BoxRec

After Burns said he wants Fana fight, it seems as though all British world champions are heading for unification fights so i was wondering who people think will become unified champs, personally i think all of them could achieve it.

I can only realistically see Khan pulling it off. I'd love to see Froch accomplish it, but think Ward's style would be kryptonite for him, particularly in terms of the latter's speed.

I've voted for King Khan, but I also think The Cobra is in with a shout.

Ultimately though, I believe Khan has the best chance as he is improving all the time.

Froch has peaked already & the 168lb division is tough right now.

Deserter wrote:I can only realistically see Khan pulling it off. I'd love to see Froch accomplish it, but think Ward's style would be kryptonite for him, particularly in terms of the latter's speed.

It's not unrealistic that Froch could beat Ward though is it?

Khan has a chance because Bradley aint all that, overrated.
Haye has a massive chance, his speed and power could demolish Wlad, but as a heavyweight, he always has the chance to get knocked out himself.For me, burns doesn't have enough power to do it.
Froch is awesome and currently our best boxer. Problem he has, he is in a tough division but out of them all, i would love for him to do it.

Khan, though Bradley will be a very tough test. 50/50 that one for me...

Horse wrote:

Deserter wrote:I can only realistically see Khan pulling it off. I'd love to see Froch accomplish it, but think Ward's style would be kryptonite for him, particularly in terms of the latter's speed.

It's not unrealistic that Froch could beat Ward though is it?

It depends on how pedantic you want to be regarding the use of the term realistic, but personally I think Ward's style would give Carl fits and he'd be a heavy favourite over the Cobra in my eyes. Would love to be proved wrong though.

I think Khan has the best chance, because the 140 division is piss weak.

The days of Hatton, Cotto, Gatti, Mayweather and Tszyu squaring off have been replaced by Khan, Alexander and Bradley.

Haye lacks the size to snatch both sets of belts from the Klit brothers. I believe he has a solid chance against Wladimir but dont think he'd last against the iron chinned Vitali.

People say "Vitali is nearly 40" but he took a lengthy 4-year recouperation away from the sport and is still in terrific shape for the weight division. He has destroyed much younger and fatter opponents like Arreola, Peter, Johnson and Snosnowski.

The fact Vitali came in and flattened 2 of the 3 guys that knocked his brother out - and the fact he has not lost a single unanimous round since he returned is pretty good reading too.

Froch's division is perhaps the tougest right now. I think he could definitely beat Bute, but could get possibly mauled out of victory by Ward.

Whilst showtime have a stranglehold on the super middleweights, then a unified champ could be a possibility.

I see the Khan/Bradley being a 50-50 fight. Hope Khan does it. He will eventully move up to Welterweight and win a title aswell. If I had my last tenner, I would go for Khan to win in close fight maybe 115-113.

Haye will beat Wlad. 10th round TKO/KO. Wlad will take centre of the ring and jab jab jab. Haye will pick carefullywhen he let's his hands go, likely the last 45secs of each round. He will land at some point.

Burns has a great chance, Fana would be a difficult but very winnable fight!

alexpaterson wrote:Burns has a great chance, Fana would be a difficult but very winnable fight!

Agreed but he is helped by being in a very poor division. He could beat the Japanese title holders as they are strong but limited however it will be tough getting them over as Japan doesn't recognise the IBF or WBO. You have give Khan the best chance as the ability to unify means:

1. The fighter has the ability to beat the other fighters in the division.
2. The fighter is in a very good position to make those fights.


Khan is in the best position to make a unification fight as he's been on HBO twice, has a name in the US and there are already talks going on for a fight with Bradley.

As a Brit in an ideal world I would like to see them all do it, but as a realist this is what i think. I cannot really comment on Ricky Burns yet as I have yet to watch him, but I cannot fault his willingness to get in there with Fana but unless he offers Ao and Uchiyama a shedload of cash to fight them I don't see it happening as the Japanese Board of Control does not (yet) recognise the IBF and the WBO so they will just keep building up their records in Japan. As for Amir Khan well he has stated his ambitions and he has the best chance of doing it as he will beat Tim Bradley the WBC and WBO Champion as he has got the reach and handspeed to pick Bradley apart but there is still Zab Judah who I think has the experience to give Khan a few problems.

As for David Haye, I reckon he can beat Wladimir K if he gets plan right, but I do see him struggling to beat Vitali to unify the whole Heavyweight division as Vitali has got an iron chin and has never ever been knocked down although Lennox Lewis did rock him quite badly, and lastly Carl Froch, I reckon he can beat Andre Ward as he has got the power and more experience than Ward and would simply just drag Ward into a tear up where he will just have too much power for him and then there is Lucian Bute to get the IBF strap which will be a great fight.

