Who is the Greatest British fighter of All-Time?

I think there might be a slight difference between a 35 year old Kostya Tszyu and a 30 year old Sugar Ray Robinson

You know, thats Sugar Ray Robinson, a lock for top 10 all-time.

And that in itself is the only thing going for Hatton's resume. The rest is filled with either old fighters or fringe world class fighters.

 

Ken Buchanan

 

Translation - I know **** all. Please shoot me in the head.

 

Your posts might actually have some credibilty to them if you didnt so much lord the fact of Calzaghe being placed in a top ten, yet totally ridicule the idea of Hatton being in there.

When both their careers are finished there is more then a good argument that Hattons resume will be superior to that of Calzaghes.

Include them both, or exclude them both, but don't say it's perfectly acceptable to include the one, and ridicule anyone dares to include the other. That's total nonsense.

 

Where is your list?

 

In no order... top 5...

Jimmy Wilde, Lennox Lewis, Bob Fitzsimmons, Ken Buchanan, Ted Kid Lewis

 

Well, that looks remarkably like mine

I'm tempted to believe you just went with consensus given your past record for being a douche, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt

Post a list before tearing into others, its easy to be an expert when nobody can question your wisdom.

 

Nobody can say who was the greatest british boxer ever.

I don't think there is anyone on this forum who has seen the likes of Kid Lewis and Jimmy Wilde fight so how can you make statements like they were the best on no evidence other than what you have read?

 

Erm, there is film available if you choose to look for it

It ain't from the ****ing stone age.

 

It's not just that, it's the lack of knowledge of other fighters in the era who you are watching in that poor quality of film in Kid Lewis' example.

Plus the fact that the sport is totally different these days with the likes of better nutrition, training methods etc.

I just dont' believe for a second that you can compare Kid Lewis to the likes of Calzaghe, we are talking a difference of nearly 100 years here.

 

Who cares if you got a tin of whey, its a ludicrious theory. If fighters are so much fitter and stronger, tell me why these guys fought 15-20 rounders and 10+ times a year?

Besides, its completely irrelevant. Nobody is even saying Ted Kid Lewis beats Ricky Hatton, or anything like that. Achievements are achievements, and are relative to ones era. These guys tend to be found higher up lists, because they fought more, didn't suffer from politics, didn't have alphabets to feast on therefore you know they were undoubtedly the best of their divison.

 

I really don't like the level of Boxing snobbery going on in this thread. Flexing your Boxing knowledge muscles naming fighters from the 30s and 40s is really underminding this thread which was a refreshingly inquisitive post from our normally dismissive friends from across the pond.

1. Nobody saw these boxers fight and there is too little coverage so effectively your judgement is hearsay.

2. Saying the oldies fought more and so should be considered greater is a terrible argument. Just last week this website did an article on Boxers who were nearing their 100th professional loss - does that mean they are great? Fighting more frequently meant they lost more frequently to lower opposition because they were weight drained or not fully prepared. The modern Boxer fights less to be at the physical pinnacle for his fights.

3. This rolls onto my next observation that the sport of Boxing has evolved to such an extent that old fighters would not stand a chance in the modern era. Would a prime Fitzsimmons beaten a prime Nigel Benn? Of course not because Benn had an advanced dietary plan, fitness regime and a level of mental preperation that simply wasn't around 40 years ago. Similarly, a prime George Best would not get in the current Man Utd side!

4. "Greatness" in itself is a subjective term. For me it involves adding up not just achievement but style, personality and popularity. Bruno bags of popularity not so much achievement and so would feature lower down the list. Ricky Hatton - bags of popularity, exciting style and considerable achievement. Got people interested in Boxing who weren't interested in Boxing. Sold out venues on both sides of the pond. Controversial as it sounds but he will have a fair claim to greatness simply because people in future generations will have heard of him and only Boxing fans have heard of say, Jim Watt.

My greatest fighters would all be from the modern era because they are the fighters I know the most about. I can remember fights and opposition. How can I say Ken Buchanan was the finest British Boxer ever when I don't know anybody (Duran the low blower excluded) he fought? I shouldn't be told to go and "do my research" because all I will get is figures, wins and losses against opponents I don't know!

1. Lennox Lewis - Total domination of the Heavyweight division for almost a decade.
2. Nigel Benn - Excited everybody with his style and won meaningful titles against meaningful opposition and held them until he was past his peak.
3. Prince Naseem - Exceptional talent. He beat everyone in the division, in style until he was slightly descending and met a future Hall of Famer firmly ascending.

 

Buchanan definately in my top five....a man who because of circumstances knew how to fight away from home, unlike some of todays legends (both sides of the pond)

 

Joe Calzaghe is the best British boxer of all time.

Naseem Hamed had the potential to be (whether you liked his personality or not) but started focusing too much on his power in the late 90s rather than what made him special, his speed, reflexes & unorthodox style.

Naz at 122 lbs was freightening & even his 1st year or 2 at 126 lbs, especially when he beat Steve Robinson, that was just a plain & simple masterclass.

That version of Naz might have beaten Barrera or Morales.
He`d have a better shot at beating Barrera as Morales had the better chin & was the superior boxer to Barrera but at least Naz could live with these guys at that stage I believe.

 

There are ridiculous posts floating in this thread, namely the last and third last post.