BoxRec

I was doing some research, and was trying to work out how many current British fighters are World Champions. As their is a whole litany of titles, I'm not 100% sure I've got them all.

So far, I have:

1. Tyson Fury
2. Anthony Joshua
3. Carl Frampton
4. Lee Haskins
5. Tony Bellew
6. James Degale
7. Billy Joe Saunders
8. Liam Smith
9. Kell Brook
10. Ricky Burns
11. Anthony Crolla
12. Terry Flanagan
13. Lee Selby
14. Jamie McDonnell

Firstly, are those all correct? Secondly, are there any missing? Thirdly, which of these are legit - basically, which of these do you think actually approach the best in their division, rather than just lucking out due to the vast number of titles that fly about these days?

Thanks

Tyson Fury.

That's it.

Riddick Blowe wrote:Tyson Fury.

That's it.

I'm assuming that is answering question 3?

Frampton was stripped of/vacated both his belts, McDonnell holds one of the many fake WBA titles in existence so he can come off the list too. That leaves 12, Fury is the only one that's clearly number one in his division, but there's others in there with legitimate claims to that position and most of them are genuinely world class.

expe wrote:Frampton was stripped of/vacated both his belts, McDonnell holds one of the many fake WBA titles in existence so he can come off the list too. That leaves 12, Fury is the only one that's clearly number one in his division, but there's others in there with legitimate claims to that position and most of them are genuinely world class.

Cheers for the help. That eases my potential research.

Out of interest, any particular favourites of the remaining? Guys who are close to being 'the guy' at their level?

kingliam wrote:

expe wrote:Frampton was stripped of/vacated both his belts, McDonnell holds one of the many fake WBA titles in existence so he can come off the list too. That leaves 12, Fury is the only one that's clearly number one in his division, but there's others in there with legitimate claims to that position and most of them are genuinely world class.

Cheers for the help. That eases my potential research.

Out of interest, any particular favourites of the remaining? Guys who are close to being 'the guy' at their level?

DeGale and Brook are probably the two with the best claim to being number one, Super Middleweight and Welterweight have been blown wide open with the retirements of Froch, Mayweather and it appears Pacquiao, along with Ward moving up, so there's no clear number 1 in either division. After those I'd say Crolla and Flanagan both have a claim to being around the top at Lightweight, depending on which you prefer, but both probably still need a win over a fighter ranked around them to really be able to call themselves the best, Crolla has his chance against Linares, hopefully Flanagan will get his once he's knocked Fana over.

Fury the only one with a legit claim to be number 1

kingliam wrote:

Riddick Blowe wrote:Tyson Fury.

That's it.

I'm assuming that is answering question 3?

He's the undisputed world champ as won in the ring. I don't think he is the best in the division.

I have DeGale number 1 now Ward has moved up and Abraham lost.

I wouldn’t have Fury as the “clear No. 1 in the division”.

He beat a shockingly bad (on the night) and gun shy Vlad to claim the belts in what was a shockingly bad fight all round in all honesty.

If he fought Joshua tomorrow, the IBF champ, I genuinely think Joshua would stop him inside the distance. I know that means I must be a casual “fanboy” who wants to bum Eddie Hearn and clearly I doesn’t know anything about boxing, but it’s still my view.

If my life depended on the outcome of Fury v Joshua, I would side with Joshua.

Brook and DeGale, in my view, have more legitimate claims to be topping their division.

Cheers for all the posts so far.

Degale confuses me as he never looks particularly good when I see him fight. Is the quality of his opposition anything to write home about?

I'd also think Joshua would beat Fury if I had to put my house on it.

Loftgroov wrote:I wouldn’t have Fury as the “clear No. 1 in the division”.

He beat a shockingly bad (on the night) and gun shy Vlad to claim the belts in what was a shockingly bad fight all round in all honesty.

If he fought Joshua tomorrow, the IBF champ, I genuinely think Joshua would stop him inside the distance. I know that means I must be a casual “fanboy” who wants to bum Eddie Hearn and clearly I doesn’t know anything about boxing, but it’s still my view.

If my life depended on the outcome of Fury v Joshua, I would side with Joshua.

Brook and DeGale, in my view, have more legitimate claims to be topping their division.

He beat the man who was almost universally regarded as the best in the division and had been for nearly a decade. You cannot get a more legitimate claim than that.

kingliam wrote:Cheers for all the posts so far.

Degale confuses me as he never looks particularly good when I see him fight. Is the quality of his opposition anything to write home about?

I'd also think Joshua would beat Fury if I had to put my house on it.

degale tends to go to sleep a bit, maybe a case of fighting to his opponents level. As for joshua i think fury beats him at the moment, all that glitters and all that..

Loftgroov wrote:I wouldn’t have Fury as the “clear No. 1 in the division”.

He beat a shockingly bad (on the night) and gun shy Vlad to claim the belts in what was a shockingly bad fight all round in all honesty.

If he fought Joshua tomorrow, the IBF champ, I genuinely think Joshua would stop him inside the distance. I know that means I must be a casual “fanboy” who wants to bum Eddie Hearn and clearly I doesn’t know anything about boxing, but it’s still my view.

