BoxRec

On flip side of the thread stated by johnswan how about some of the best losing efforts by Brits in world title fights? I'll start the ball rolling with some oldies:

Cowdell vs Sanchez,
McDonnell v Nelson
Hardy v Canizales I

Dave McCauley v Fidel Bassa 1

Draw count? Ovills recent effort was brilliant.

Johnny Owen v Lupe Pintor - Owen was more than holding his own before the disastrous ending.

Murray Vs Martinez - although I think that showed Martinez was very much starting to slide

Paul ingle vs Naz - thought he really gave it a go and was giving him al sorts of trouble in later rounds due to fitness

Gazmac81 wrote:Murray Vs Martinez - although I think that showed Martinez was very much starting to slide

Paul ingle vs Naz - thought he really gave it a go and was giving him al sorts of trouble in later rounds due to fitness

I went to see the Ingle v Naz fight and thought Paul was gonna pull it off until he ran out of steam.

Does hopeless bravery count?

Don Cockell against Rocky Marciano.

Does hopeless bravery count?

Don Cockell against Rocky Marciano.

Macklin put in a huge effort against Sturm.

Watson vs McCallum
Jim Mcdonnel vs Azumah Nelson
Both ended similar, great efforts but just not quite good enough.
Brodie vs Chi 1 was a draw but still a superb fight by Brodie.

Watson against Eubank. Watson was inspired that night only to be stopped by a punch from the gods and probably the best effort that any Brit fighter has given and not won?

johnswan1 wrote:Macklin put in a huge effort against Sturm.

He should have won the fight

Brodi v Chi is a top shout...also....

Andy Hollighan v Chavez Snr
Farr v Louis
Andries v Hearns.....Dennis was a brave, hard man
Chris Finnegan v Foster
Chisora v Vitali K

Each fighter was brave, in with truly elite fighters and away from home. And they acquitted themselves well.
Chisora is not easy to like and has let himself down sometimes....but he got my respect that night despite behaving like a plonker before and after.

Kevin Finnegan did not fight Hagler for a world belt....but the Marvellous one respected Finnegan's talent and attitude.

By and large...both the Finnegan brothers belong to that class of superb Brits who somehow never get a global title.

brodie vs jorrin - brodie should have got that.

graham vs mccallum - very close fight against a modern great.

graham vs brewer - so unfortunate AGAIN. :(

bruno vs witherspoon - did well for 6-7 rds.

green vs palomino - great effort until the wicked finish.

johnswan1 wrote:Macklin put in a huge effort against Sturm.

I thought Macklin got robbed there. He deserved the win.

Howard Eastman put in a very credible losing effort against Hopkins

Eubank v Thompson

Mitchell against Linares
Murray/GGG
Eubank/CAT
Wharton/Eubank
Munroe/Nishioka
McCullough vs Hamed/Zaragoza/Morales/Larios
Curvis/Griffith
Schwer vs Ruelas/Johnston
Ashley vs Hill

I want to say Burns against Figueroa, but given the nonsense surrounding Figueroa's weight I'm confused as to whether or not there was a title on the line or not.
Excellent effort by Ricky none the less, proved he wasn't nearly as shot as many thought before the fight.

I like Farr-Louis, Winstone-Saldivar, Cowdell-Sanchez and Finnegan-Foster.

keirw wrote:I want to say Burns against Figueroa, but given the nonsense surrounding Figueroa's weight I'm confused as to whether or not there was a title on the line or not.
Excellent effort by Ricky none the less, proved he wasn't nearly as shot as many thought before the fight.

I thought of that fight n all but there was no title on the line. Brave from Ricky though.

I wouldn't rank it amongst the best but Mathew Hatton put in a very game effort against Canelo that is worthy of mention.

I remember Hardy v Canizales 1 from when I was a kid and thought Billy got jobbed that night.

Richie Woodhall got off to a shocking start against Beyer but did well to pull himself back into the fight.

Ray Close against Chris Eubank (both times)

bigjack wrote:Dave McCauley v Fidel Bassa 1

Incredible fight, one of the great Belfast fight nights and best fights of the 1980's.

It had a start similar to Benn/Mclellan, with local hero Dave Boy dropped, badly cut and battered in the first round, it looked all but over...before the packed Belfast crowd slowly roars him back to life in the 2nd, and he finally gets his big left hook working, shocking Bassa who must've expected an early night and easy payday - then a bizzare 3rd round that sees Dave Boy seemingly miss a punch, only for Bassa to drop heavily and stagger up on wobbling legs - I still don't know what the hell happened there.
After that no one knew what to expect, and it was an absolute war until an exhausted and incredibly brave McCauley was finally stopped in the 13th.

An amazing night, check it out here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7YlnZ2BY-M

McAuley was never in a boring fight.

I remember jumping up and down so much watching that fight that I snapped the chair I was sitting in.

Pub Quiz question/answer - His fight with Matlala is probably the most seen fight on British TV due to it being used on the credits on Question of Sport for decades.

Does the first round in the original Bruno vs Tyson count?