Top 10 British Fighters of All-Time

1. Ted 'Kid' Lewis (legendary fight series with the legendary Jack Britton, boxed Benny Leonard's ears off before ring invaded, beating Georges Carpentier before cheating cheap shot, to put that into perspective Leonard and Carpentier are top 10 all-time lb4lb world greats) 2. Jimmy Wilde (best Flyweight ever, rated as one of the three greatest punchers of all-time by Ring Magazine) 3. Jack 'Kid' Berg (64 wins in America, defeated the great Kid Chocolate) 4. Bob Fitzsimmons (first man ever, before Roy Jones Jr, to win world titles from Middleweight to Heavyweight) 5. Nigel Benn (most exciting fighter ever, beat former WBC champ in round one in Las Vegas, won the first ever fight between two WBC champs in most memorable brutal war ever) 6. Ken Buchanan (Laguna x 2, did good with a PEAK Duran) 7. Lloyd Honeyghan (Curry was rated as the best fighter in the world at the time of Honeyghan handing him his ass) 8. Chris Eubank (holds the record ammount of world title wins in Brit boxing history, the most recognised Brit boxer ever outside of the ring in Britain, won the greatest ever Brit boxing match in 1990 when he owned Benn) 9. Barry McGuigan (lost to Chris Eubank's brother but won world title in 1985 and fought in 'Fight of the Year' 1986) 10. Owen Moran (crossed the Atlantic, proved he was better than Abe Attell and knocked out Battling Nelson) Honorable Mention Jim Driscoll, Tommy Farr (gave Joe Louis a good fight), Benny Lynch, Randolph Turpin (beat Sugar Ray Robinson), Don Cockell (gave Rocky Marciano a good fight), Henry Cooper (dropped Cassius Clay), John H Stracey, Alan Minter

Comments (20)

JUYJUY

The second Watson fight had a bit to do with that, but he still had the impressive victory over Mr Nige, and a few other very solid wins. Watson x2 Malinga Rogchianni Benn (I personally thought he won the second fight too very closely although Benn's best moments were better than Eubanks) Some my reason to believe that Eubank should be higher than Benn also has to do with the fact that prime for prime Eubank was just a better overall fighter. Also, many people predicted that if Gary Stretch was motivated he'd beat Eubank, Stretch was a better prospect than Joe Calzaghe but his heart was never in the game. Eubank's finish on Stretch was awesome, he unleased a quick and slick combination of punches from out of nowhere when he was in trouble himself.. and then when Stretch covered up for dear life Eubank paused for a moment before slipping a sweet uppercut under his guard. Henry Wharton was arguably Eubank's most complete performance, he wasn't supposed to do so well against Wharton, Eubank was supposed to be on the slide (after lazy performances against awful opposition Amaral and Schommer) while Wharton had given Benn his toughest ever fight earlier that year. Ronnie Essett, Tony Thornton and Lindell Holmes were world-class fighters who Eubank dominated in his prime. Eubank was undefeated in his 43 fights, with 19 world championship wins, and he had never even been knocked down at that point (he slipped against Benn and Watson, they were slips not knockdowns). That is ELITE.

20y ago

oldgringo

Eubank could of been the best of the lot, but he's the one who fell short of his potential most. The second Watson fight had a bit to do with that, but he still had the impressive victory over Mr Nige, and a few other very solid wins. Watson x2 Malinga Rogchianni Benn (I personally thought he won the second fight too very closely although Benn's best moments were better than Eubanks) Some my reason to believe that Eubank should be higher than Benn also has to do with the fact that prime for prime Eubank was just a better overall fighter.

20y ago

EXIGE

If people are gonna hate then they need to stay away from this thread.

20y ago

JUYJUY

I think Eubank should be higher up than Benn. Eubank could of been the best of the lot, but he's the one who fell short of his potential most.

20y ago

JUYJUY

Ring Magazine have never let out a top 80 all-time lb4lb list, they let out a top 80 of the last 80 years but not all-time. The only great Lewis from Britain is Ted 'Kid' Lewis and he's #1 by a distance, by a country mile. He beat a Who's Who of boxing and was number one in the world for years, according to Mike Tyson himself.

20y ago

oldgringo

Pretty good list...I think Lewis should be in the top 10 however. Solely on accomplishments you have to be objective and include him...don't play the "well I hate him" game. Wilde should be #1 on that list, as he is on many's top 10 all-time p4p lists. Isn't Wilde from Wales? Buchanan at 6 is pretty good. I think Eubank should be higher up than Benn.

