The best HOMEGROWN BRITISH heavyweights of all-time ?

This would exclude Bugner as well,then.


Tommy Farr
Henry Cooper
Frank Bruno

 

How can Jósef Kreul possibly be included??

 

Joe Bugner of course.

 

I would have to agree.

Farr might just have been champion if he had come along a few years earlier.

 

I'd say Fury as well. How such a nation where boxing is popular ( and pretty much invented the sport ) has not done better is puzzling to me.

 

It's a much smaller country than the states, so there is more chance of fighters becoming champions due to massive population differences.

 

I'll give it a shot.

Rating fighters born in England, to date ...

1. Frank Bruno
2. Henry Akinwande
3. David Haye
4. Tie: Audley Harrison & Henry Cooper
5. Anthony Joshua
6. Tommy Farr
7. Jack Bodell
8. Horace Notice
9. Brian London
10. John L. Gardner

If Gary Mason, Herbie Hide, Joe Bugner and Dereck Chisora had been born in England, they'd certainly be rated higher than some. None of them were.

Harrison and Joshua rate for winning the Olympic Gold Medal. Most consider the Olympic Gold medal a more significant win than capturing a domestic title (like the British, Commonwealth or European titles.)

Harrison won the gold, Cooper beat better fighters than Harrison, both lost in heavyweight title challenges, and both lost to some pretty bad fighters. (Cooper lost to everyone.) So I rate them even.

Joshua may end up being number one, or he could get starched by Whyte this fall and go down the path of David Price. Too early to tell. But winning the gold puts him high on the list, regardless.

I'd have put Danny Williams on the list as recently as 2011, but he's just run his entire career into the toilet. It's difficult to bump off someone like Horace Notice - who never lost - and include Williams, who recently has lost to every bum standing in front of him.

Tommy Farr also beat a couple of impressive names, but he lost and drew with A LOT of truly bad fighters all through his career. A lot.

Among fighters born in England, Scott Welch, Billy Walker, Tyson Fury and Richard Dunn miss the cut, IMO. Although Fury could eventually get to the top as well.

If we're including fighters who WERE NOT born in England but campaigned there, I'd say:

1. Frank Bruno
2. Henry Akinwande
3. Gary Mason
4. David Haye
5. Herbie Hide
6. Joe Bugner
7. Tie: Audley Harrison and Henry Cooper
8. Anthony Joshua
9. Tommy Farr
10. Jack Bodell

 

Jack Petersen?

 

The Bomber probably is #1; edging it by finally winning his alphabet title.

I would put Farr two, he had American kudos, which is quite an achievement for a British Heavyweight pre Lewis.

Then it is going to be Sir 'enry, he was around of edges of world class for a decade, and carried the domestic sport at times.

Then Aussie Joe; it is bit cruel to put him below Cooper, but you know, I can not be bothered to change it around. I am sure Joe can relate to that...

 

here's the Complete List of British Heavyweight Champions for your help...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_heavyweight_boxing_champions

Many of them 'won't' qualify as their Boxing was NOT a Product of Britain, other's won't qualify high on the list because they weren't good enough.

But for those of you who are keen enough, take all the Best of the British trained heavyweights among them, list them, and then you can discuss their possible overall placements among you.