Deserter wrote: It depends on how pedantic you want to be

Trust me, the answer is 'very'

MatthewS wrote:

Deserter wrote: It depends on how pedantic you want to be

Trust me, the answer is 'very'

MatthewS wrote:

Deserter wrote: It depends on how pedantic you want to be

Trust me, the answer is 'very'

Froch beating Ward is a very realistic scenario. I don't think it is massively pedantic to point out that it is not unrealistic.

1.i see khan defeating bradley if he gets past dudey DD & that makes him the most likely as his division is weak but not as weak as s.feather.
2. froch is the best brit, but ward is cute & clever & froch can be slow & ponderous & can give away early leads.
3. haye can bang out wlad IF he can hit him, but to do the two with his middleweight chin is a big ask.
4.ricky burns is are weakest imo.

Haye; he can I am taking him over Wlad, so he will be the first to unify the titles.

Khan; Yes but once the opponent isn't Bradley. I think Bradley beats Khan.

Froch; Very possible, hard to call though with SMW being unbelievably deep

Burns; No. If he pulled it off he would be a contender for: "worst unified" champion

MatthewS wrote:

Deserter wrote: It depends on how pedantic you want to be

Trust me, the answer is 'very'

Too true.

Khan has a very good chance, but Bradley is a wily little creature.
Froch, a chance, but Ward is fantastic at making a fight so ugly you have to give it to him. I'd love to see him disqualified for using his head so much, though. Tim Bradley's also one for that.
Burns, I don't know. I've never seen Fana fight.
Haye, there's a chance, but I think Wlad will win.

Fana is fairly average and 37.

Do you mean partially unified or fully unified - if its the former then surely Burns has the best chance. Dean Pithie beat Fana FFS. He's 37, never been all that and doesn't travel well at all.

They will all struggle to fully unify, because I think it will be tough to get some of the matches.

The WBA will make it impossible to ever fully unify. Froch could beat Ward in 2012 but there will always be a regular WBA champion holding a title and more than likely, an interim champion too.

They will never fight each other.

I'm really struggling with that poll. i could make a valid argument for or against any of those fighters beating the top guys in thier division. we could end up with 4 unified world champions or nobody in brittain holding a world level belt at all

the only thing i'm confident of is we, the brittish boxing fans, are in for a few exciting fights if all of those guys can line up the big unification fights.

I remember someone saying on a non boxing forum that Khan was going to be a legend and eclipse Ali in terms of achievements. This was before he turned pro. I laughed and said he won't even win a genuine world title.

Well I'm sort of pleased to be proved half wrong.

Who would have thought 2 years ago that Khan AND Burns would be in a position where not only would they be unifiying world titles, but they have more than a decent chance of doing it?

orbtastic wrote:I remember someone saying on a non boxing forum that Khan was going to be a legend and eclipse Ali in terms of achievements. This was before he turned pro. I laughed and said he won't even win a genuine world title.

Well I'm sort of pleased to be proved half wrong.

Who would have thought 2 years ago that Khan AND Burns would be in a position where not only would they be unifiying world titles, but they have more than a decent chance of doing it?

True,

I'm glad Khan is actually taking these fights now - I was the first (as usual) to give him a poop load of criticsm for shooting his mouth off about Pacquiao, Marquez and so forth when he'd just fought Oisin Fagan.

I dont believe they wanted Maidana at all. That they simply had to defend or lose the belt. But fortunately for Khan he came through with the victory. And by default it has instilled more confidence in his chin after getting tonked once or twice. Now they are more confident they are talking up Bradley etc which is a good thing.

All the talk of Peterson made me concerned he was reverting back to type, hand picking opponents - but now the rumblings from Shaw that a Bradley fight has been verbally agreed for July is promising.

I enjoyed the Maidana fight very much and give him props for the entertainment factor.

Can he beat Bradley ? I don't think he can actually. Because Bradley's lack of height - and the fact Khan is a bit taller and will be punching downwards will be difficult.

Sometime's Khan's feet get tangled and he looks like Bambi. Sure he has very fast hands but he was getting trapped by Maidana - and I think Bradley is better and coming forward and landing his overhand right and body shots better than most.

I saw him fight Witter in Nottingham and he is very strong. He has a lot of momentum, he is like a little ball of muscle rolling forward constantly. I think Khan would have to knock Bradley out to win or throw away an early lead - and subsequently lose on the scorecards.

Amir has more one shot power than Bradley, but Khan's chin is the equalizer. I'd say 55/45 in Bradley's favour based on his strength and mental toughness. He is very strong willed.

Haye and Kahn....