Top Ten British Fighters

1. Jimmy Wilde - best ever Flyweight dominated for 10 years
2. Ken Buchanan - a top 15 lightweight for me. fpught th best and travelled to win a title and never defended it at home
3. Bob Fitzsimmons - first evr 3 weight world champ again fough the best
4. Lennox Lewis - domianted the HW scene in the late 90s
5. Jim Driscoll - peerless
6. Benny Lynch - one of teh best Flyweight ever, a true talent
7. Joe Calzaghe - dominated SMW for 10 years
8. Naseem Hamed - won titles in 2 weights and was regarded as the best at them weights
9. Chris Eubank - great SMW
10. Randy Turpin - a good champion and beat SRR

 

How can you guys miss Ted Kid Lewis?

 

1. Jimmy Wilde
2. Bob Fitzsimmons
3. Jim Driscoll
4. Ted Kid Lewis
5. Jackie Kid Berg
6. Owen Moran
7. Freddie Welsh
8. Ken Buchanan
9. Benny Lynch
10. Lennox Lewis

 

i have missed a heap ignore my list it was off the top of my head i will sit down and think about it later today

 

1. Joe Calzaghe

End of.

 

Cheers Mac.

Turpin is in the mix with a bunch of other guys that I don't really have a solid ranking for, e.g. Howard Winstone, Joe Calzaghe, John Conteh, Freddie Mills etc. Top 15 for sure I'd say.

I like Berg high up the list. He has a great, great resume, and doesn't look too bad on film either. A more intelligent and skillful Ricky Hatton of sorts.

I like Ken, but my perception that he lost the first Laguna fight and his close run against Jim Watt makes me kind of hesitant to push him too far up the list. I wouldn't argue with him over Freddie Welsh, I've ranked him ahead of Welsh myself in the past. Not much separating them as far as ability goes.

Not that big a fan of Lennox, though that he still makes my top 10 is a compliment. No one less than great on that list.

 

heres with a little more thought

1. Jimmy Wilde
2. Bob Fitzsimmons
3. Jim Driscoll
4. Ted Kid Lewis
5. Ken Buchanan
6. Freddie Welsh
7. Benny Lynch
8. Owen Moran
9. Jackie Kid Berg
10. Lennox Lewis

 

I think you have overlooked the first 300 years of British boxing history.

 

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Jack Broughton 1704-1789

British Champion 1734-1750

Jack Broughton is thought to be the best boxer of the early period of the British Prize Ring. He is described as scientific, fast and posesing a sharp penetrating stare. His favorite punch is described as “the peg to the stomach” suggesting that he was a body puncher. He also often used a blow under the ear to stop opponents.He developed early boxing methodology specialised in “milling on the retreat” (i.e. moving backwards and drawing an opponent into punches so their effectiveness was increased).

In 1741, Jack Broughton beat George Stevenson so badly in a 35 minute contest that a few days later Stevenson died; The tragedy upset Broughton and in an effort to ensure that it would not happen again he drew up the “Broughtion Rules” in 1743 which governed boxing up until the introduction of the “London Prize Ring Rules” in 1883.

Broughton is credited with having invented the boxing glove. Broughton's gloves were lightweight mufflers and used only in sparring at this time.


Daniel Mendoza 1764-1863

Champion 1794-1995

Daniel Mendoza is the guy who really wrote the book on boxing technique and defined it for the next generation. Our understanding of boxing technique of the era is based on his books.
Although only 5’7” and 160 pounds, Mendoza’s speed and agility allowed him to triumph over larger, slower opponents. He was described by early boxing historian Pierce Egan as “a complete artist” and “a star of the first brilliancy” Mendoza was born in the east end of London to Spanish parents, and was the first Jewish fighter ever to gain prominence

With the retirement of Ben Brain, Mendoza claimed the championship. His grip on the title was solidified with a victory over Bill Warr in 1794. As champion, Mendoza toured England, Scotland, and Ireland demonstrating his skills as part of the Aston Circus. Mendoza held the title until 1795 when John Jackson knocked him out in nine rounds.


Tom Cribb 1781-1884

British Champion 1807-1820

A former dock worker and later powder ****** in the Royal Navy, Tom Cribb is thought by many historians of the period to be the greatest bareknuckle champion of them all. He is also thought to be the first champion to mount a modern style training camp to prepare for a bout. Like Broughton his style is described as “milling on the retreat”. Cribb held the championship for thirteen years and defeated other all time greats such as Jem Belcher and Tom Molineux.
Cribb defeated Jem Belcher to win the title but he is best known for his two clashes with the American champion Tom Molineux which are seen by historians as the first international superfight. Molineaux was a former American slave and the first black manto fight for a championship. Cribb won the first match controvertialy. In preparation for the rematch Cribb went to a secluded part of Scotland and used runs and long walks to reduce his weight and improved his stamina. He also stayed away from alcohol. His use of the first ever “training camp” was vindicated by an early knockout in the rematch. On his retirement Cribb was presented with a lion skin belt thought to be the first ever championship belt.


