From Anthony Joshua to Tyson Fury, Josh Taylor, Ricky Hatton and Lennox Lewis – Britain’s best boxers of the last 20 years ranked
There’s been a boom in British boxing this century to the point where the UK had 13 reigning world titlists in 2016 – so cutting down a pound-for-pound best of the last 20 years to a top 10 is quite a challenge.
Boxers as good as Johnny Nelson (one of the longest-reigning cruiserweight champions ever) and Kell Brook (fresh off his demolition of domestic rival Amir Khan) don’t quite make the cut. That’s no disrespect to either, more a sign of the elite quality of British fighters from the past two decades: from heavyweight kings to one of the most sensational KO artists of all time.
- Anthony Joshua
Last year’s defeat to Oleksandr Usyk (one of modern boxing’s best) should not obscure what AJ has achieved. An Olympic gold medallist, boasting spectacular punch and drawing power, he was the legitimate heavyweight no.1 during Tyson Fury’s absence. In a high-quality era, Joshua has scored wins over Dillian Whyte, Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, Alexander Povetkin and Andy Ruiz Jr (in their rematch). At 32, he still has time to add to his legacy.
- David Haye
It’s easy to look at the end of Haye’s career, when injury and age had robbed him of his fluid athleticism, and forget what he once was. A dynamic cruiserweight, ‘The Hayemaker’ became a unified champion before stepping up and grabbing a portion of the heavyweight title when he outboxed the gigantic Nikolai Valuev. Points loss to a peak Wladimir Klitschko was the beginning of the end – but at his best, Haye was a freakish puncher with razor-sharp reflexes.
8. Carl Froch
If his close pal Haye underachieved, Froch squeezed the absolute maximum from his talent. In a stacked super-middleweight era, the iron-chinned ‘Cobra’ with the wrecking-ball right hand beat a host of top contenders and world champions, ducking nobody. Only the great Andre Ward managed to score an (unavenged) victory, but Froch’s career ended on a high when he stopped rival George Groves in 2014 at Wembley. Not that he likes to bring it up.
7. Josh Taylor
Only 18 pro fights but in those the ‘Tartan Tornado’ has achieved more than all but a handful of British boxers. Taylor hasn’t just cherry-picked an alphabet world title, this versatile boxer-brawler has unified every major belt at 140lb and handed first defeats to two previously undefeated champs in Regis Prograis and Jose Ramirez. Next up is yet another unbeaten foe for the 31-year-old: English southpaw Jack Catterall in Glasgow this weekend. Can’t wait.
6. Ricky Hatton
Hugely popular Mancunian fought with a ferocity only matched by his appetite for life between training camps. This devastating body-puncher became the man at 140lb when he forced Kostya Tszyu into retirement in 2014, then Hatton stepped up and won a world title at welterweight. Before his ill-advised one-fight comeback in 2012, Hatton had only lost to two boxers: Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. No shame in that for ‘The Hitman’.
5. Carl Frampton
Northern Ireland’s ‘Jackal’ won Ring magazine’s Fighter of the Year award in 2016, the year he beat two undefeated foes: Scott Quigg (to unify at 122lb) and Leo Santa Cruz (to win a 126lb world title). Along the way, the 5ft 5in boxer-puncher stopped the likes of Kiko Martinez – still winning world titles in 2021 – before age and injuries caught up with him ahead of his bid to become champion in a third weight class in 2021. Enjoy a well-earned retirement, Carl.
4. Naseem Hamed
No featherweight has ever punched with such unique, dynamite power. Magic carpets and Cadillacs carried him to the ring but ‘Prince Naz’ was even more thrilling inside the ropes. At one point had a 35-0 (31 KOs) record having cleaned out the best at 126lb. Unfortunately his dedication never matched his sky-high talent and Hamed, after suffering his one pro defeat to Marco Antonio Barrera, fought just once more in May 2002 before his career ended at age 28.
3. Tyson Fury
Big, charismatic, unorthodox with an elite ring IQ, Fury is well on his way to establishing his legacy as the best heavyweight of his era. This clumsy prospect has developed into an adaptable fighting machine with astonishing powers of recovery, as shown in his trilogy with Deontay Wilder (which ended with an incredible slugfest last year). If Dillian Whyte can find a way to keep the 33-year-old Fury on the canvas in April, he’ll be the first man to do so.
2. Lennox Lewis
Still just ahead of Fury on the strength of his world title defences and beating the best of his era, a fit and focused Lewis was an all-time great heavyweight. Boasting power, a ramrod jab and exceptional amateur class, Lewis’ worst enemy was himself. Shouldn’t have lost to either Oliver McCall or Hasim Rahman, but Lewis avenged both defeats and beat Evander Holyfield, David Tua, Mike Tyson and Vitali Klitschko before retiring as champion in 2003.
1. Joe Calzaghe
Wales’s Calzaghe edges out Lewis on his amazing consistency. Early on this relentless, rapid, rock-chinned southpaw struggled with hand injuries and not quite getting the fights his talent deserved. After a 1997 win over Chris Eubank, Calazghe waited nine years for a defining fight at 168lb, when he savagely schooled unbeaten American Jeff Lacy. Wins over Mikkel Kessler, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr gave his career the final flourish it deserved. Retired in 2008 with a perfect 46-0 record and an unmatched legacy as a super-middleweight champion.
