheduled to fight in Canada in February. If this fight doesn't take place then I will consider removing him from the rankings.

Junior Witter: http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

I do think Ola needs to be comfortably inside the top 20.

If Afolabi had beaten the opponent he was scheduled to fight on the Klitschko vs Chisora undercard then he would probably be ranked in the top 20 now, but unfortunately that fight was cancelled. Hopefully he gets back in the ring soon against decent opposition, so I have a chance to out him higher in the rankings.

I agree with your ranking of Degale - he isn't top 20 yet (in terms of achievement) - potential he is well inside the top 10.

Clev feels to high for me. I would definately have Burns ahead of him. Maybe Munroe.

Burns' last defence was weak and his proposed next defence against Laryea is also weak. Munroe lost his last fight, so I think other fighters on a similar level to him (like Cleverly and Burns) should be given the benefit of the doubt when considering who should be higher.

Out of curiosity - how close is Buckland based on him smashing the British champion.

He is 1 or 2 decent British title level win away from entering the rankings. If he beat Sykes in a rematch then he would probably enter the rankings (this should definitely be Sykes' next defence instead of the rubbish Kays fight). A win against Walsh or Crolla might also be enough to enter.

[Horse]

Matthew Hatton 10th in the british p4p list don't say much for our boxing!!!!

He is a good fighter that has beaten good opposition. I don't see why it is a bad thing for British boxing that he has managed to become a top 10 ranked British P4P fighter.