Dutch Sam 1775-1816

Samuel Elias or “Dutch Sam” was born in the same town as future hall of famers Jackie "Kid" Berg and Ted Lewis.

He is thought by most students of the period to be the best “pound for pound” fighter of the bareknuckle era, and one of the hardest pound for pound hitters of all time. At 5'6" he fought most of his career under the lightweight limit and often knocked out opponents up to 168 pounds. With no weight classes the only way he could make a name or a career for himself was by constantly giving up weight and beating much larger men. Some historians have credited Sam with the invention of the uppercut. Whether or not this is true his frequent use of, and success with the uppercut led to its widespread use.

 

Tom Sayers 1826-1865

British Champion 1858-1860

At 5’ 8’’ and 155 lbs Tom Sayers was never much more than a middleweight yet he was able to establish himself as the best heavyweight of his era. He is described by contemporary observers as “a technically astute offensive boxer”.

His main claim to fame is participating in the first ever World Championship fight against the American Champion John C Heenan. If the fight had produced a winner it would have unified the British and American titles but the fight ended in a draw preventing unification. Sayers is regarded by historians of the period as one of the best pound for pound bare knuckle fighters of all time and gave up 40 lbs to Heenan.


Jem Mace 1831-1910

British Champion 1861-1862 1865-?

World Champion 1870-1871

Jem Mace became the first recognised “world champion” in history when he defeated Tom Allen to unify the British and American heavyweight titles.

Mace was a slick boxer who used the jab as his primary weapon and used footwork to keep out of the way of his opponents. Despite his defensive style he was a punishing hitter and usually finished his opponents with a right hand to the chin. He is the first fighter known to have made extensive use of combination punching.

As world champion Mace oversaw the transition from bare knuckle fighting and London Prize Ring rules to the gloved era and the widespread adoption of the Queensbury rules. He is thought to have developed the current system of “scoring a fight” based on punches landed, defence and ring generalship.

After he retired from active fighting Mace became a boxing instructor training such great fighters as Bob Fitzsimmons, Peter Jackson, Young Griffo, and Frank Slavin.



Bob Fitzsimmons 1863-1917

World Middleweight champion 1891-1897

World Heavyweight champion 1897-1899

World Light heavyweight champion 1903-1905

A case can be made that Bob Fitzsimmons was the greatest pound for pound fighter of all time. He was certainly one of the hardest “pound for pound” hitters of all time. While himself little more than a middleweight he often knocked out men weighing over 200 lbs with a single punch or combination.

Bob Fitzsimmons was the first fighter ever to win titles in three weight classes, middleweight, heavyweight and light-heavyweight. To this day he is the only middleweight ever to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.

By looking at films from late in his career and reading newspaper accounts his style can be pieced together. Fitzsimmons seems to have leaned backward with his hands held low and counterpunched. He threw punches with considerable accuracy and had had an uncanny understanding of human anatomy. He used his footwork to avoid his opponents’ blows and set up punching angles. He often pretended to be tired or hurt to make his opponents careless.



Jimmy Wilde 1892-1969

World Flyweight Champion 1916-1923

Jimmy Wilde was the first recognised world flyweight champion and the longest reigning. Most historians consider him to be the greatest flyweight of all time.

Wilde went unbeaten in his first 98 and retired with a record of 130-3-1 11 ND's 99 kayo’s. He was one of the hardest “pound for pound” hitters of all time and regularly knocked out bantamweights while himself weighing under 100 lbs.

His style was that of a boxer puncher and his ability to judge distances was uncanny. He fought with his hands by his waist and made his opponents miss by inches by pulling his head back slightly.

 

1. Ken Buchanan
2. Lennox Lewis
3. Randy Turpin
4. Nasem Hamed
5. Nigel Benn
6. Joe Calzaghe
7. Lloyd Honeyghan
8. Barry McGuigan
9. Chris Eubank
10. Ricky Hatton

Don't know enough about the older guys so I couldn't put them in.

 

Cornelius Boza-Edwards? I know he's Ugandan, but he was a British citizen & represented England when he fought, Didn't he?