British Fighter of the Year 2018

[DrDuke]

Brits were quite impressive this year. No one close to Usyk, but overall some of them made some statements. Your thoughts?

I guess, the most obvious candidates are:

Josh Warrington - winning and defending a belt against top competitors.
Anthony Joshua - unification to 3 belts and defending them. On the other hand, unification can be really big only on paper because of the nature of Parker's reign. But Povetkin's scalp was truly important.
Callum Smith - winning semi-final of WBSS against a substitute, winning the final against Groves.
Tyson Fury - winning a bum and a stiff, drawing against Wilder, but getting robbed there according to the opinion of the vast majority of spectators.
Dillian Whyte - no belts won, but actually his achievements are comparable to Joshua's one. Won Parker too and although both Browne and Chisora even together aren't better, than Povetkin, anyway they were considered as top competitors.
Charlie Edwards - winning a belt in an upset.
Josh Taylor - 3 wins, a one over former champ Postol is really big though.
Khalid Yafai - winning and defending a belt.

[oogiebe]

Worrington. how can it not be?

[gerryd77]

Worrington. how can it not be?

Because no one knows who that is.

Warrington is my pick.

[Coco]

Warrington

[Ruthless-RKO]

Khalid Yafai - winning and defending a belt.

He won his title in 2016.. This was a shitt year for him..

[KiwiRider]

Nice poll Doc
But only one choice?
Tough break.
I voted Taylor just because of personal bias, and the Postol win was huge.
Of course it should be Warrington, maybe with Joshua in second place.

[KiwiRider]

Can I also add Ted Cheeseman as prospect of the year?
Ritson in second place.
Thanks

[jamamb]

josh warrington

[MasterG]

I have to go for Warrington. Hes a bloody good featherweight and has been underestimated over the last few fights. Warrington is going to be a fine British world champion.

[NoScoutingReports]

Warrington for me, no doubt. Proved a lot of people wrong, including me!

Would go with Taylor 2nd & Callum Smith a close 3rd - Taylor beating Postol and reaching the semis in the WBSS represents good progress while Smith dominating Groves was a fantastic win.

[jamamb]

and btw lol at warrington only getting a split vs selby on his record, he won that clear as day

[oogiebe]

Worrington. how can it not be?

Because no one knows who that is.

Warrington is my pick.

O ye of little forgiveness.

[gerryd77]

Worrington. how can it not be?

Because no one knows who that is.

Warrington is my pick.

O ye of little forgiveness.

[seanilius]

I want to say Warrington as it's most fresh in my memory but what Callum Smith did was quite impressive. Demolishing Groves is no easy feat.

[oogiebe]

Because no one knows who that is.

Warrington is my pick.

O ye of little forgiveness.

Warrington.

[Andrew]

Khalid Yafai - winning and defending a belt.

He won his title in 2016.. This was a shitt year for him..

He lost his fight in Monaco and shat it from Naoya Inoue this year as well.

[smiling assassin]

Can I also add Ted Cheeseman as prospect of the year?
Ritson in second place.
Thanks

Josh Kelly for me is prospect of the year.
Fighter of the year is between Warrington and Taylor for me but got to pick Warrington as most (including me) thought he was gonna get a beating by Selby and then to beat Frampton in a fight of the year contender sealed it

[Ruthless-RKO]

Khalid Yafai - winning and defending a belt.

He won his title in 2016.. This was a shitt year for him..

He lost his fight in Monaco and shat it from Naoya Inoue this year as well.

Yeh. Poor performances. He was bit more exciting before he won the belt.

[Andrew]

He won his title in 2016.. This was a shitt year for him..

He lost his fight in Monaco and shat it from Naoya Inoue this year as well.

Yeh. Poor performances. He was bit more exciting before he won the belt.

I remember him as a prospect coming through killing people with body shots, he was really exciting.

[Andrew]

Josh Warrington has dominated the poll and rightfully so.

[KiwiRider]

Can I also add Ted Cheeseman as prospect of the year?
Ritson in second place.
Thanks

Josh Kelly for me is prospect of the year.
Fighter of the year is between Warrington and Taylor for me but got to pick Warrington as most (including me) thought he was gonna get a beating by Selby and then to beat Frampton in a fight of the year contender sealed it

Yeah I can see Kelly as prospect of the year. It is, to me, sort of predictable that he would do well- at least in the domestic scene, given his am pedigree. Cheeseman is more the pleasant and refreshing surprise of the two.

[northern]

Personally I'd say Callum smith out of the choices here.

Having won the first WBSS at super middleweight and now holding the WBA Super world title and the WBC Diamond title (Though admittedly I don't agree with anything being above 'World' Champion no matter what word you add before champion to make it seem more important).

Although he did beat a substitute to continue in the WBSS, lets all agree Nieky Holzken was a top class substitute, 10 stoppage wins, undefeated, showed a lot of heart and I'd say 0 fear against one of the top ranked in the world. He wanted to rock the boat and take the top spot and Callum made sure he didn't.
Beating Groves in an all British final made sure he is undoubtedly the best Super Middleweight out of the UK.
Then you have to consider the effect of being the first in potentially a long line of future winners of the WBSS means more historically in the long run.

Warrington has had an amazing year and any other time I would say he was the easy pick to be #1 British fighter this year.
But you could also argue Frampton has been busier this year, Fighting a future hall of Famer in Nonito donaire and main eventing in one of the biggest arena's in Northern Ireland, while claiming and defending the Interim version of the WBO world title and that was before fighting Warrington for the IBF title.

[Coco]

For me Warrington is the obvious choice, by default a bit too.
Who has really done something outstanding? Smith beat a faded a Groves.
AJ has only fought twice this year, and neither of those were a mega fight, Taylor is still operating below world level. Prob Edwards deserves number 2 spot, or Framptom.

[smiling assassin]

Can I also add Ted Cheeseman as prospect of the year?
Ritson in second place.
Thanks

Josh Kelly for me is prospect of the year.
Fighter of the year is between Warrington and Taylor for me but got to pick Warrington as most (including me) thought he was gonna get a beating by Selby and then to beat Frampton in a fight of the year contender sealed it

Yeah I can see Kelly as prospect of the year. It is, to me, sort of predictable that he would do well- at least in the domestic scene, given his am pedigree. Cheeseman is more the pleasant and refreshing surprise of the two.

I know what you mean about Kelly given his am background. I really like Cheeseman he was no mug as a am either he won a fair few national titles just didn't get on GB. Exciting times for British boxing mate

[Stuarty]

Has to be Warrington. No contest really. The improvement and transformation in him has been phenomenal and he's going from strength to strength.