Naz? Lewis? Calzaghe? Who is the greatest British boxer of all time?

Certainly none of those spoiled brats.

Ted Kid Lewis, Jimmy Wilde, Bob Fitzsimmons and Ken Buchanan come to mind. I'd also throw in Battling Nelson.


Edit: *Owen Moran I meant

 

It took Calzaghe 10 years and 20 fights to become the #1. It took Honeyghan one night. There's some food for thought.

 

Calzaghe may be the best technically that I've ever seen but when your second best win is either a forty something Bernard Hopkins or an ultimately criminally overrated Jeff Lacy you're in bother.

Joe wasted nearly a decade of his career.

 

Joe says himself it just all came naturally to him. I'd say 'technical' is the wrong word. He was very gifted.

 

When fitzsimmons gets the vote for no1 ATG by many a historian the TS isn't even in the same conversation tbh

 

Buchanan or Conteh were probably two of the best I've seen in my time. JC had a short prime but was insanely talented. Buchanan had much better longevity etc (I mean Since the 1970s). Others were too long ago... no film etc

 

JC was and still is one of my favourite British boxers of all time and his record certainly points to him being one of the greatest but, as already stated, he should have took a stab at greatness much earlier in his career and during his prime.

There were so many incredible match ups he could have taken but failed to do so, that it must be taken into account when comparing him to other great fighters. Lewis is a consensus ATG, top 10 heavyweight and fought pretty much everyone during a pretty stacked era.

Hamed was an ATG talent that flattered to deceive due to his lack of dedication and commitment and his resume is a little bit thin to be honest though he was certainly thrilling to watch. I would put Hamed in the same bracket as Benn and Eubank, all having excellent careers but just not quite hitting the career heights that their talent and potential could have elevated them to. They maybe would have took a few more losses but also would have had fewer question marks over their resumes.

 

It is a hard one to say. In recent times Lewis, Calzaghe and Fury spring to mind. My da always told me John Conteh was best brit he seen he now says it's a toss up with him and Fury.

 

I swear this guy/troll just tries to wind people up.

 

If not for the Watson tragedy, who knows how the rest of Eubank's career would've panned out.

 

Fitz is the obvious choice. There are always questions about whether he qualifies as British, but he was born and raised in the country and we’re happy to claim other sportsmen on a lot less.

Fitz aside, Wilde has probably the strongest argument. He has a good claim to be all-time #1 in a traditional weight class; no other British fighter can make a similar claim.

Post-war, Lewis, Buchanan and Calzaghe are the top 3 for me.

 

technically ? That was not one of his strongest attributes.

 

Going by the modern era.... then it has to be Lennox based on achievements and resume.

In terms of pure talent and ability in the ring, Calzaghe for me. But his resume doesn't stack up against Lennox.