Brits Who Looked Like A World Beater, But Never Made It.

[Deserter]

Quite a lot being listed here who didn't look like 'world beaters' IMO. For example, did anyone really believe that Ritson was going to be blowing away fighters in similar fashion at world level?
One name that hasn't been mentioned who i expected to do a lot more at world level was Colin McMillan, though his shoulder injury obviously played a part in that.

[keithmoonhangover]

Neville Brown could look smooth as anything at British level, it just never transposed when stepping up beyond that

Yeah, agreed Ian.,

When I saw Allan Hall winning the ABAs, I thought he was nailed on to be a world champion in the pros. His brother told me that once Allan turned pro, the money went to his head.

If you told me when he turned pro, that Errol McDonald wouldn't even win the British title, I would have laughed in your face.

[keithmoonhangover]

Quite a lot being listed here who didn't look like 'world beaters' IMO. For example, did anyone really believe that Ritson was going to be blowing away fighters in similar fashion at world level?
One name that hasn't been mentioned who i expected to do a lot more at world level was Colin McMillan, though his shoulder injury obviously played a part in that.

Personally I always thought Ritson was a ticket selling hype job, but I am a Sunderland supporter, so maybe I'm biased.

Sweet C looked like he could have it all. A great shout.

[Nightmare Roy]

Brodie was unfortunate

He was robbed of the WBC title, still boils my piss now.

[Controversial]

I know he won a version of a world title but Herbie Hide didn't seem to fulfil his potential. He wasn't really a natural HW and maybe should've boxed at CW. Great talent with a huge punch, he don't really have the dedication needed at the top level though.

If he'd stayed at Cruiser he could have achieved a lot more.

No money there tho. He earned a lot at heavyweight didn’t he?

Maybe not initially but if he cleared the CW division up, which he was capable of as no real big names in that division at that stage and then moved to HW his draw would've been bigger

[JamesPhilips]

David Starie

[stujones]

David Starie

Great shout - remember when he outclassed Clinton Woods - I know Woods was dry at the weight, but at the same time I thought he would never have beaten Starie.

Even after he lost to Francis, he came back well.

[sharpei_louis]

Not sure about a 'world beater' - but a really good fighter who was on the cusp and could never quite make the step - Matt Macklin.

[Deserter]

David Starie

Came within a whisker of mentioning him, but ended up filing him under the same category as Howard Eastman in terms of dismissing on basis I couldn't ever remember a single definitive performance where i thought they really looked like they were going to be a 'world beater'.

[margaret thatcher]

macklin got hosed vs sturm, shoulda at least had that win

[wrighty]

Matthew Ellis looked great early on then it fell apart big time

what was the score there? I only remember him getting beaten by Audley

[wrighty]

Not sure about a 'world beater' - but a really good fighter who was on the cusp and could never quite make the step - Matt Macklin.

That Elcock win was good. Always fancied Macklin vs Barker, that was one that got away.

[wrighty]

Terry Dunstan. He got involved in daft capers

[Coco]

Matthew Ellis looked great early on then it fell apart big time

west was the score there? I only remember him getting heated by Audley

Quality amateur, too small for a heavy, and didn't live the life.

[wrighty]

Matthew Ellis looked great early on then it fell apart big time

west was the score there? I only remember him getting heated by Audley

Quality amateur, too small for a heavy, and didn't live the life.

Could he have melted down to cruiser?

Matthew Thirlwall is a guy I used to here all sorts about. I think he got beat by George Hilliard who does bkb now.

[Coco]

west was the score there? I only remember him getting heated by Audley

Quality amateur, too small for a heavy, and didn't live the life.

Could he have melted down to cruiser?

Matthew Thirlwall is a guy I used to here all sorts about. I think he got beat by George Hilliard who does bkb now.

It was 13'8 in those days

[wrighty]

That's a lot of weight isn't it.

[forcefraser]

Bradley Saunders looked pretty hot early on in his career and he had a solid amateur background.

He was struggling in a fight with some French dude that he was odds on to beat and just blatantly nutted him and was rightly disqualified.

Won his next fight and just packed it in. Think he had dodgy hands and eyes

[wrighty]

Steve Super Bad Barnes was raved about by the Ingles calling him the next Naz. Failed to impress, went camping with his uncles for training, gassed after a few rounds, lost and wasnt seen again. It was bizarre. Mick had him on those Itv shows.

[wrighty]

Bradley Saunders looked pretty hot early on in his career and he had a solid amateur background.

He was struggling in a fight with some French dude that he was odds on to beat and just blatantly nutted him and was rightly disqualified.

Won his next fight and just packed it in. Think he had dodgy hands and eyes

Fred Evans and Eamon O'Kane. O'Kane looked a beast in the ams and they started throwing him in with contenders quite early. I mentioned it before but Simon Valily, he looked the part.

With Fred Evans, he will always have regrets I think.

[forcefraser]

Quality amateur, too small for a heavy, and didn't live the life.

Could he have melted down to cruiser?

Matthew Thirlwall is a guy I used to here all sorts about. I think he got beat by George Hilliard who does bkb now.

It was 13'8 in those days

Wasn`t Ellis going to be the first billion dollar athlete?

[Coco]

Could he have melted down to cruiser?

Matthew Thirlwall is a guy I used to here all sorts about. I think he got beat by George Hilliard who does bkb now.

It was 13'8 in those days

Wasn`t Ellis going to be the first billion dollar athlete?

That was the hype!

He was very over hyped too.

I can't remember if it was him or the Israeli heavy around at the same time(Roman someone) who was going to be the first!

[margaret thatcher]

the hype around big pricey was crazy at the time, the boxing world was on fire for him. exciting times until the old horny bugger took a trip over here

we all need a super hype let down every now and then, the fun of the rise and the big drama of the fall

some of these guys mentioned just werent good enough for world level, but others it was also luck of the draw when it came to winning a strap. i dont think luke campbell was any worse than say crolla or burns, but he had to go against 3 top tier fighters in his shots (who had a 3-0 record against crolla and beat ant more easily for comparison). had he won a title, we may look at his career diffferently

[TheLeprechaun]

Jav Khaliq. Got the IBO title at least and held it around the same time as Mosley/Forrest/Mayorga had the real belts. He definitely gets done by Mosley and Forrest but could he have beat Mayorga? Probably not. If he got a shot at Mayorga after Mayorga had beaten Forrest, i'd have given him a small chance. He was a decent boxer. James Hare was a good shout. He had a big win over Bergman I believe with a classy looking shot. Stopped by unheralded Cosme Rivera with many losses next in a very tough contest. Rivera was then destroyed easily and punched so hard by Judah that he started laughing. I don't think he knew what was going on. That showed the levels really.

[mickey1975]

Bradley Saunders looked pretty hot early on in his career and he had a solid amateur background.

He was struggling in a fight with some French dude that he was odds on to beat and just blatantly nutted him and was rightly disqualified.

Won his next fight and just packed it in. Think he had dodgy hands and eyes

I was fully on board the Saunders train. Both his hands were broken when he nutted that Frenchman.