20y ago

JUYJUY

And you call yourself a fan of boxing :D Idiot.

20y ago

luisillo22

isn't this the 2nd thread about this this month? Im glad Im not the only one that thinks that juyjuy is the only one that posts this shit. Every week he comes up with some thread about some British boxer, it seem like all week he just researches the fuck out of books and sites to come up with shit like this.

20y ago

JUYJUY

Joe Calzaghe belongs nowhere near a list like that, get real will you! Although he's probably closer than Lennox Lewis is, we rated him ahead of Lewis.. Click Here: http://sport.guardian.co.uk/boxing/story/0,,996634,00.html

20y ago

mediumdeek

What happened to Calazaghe? What a pus*y you are. Just because he beat your boyfriend. This is the longest reigning champion in the world. Nut hugging pu*sy

20y ago

JUYJUY

JUYJUY... As far as career accomplishments go, You have to have Lennox Lewis in the top 10. I reckon the REAL reason you don't have him in there is because you personally dislike him. Well that's all very well, Some people just don't like some people... But Lennox Lewis ruled the Heavyweight division for near a decade. He fought everyone that was available... He didn't play ducking games, in fact he sought out the best challenges. Gotta respect that... He just doesn't do for me, never has done. He wouldn't stand a chance against a Catskills Tyson, and Pre-Steward he'd of been dominated by Holyfield. He's over-rated, he doesn't beat any great HW at their best. I believe that an undefeated TNT Tucker wins every round against him, for example.

20y ago

JUYJUY

Oh shit, I just remembered, Barry McGuigan's Irish not British.

20y ago

Mick_Hucknall

I think Jimmy Wilde should be #1. I mean many boxers who witnessed him fighting wouls swear he was the best fighter of all time. Just ask Gene Tunney. He said a key to his success was that people thought he was so fragile looking that they were shocked that he would still be around for the 2nd round. Anyways thats a pretty good top 10.

20y ago

JUYJUY

I've never made a thread about this in my life. If you are a fan of boxing you should have nothing but praise for these guys I've listed?

20y ago

RoyJonesJrp4pno1

isn't this the 2nd thread about this this month? Probably the 300th. Its JUYJUY what you expect.

20y ago

JUYJUY

Eubank stopped Benn and Watson at their peaks, and he defended his world title against 35-0 Rocchigiani IN GERMANY in a very hostile atmosphere (the racist chanting just spurred him on). Also Eubank deserves an awful lot of credit for the bravery he showed by moving all the way upto Cruiserweight, he was winning every round before his eye closed in both Thompson fights - not since Henry Cooper's suspect brows gushed blood following his bouts with Cassuis Clay has a picture of boxing injury been so widely projected as Eubank's eye being completely closed, and not since Muhammad Ali had we seen such exhibitionism in boxing as Chris Eubank produced.

20y ago

JUYJUY

Lennox Lewis I explained my reasons for not mentioning him. Farr gave a Prime Louis a heck of a tough time and Cockell gave a Prime Marciano a heck of a tough time, Lennox Lewis was out-boxed by Frank Bruno and Ray Mercer. Lewis first won his WBC title on the undercard of Gerald McClellan first winning his WBC title, Benn can claim a win over McClellan (who was expected to dominate boxing) that is better than any Lewis can claim, and Iran Barkley is a better lb4lb fighter than Ruddock and Golota put together.

20y ago

Kid_Diamond

Lennox Lewis

20y ago

JUYJUY

It's based on ability, too. For example.. Lennox Lewis was losing every round to Frank Bruno before a lucky punch, he got knocked out by Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman, he barely mananged beat an Ancient Holyfield and an Ancient Tyson, and he clearly lost to Ray Mercer. Naseem Hamed stole Chris Eubank's moves and tried to be like him, Naseem Hamed stole Herol Graham's moves and tried to be like him, the first world-class fighter that Naseem Hamed ever fought he lost to, and he finished his career with boo's whereas Chris Eubank for example finished his career with cheers (and Eubank was the originator of true boxing arena entry). If I was basing it only on ability, Herol Graham would be on there. But the fact that Graham never won a world title fight and the fact Chris Eubank won 19 world title fights, well that swings Eubank into the favor much more so than Graham. And ofcourse, Eubank was pure class at his best!

20y ago

Tha_Greatest6475

Bob Fitsimmons was a fukin legend... It's sad how they compare Roy Jones to him :( I'm guessing this list is based on accomplishments?

20y ago