If my life depended on the outcome of Fury v Joshua, I would side with Joshua.

Brook and DeGale, in my view, have more legitimate claims to be topping their division.

X2,i would of had frampton as the no1 in his division but he has moved up now

Loftgroov wrote:I wouldn’t have Fury as the “clear No. 1 in the division”.

He beat a shockingly bad (on the night) and gun shy Vlad to claim the belts in what was a shockingly bad fight all round in all honesty.

If he fought Joshua tomorrow, the IBF champ, I genuinely think Joshua would stop him inside the distance. I know that means I must be a casual “fanboy” who wants to bum Eddie Hearn and clearly I doesn’t know anything about boxing, but it’s still my view.

If my life depended on the outcome of Fury v Joshua, I would side with Joshua.

Brook and DeGale, in my view, have more legitimate claims to be topping their division.

Last time i said what u just said i got slated and accused of being a fury hater and knowing nothing about boxing so i just stopped commenting on fury altogether cause if u dont like him and agree with what certain ppl say then ur a hater

Without wanting to move away from the overall topic, I do feel that Joshua's speed and power would be dangerous for a fighter like Fury, who has been a little 'chinny' in the past.

kingliam wrote:Without wanting to move away from the overall topic, I do feel that Joshua's speed and power would be dangerous for a fighter like Fury, who has been a little 'chinny' in the past.

If Steve Cunningham put him down you have to at the very least wonder what happens when AJ connects.

Yes, I appreciate Fury "is the man who beat the man" etc etc.... and that argument is valid. But I just feel Vlad was absolutely fornicating awful in that fight, barely throwing a punch of note for much of it, and Fury won out.

Credit to Fury for getting inside his head, but its not like Fury went in there and dismantled him inside the distance, proving his sheer dominance in the heavyweight division.

Loftgroov wrote:I wouldn’t have Fury as the “clear No. 1 in the division”.

He beat a shockingly bad (on the night) and gun shy Vlad to claim the belts in what was a shockingly bad fight all round in all honesty.

If he fought Joshua tomorrow, the IBF champ, I genuinely think Joshua would stop him inside the distance. I know that means I must be a casual “fanboy” who wants to bum Eddie Hearn and clearly I doesn’t know anything about boxing, but it’s still my view.

If my life depended on the outcome of Fury v Joshua, I would side with Joshua.

Brook and DeGale, in my view, have more legitimate claims to be topping their division.

Horse wrote:

Horse wrote:

Loftgroov wrote:I wouldn’t have Fury as the “clear No. 1 in the division”.

He beat a shockingly bad (on the night) and gun shy Vlad to claim the belts in what was a shockingly bad fight all round in all honesty.

If he fought Joshua tomorrow, the IBF champ, I genuinely think Joshua would stop him inside the distance. I know that means I must be a casual “fanboy” who wants to bum Eddie Hearn and clearly I doesn’t know anything about boxing, but it’s still my view.

If my life depended on the outcome of Fury v Joshua, I would side with Joshua.

Brook and DeGale, in my view, have more legitimate claims to be topping their division.

See loftgrove? Now they start to roll eyes at u like u dont know what the F ur talkin about,fury sos jockeys are gonna get u now

thechump wrote:

Horse wrote:

Loftgroov wrote:I wouldn’t have Fury as the “clear No. 1 in the division”.

He beat a shockingly bad (on the night) and gun shy Vlad to claim the belts in what was a shockingly bad fight all round in all honesty.

If he fought Joshua tomorrow, the IBF champ, I genuinely think Joshua would stop him inside the distance. I know that means I must be a casual “fanboy” who wants to bum Eddie Hearn and clearly I doesn’t know anything about boxing, but it’s still my view.

If my life depended on the outcome of Fury v Joshua, I would side with Joshua.

Brook and DeGale, in my view, have more legitimate claims to be topping their division.

See loftgrove? Now they start to roll eyes at u like u dont know what the F ur talkin about,fury sos jockeys are gonna get u now

Yes, I've dared challenge the accepted dogma.

Joshua punch hard, he must be best!

I don't think any Brit has shown himself to be the obvious class of his division, but I feel that Fury, AJ, Degale, Brook, McDonnell, Crolla, and Flannagan could reasonably be chosen as the best at their weights (and yes, I know AJ doesn't have the strongest resume yet). I'm not as impressed with Selby as many other people are, and I'd have him below Russell and Santa Cruz (as well as Loma and Walters when they were still at 126).

crusader wrote:I'd say that Fury, AJ, Degale, Brook, McDonnell, Crolla, and Flannagan could reasonably be chosen as the best in their divisions (and yes, I know AJ doesn't have the strongest resume yet).

Joshua can not be considered to be the best in his division.

He might not even deserve a top 10 spot.

He is totally unproven at world level. He is not a credible world champion.

Resume doesn't equal ability, which can also help explain how Fury managed to defeat Wlad even though his record, both recent and in totality, was much weaker.

AJ clearly shouldn't be ranked as the best going by accomplishments, but I think he's shown a package of size and ability that arguably no others can match. Of course he still has to prove himself against higher level opposition, but based on what he's shown, as well as the lack of serious talent at the weight, I expect him to continue excelling as he steps up.