BoxRec

As the thread title says, who is the best UK boxer to not win a world title?

I just read a thread on the British forum about Herol Graham and it got me wondering, has Britain ever had a better fighter not to hold a version of the world title?

Len Harvey

Michael Watson?

It's got be Herol, Kirkland laing? Maybe Kevin Mitchell we will see how he goes?

Herol's definitely up there and so is Mike Watson and Kirkland L and they're regularly quoted; but there are plenty of others.
A top 10 without these guys above might look like this.

Dave Charnley
Alan Rudkin
Mike Brodie
Colin Jones
Both the Finnegan brothers
Joe Bugner
Andy Holligan
Jim McDonnell
Pat Barrett
Henry Wharton

Most of these guys had the misfortune to run into exceptional champions or for some reason let the chance slip on the night. Holligan got Julio Caesar Chavez and Chris Finnegan got the late Bob Foster.

I saw Jim McDonnell tackle Nelson and Mitchell and he was never out of his depth and caused two outstanding champs a good deal of bother; easy to forget that Jim was a real talent back then.

Colin Jones tends to get forgotten as well - he saw off Kirkland twice - but Kirk's huge win over Duran and perhaps more exuderant skills and character means Colin's own abilities as a world class fighter tend to get overlooked.

Len Harvey first by a mile, then Jock Mcavoy I think.

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Bodyshot3 wrote:Herol's definitely up there and so is Mike Watson and Kirkland L and they're regularly quoted; but there are plenty of others.
A top 10 without these guys above might look like this.

Dave Charnley
Alan Rudkin
Mike Brodie
Colin Jones
Both the Finnegan brothers
Joe Bugner
Andy Holligan
Jim McDonnell
Pat Barrett
Henry Wharton



Most of these guys had the misfortune to run into exceptional champions or for some reason let the chance slip on the night. Holligan got Julio Caesar Chavez and Chris Finnegan got the late Bob Foster.

I saw Jim McDonnell tackle Nelson and Mitchell and he was never out of his depth and caused two outstanding champs a good deal of bother; easy to forget that Jim was a real talent back then.

Colin Jones tends to get forgotten as well - he saw off Kirkland twice - but Kirk's huge win over Duran and perhaps more exuderant skills and character means Colin's own abilities as a world class fighter tend to get overlooked.

Big Joe probably had the best resume out of all of them ones, he fought everyone. Didn't he get the WBF belt or similar down the line? if that counts?

Big Joe probably had the best resume out of all of them ones, he fought everyone. Didn't he get the WBF belt or similar down the line? if that counts?

I am a big Bugner fan as well, but the WBF title was just a nice thing for Joe but I think that even knew it was lightly valued.

Personally, I loved watching Pat Barrett fight and when it clicked for him he really did look like an immense talent and he made short work of some decent fighters. Wharton - I'll admit - is something of a a personal favourite and Len Harvey and a few others are more worthy.

Jim Driscoll
Owen Moran

Good call, dr_devious. So far, these are the two best. I would lean towards Driscoll.

Owen Moran is the first one I thought of as well. I'd also add onto the list Nel Tarleton, Eric Boon, Dave (Boy) Green and Ernie Roderick.

Sibbo, Farr, Roderick, Green, Moran, Tarleton, Tancy Lee all belong on that list.

I think the two best picks would be McAvoy and Harvey.

Add Henry Cooper to the list

elmersalsa wrote:Add Henry Cooper to the list

Totally biased of course.

Dave Charnley, robbed by British referee in 1961

Tony Sibson, sadly along at the same time as one of the best middleweights of all time.

Henry Wharton, started too late against Benn, and was badly distracted on the day of his fight with Robin Reid.

dalcumly wrote:Totally biased of course.

Dave Charnley, robbed by British referee in 1961

Tony Sibson, sadly along at the same time as one of the best middleweights of all time.

Henry Wharton, started too late against Benn, and was badly distracted on the day of his fight with Robin Reid.

Big shout out to Dave Charnley....a terrific fighter from my neck of the woods

Ambling Alp II wrote:Good call, dr_devious. So far, these are the two best. I would lean towards Driscoll.

Thanks Alp, me too

Johnny Owen

cfang wrote:Len Harvey first by a mile, then Jock Mcavoy I think.

don't know much about either, but certainly these 2 guys have as impressive a record as it's possible to have without winning a world title