BoxRec

How many world champions would the UK have had, since 1990, if there was only 1 belt per division folks?

Lewis and Calzaghe nailed on ?
Haye was at cruiser
Hamed?
Hatton - maybe at one point

Interesting topic. I think you've covered all the main ones really. Can't think of any others off the top of my head.

Froch could have won it just after Calzaghe retired and before Ward was launched in to the elite with the super six. No guarantee though

Lewis
Calzaghe
Hatton
Hamed
Haye

Only Lewis andpossibly Froch. Hamed possibly if there where two champs eg WBA/WBC. Hatton would have got a shot but I dont think he would have won it.

Possibly Khan in 2011. Bradley turned down a 50/50 offer when Khan was at his best that would have decided the best at 140 at that time.

Calzaghe is the strongest case. He all but unified in 2007 when he beat Kessler. He didn't have the IBF cos he was stripped but he'd have beaten Berrio and Stieglitz had he defended against one of them instead of fighting Manfredo. At least he did win all the belts tho.

Haye unified all except IBF in 2008 after beating Mormeck and then Maccarinelli. Mormeck had beaten the IBF champ in O'Neill Bell but Bell was stripped prior to the fight for facing Mormeck so there's an argument that Haye did beat the IBF champ at the time when he beat Mormeck and hence was unified champ after beating Maccarinelli.

Hamed could have done it in 1997. He held the WBO and IBF and beat the WBA champ Wilfredo Vasquez (though Vasquez was stripped by the WBA for fighting Hamed). WBC champ at the time was Espinosa and Hamed would've knocked him out. So there's an argument for Hamed at that time.

When Lewis beat Holyfield in 1999 he held all the belts except the WBO. Vitali had that one and Lewis did later beat him.

Hard to argue for anyone else. Hatton in 2005 held the IBF and beat Tszyu who had given up the WBA and WBC titles but Cotto had the WBO strap and Mayweather had the WBC at that time.

The only person people are forgetting is Amir Khan. Khan was actually close at one point when he was trying to get a fight with Bradley. Khan had the WBA and IBF light-welter in 2011 but would have had to have beaten Bradley for the WBO and WBC to unify. They couldn't agree a fight though.

What's interesting looking at this is how many times guys were stripped of titles when going to fight for other titles. What a shame that is.

lillywhite14 wrote:Froch could have won it just after Calzaghe retired and before Ward was launched in to the elite with the super six. No guarantee though

Kessler was still around at that point though and Ward emerged 12 months later, Froch wouldn't and couldn't beat Kessler at his peak.

expe wrote:

lillywhite14 wrote:Froch could have won it just after Calzaghe retired and before Ward was launched in to the elite with the super six. No guarantee though

Kessler was still around at that point though and Ward emerged 12 months later, Froch wouldn't and couldn't beat Kessler at his peak.

Not so sure myself. 50/50 fight.

Naandrew wrote:Possibly Khan in 2011. Bradley turned down a 50/50 offer when Khan was at his best that would have decided the best at 140 at that time.

Wasn't, at least 1, of Khans belts actually a title stripped from Bradley who was out chasing good fights? Were mentioning where Brits have been stripped but maybe this is a case where a Brit benefitted from another fighter being stripped.

lillywhite14 wrote:

expe wrote:

lillywhite14 wrote:Froch could have won it just after Calzaghe retired and before Ward was launched in to the elite with the super six. No guarantee though

Kessler was still around at that point though and Ward emerged 12 months later, Froch wouldn't and couldn't beat Kessler at his peak.

Not so sure myself. 50/50 fight.

He fought Kessler and lost and that was after Kessler was beaten by Ward and had his eyes messed up from all the headbutts.

I'm aware of that Expe, I watched it. It was a close fight, Carl didnt start well enough and that's what cost him. He made amends in the rematch and came out much quicker.

What might have cost him in any potential fight with Kessler just after Calzaghe moved up, was his lack of big fight experience. Still would have been in with a good chance, especially at a neutral location.

All hypothetical of course.

Broomhall wrote:Only Lewis andpossibly Froch. Hamed possibly if there where two champs eg WBA/WBC. Hatton would have got a shot but I dont think he would have won it.

Hatton got a shot at the lineal champ, and won.

mickey1975 wrote:

Broomhall wrote:Only Lewis andpossibly Froch. Hamed possibly if there where two champs eg WBA/WBC. Hatton would have got a shot but I dont think he would have won it.

Hatton got a shot at the lineal champ, and won.

This.

Hatton was THE champ after he beat Kostya. The others were mere strap holders at the time, Floyd included.

Lewis
Haye
Hamed
Hatton
Calzaghe
Possibly Froch

Boxing Prospect wrote:

Naandrew wrote:Possibly Khan in 2011. Bradley turned down a 50/50 offer when Khan was at his best that would have decided the best at 140 at that time.

Wasn't, at least 1, of Khans belts actually a title stripped from Bradley who was out chasing good fights? Were mentioning where Brits have been stripped but maybe this is a case where a Brit benefitted from another fighter being stripped.

No the IBF was stripped from Alexander which Judah picked up before losing it to Khan.

Ricky Burns may have won the super feather or lightweight title as well

lillywhite14 wrote:

mickey1975 wrote:

Broomhall wrote:Only Lewis andpossibly Froch. Hamed possibly if there where two champs eg WBA/WBC. Hatton would have got a shot but I dont think he would have won it.

Hatton got a shot at the lineal champ, and won.

This.

Hatton was THE champ after he beat Kostya. The others were mere strap holders at the time, Floyd included.

Lineal schimeal

The best light welters at the time Hatton got his shot where Mayweather and Cotto If there was one belt one of these guys would have been champ and Hatton good as he was would not have beaten either.

Naandrew wrote:

Boxing Prospect wrote:

Naandrew wrote:Possibly Khan in 2011. Bradley turned down a 50/50 offer when Khan was at his best that would have decided the best at 140 at that time.

Wasn't, at least 1, of Khans belts actually a title stripped from Bradley who was out chasing good fights? Were mentioning where Brits have been stripped but maybe this is a case where a Brit benefitted from another fighter being stripped.

No the IBF was stripped from Alexander which Judah picked up before losing it to Khan.

Sorry yeah you're right. The IBF was stripped from Alexander just before Bradley beat Alexander. By rights Bradley should have been WBC/WBO/IBF unified champion whilst Khan should have been the WBA.

Broomhall wrote:

Lineal schimeal

The best light welters at the time Hatton got his shot where Mayweather and Cotto If there was one belt one of these guys would have been champ and Hatton good as he was would not have beaten either.

Can never understand the argument for Tszyu being "lineal champ" when he fought Hatton. He was 35, held 1 belt and had only fought twice in 3 years!

In saying that i dont doubt ricky had the ability to have won a world title at some point had there only have been 1 belt.

Nobody in early 90's? Benn would've had punchers chance early 90s i guess?

Agree Hamed at his peak would've had a shot against anyone!

Paul Smith will be added to this list soon........