BoxRec

What are the greatest British fighters in each weight classes you guys can list?

HW: Lennox Lewis (we allowed to class him?)
CW: David Haye
LHW:
SMW: Joe Calzaghe
MW:

Heavyweight - Tyson Fury

Light Buchanon
Feather Hamed
L/welter Hatton
L/ middle Hope
Fly Wilde

L/heavy Conteh
Middle Downs
Welter Honeyghan

In my lifetime it's probably something like this. A few of them moved around divisions and there's definitely some that are only there because there's nobody else to take the spot. There's also obviously some older guys better than these that I have no memory of.

Lewis
Haye
Smith
Calzaghe
Eubank
Smith
Hatton
Khan
Cacace*
Hamed
Frampton
McDonnell
Edwards
Edwards
?

Here's my input.

Heavy - Lewis
Cruiser - Haye
Light Heavy - Fitzsimmons. If not allowed then Conteh
Super Middle - Calzaghe
Middle - Turpin
Light Middle - Hope
Welter - Lewis
Light Welter - Hatton
Light - Berg
Super Light - Cowdell (based just on the Sanchez bout )
Feather - Tempted to say Driscoll or Tarleton but will give it to Naz.
Super Bantam - Frampton
Bantam - Owen
Super Fly & Below- Wilde, Britains greatest P4P.

Similar to Taansend: -

Heavy - Lewis
Cruiser - Haye
Light Heavy - Fitzsimmons / Conteh
Super Middle - Calzaghe
Middle - Fitzsimmons / Turpin
Light Middle - Hope
Welter - Lewis
Light Welter - Berg
Light - Buchanan / Welsh
Super Feather - Cacace??
Feather - Driscoll
Super Bantam - Frampton
Bantam - Owen
Super Fly & Below- Wilde

mickey1975 wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025, 12:59 Heavyweight - Tyson Fury

While I disagree, I figured some people would think this.

The follow up is what interests me...

Where is Lewis in your all time Heavyweights rankings? and then if fury is above then where is he? then if Usyk is above fury he must be getting near the top...

gregregegg wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025, 17:26

mickey1975 wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025, 12:59 Heavyweight - Tyson Fury

While I disagree, I figured some people would think this.

The follow up is what interests me...

Where is Lewis in your all time Heavyweights rankings? and then if fury is above then where is he? then if Usyk is above fury he must be getting near the top...

I was part trolling. I do think Lennox gets a pass too easily from most fans for his ko losses. If it was anyone else there would be more criticism of his Mercer and Holyfield 2 wins. Not to mention never facing Bowe (it doesn't matter whose fault it was) and getting way too much credit for beating a shot to pieces Tyson.

But Lennox on his best night was up there with any of them.

I think Dave Charnley could have given any British 135 pounder a run for their money.

goose 5 wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025, 18:57 I think Dave Charnley could have given any British 135 pounder a run for their money.

Agree

Coco wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025, 13:44 Light Buchanon
Feather Hamed
L/welter Hatton
L/ middle Hope
Fly Wilde

If you are one of those people that claims your nationality is from where you are born Maurice Hope is from Antigua. I always think that’s rather simplistic though. He was brought up in UK. Conversely Lennox was born in UK but brought up in Canada…..

Bridgerweight - Lawrence Okolie

JamesPhilips wrote: ↑07 Jul 2025, 14:10

Coco wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025, 13:44 Light Buchanon
Feather Hamed
L/welter Hatton
L/ middle Hope
Fly Wilde

If you are one of those people that claims your nationality is from where you are born Maurice Hope is from Antigua. I always think that’s rather simplistic though. He was brought up in UK. Conversely Lennox was born in UK but brought up in Canada…..

I wasn't thinking as deeply as that!
Honeyghan wasn't born here either?

Coco wrote: ↑07 Jul 2025, 17:11

JamesPhilips wrote: ↑07 Jul 2025, 14:10

Coco wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025, 13:44 Light Buchanon
Feather Hamed
L/welter Hatton
L/ middle Hope
Fly Wilde

If you are one of those people that claims your nationality is from where you are born Maurice Hope is from Antigua. I always think that’s rather simplistic though. He was brought up in UK. Conversely Lennox was born in UK but brought up in Canada…..

I wasn't thinking as deeply as that!
Honeyghan wasn't born here either?

Yeah just checked. Was born in Jamaica

Terry Downes is an interesting one. He was born in London but moved to the US with his mum as a young teenager and was a US marine.
He even tried out for the US Olympic team but was refused on residency grounds. He then moved back to London

I'm a huge Downes fan but he was no Randy Turpin.

Duke McKenzie at bantam

Len Harvey and Jock McAvoy have got a claim to be the number 1 at MW if Fitzsimmons isn't included on nationality grounds.

Did Wayne McCullough have too brief a Bantamweight career to be considered?

stujones wrote: ↑10 Jul 2025, 08:51 Did Wayne McCullough have too brief a Bantamweight career to be considered?

Swings and roundabouts!!
Everything is up for debate! Or was he better at super bantam?

Heavy - Lewis
Cruiser - Haye
Light Heavy - I'll go with Fitz over Conteh.
Super Middle - Calzaghe.
Middle - Turpin.
Light Middle - Hope
Welter - Honeyghun
Light Welter - Hatton
Light - Buchannon
Super Feather - Burns
Feather - Naz
Super Bantam - Frampton
Bantam - Some close ones - McKenzie, McCullough, but I will go with McDonnell
Super Fly - Yafai
Fly - Wilde
Light Fly and Lower - I don't really know - Paul Weir or Mickey Cantwell?

mickey1975 wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025, 17:51

gregregegg wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025, 17:26

mickey1975 wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025, 12:59 Heavyweight - Tyson Fury

While I disagree, I figured some people would think this.

The follow up is what interests me...

Where is Lewis in your all time Heavyweights rankings? and then if fury is above then where is he? then if Usyk is above fury he must be getting near the top...

I was part trolling. I do think Lennox gets a pass too easily from most fans for his ko losses. If it was anyone else there would be more criticism of his Mercer and Holyfield 2 wins. Not to mention never facing Bowe (it doesn't matter whose fault it was) and getting way too much credit for beating a shot to pieces Tyson.

What I love about Lewis’ record is that he avenged his defeats/draw (it’s one of the reasons I love Hagler). Yes, McCall was a state when they fought and Holyfield rematch seemed closer than their initial fight.

It’s a shame he didn’t fight Bowe as a pro but I don’t blame him too much for that as it’s pretty clear it was Bowe who swerved it and we saw Lennox stop Bowe in the final of the Olympics.

I’d definitely have Lennox over Fury.

stujones wrote: ↑10 Jul 2025, 09:54 Super Fly - Yafai

Kal?