Top 100 British boxers - the final list (1-20)
Here is the final top 20, bringing to an end the debate for the Top British boxer of all time. As we seem to be going through a golden age, it will be interesting to see where some of our current heroes will be in a year's time. Where, for instance, will Matt Skelton feature if he pulls of the upset of upsets against Ruslan Chagaev on Saturday.
Some may be disappointed that there do not seem to be many changes in the top ten. Well, it is my list, and I did take on board all the comments and, to a lesser extent, the vote.
The biggest change sees Nigel Benn drop out of the top five, with Ken Buchanan moving up a place. Jimmy Wilde also moved up three places to six, which saw Benn drop to seven, Hamed to eight and Honeyghan to nine. Jim Driscoll, Dennis Andries and Benny Lynch all move into the top 20.
Well, I've thoroughly enjoyed doing this list, now onto the next one. The idea is to do one division worldwide per month. And round them up at the end. I don't know when that will be, but I reckon the A40 roadworks at Acton still won't be finished!
1. Ted 'Kid' Lewis
2. Joe Calzaghe
3. Lennox Lewis
4. Randolph Turpin
5. Ken Buchanan
6. Jimmy Wilde
7. Nigel Benn
8. Naseem Hamed
9. Lloyd Honeyghan
10. Ricky Hatton
11. John Conteh
12. Jack 'Kid' Berg
13. Barry McGuigan
14. Jim Watt
15. Freddie Welsh
16. Alan Minter
17. Jim Driscoll
18. Chris Eubank
19. Dennis Andries
20. Benny Lynch
nice blog, i am sure i will back here often
Posted by: zakłady bukmacherskie | June 27, 2008 at 07:04 PM
chris eubank in at 18, come on!
he was technically a superb boxer, strong and could bang. he battered nigel benn in their first fight and was far superior to the dark destroyer in my book.
and so was micheal watson.
i would have loved to see chris in his prime take on roy jones or james toney.
Posted by: bryn roberts | May 18, 2008 at 08:54 PM
I would refer you to my remarks of December 6!
Check Top 100 British boxers in categories on the right, then go to Nos 11-20.
Posted by: Ron Lewis | April 04, 2008 at 03:33 AM
In response to Mike's comments (Barry Mcguigan is not British), the reason he is probably in this list is he represented Northern Ireland at the 78 commonwealth games and took out British citizenship.
He is also chairman of the PBA.
It's a shame this issue has always been thrown up whenever McGuigan is mentioned.
No one seems to question Dennis Andries (born Guyana) or Herbie Hide (born Nigeria) or even questions Lennox Lewis when he represented Canada at the Olympics.
No one is disputing where he was born.
Posted by: Danny C | April 04, 2008 at 01:22 AM
Henry Cooper in top 20 please. But for a bit of bad refereeing he would have beaten Cassius Clay.
Posted by: frank dunn | March 10, 2008 at 01:54 PM
I would agree with most of the Top 20 however i'm absolutely shocked that Jim "Head Butt" Watt made the Top 20. His tactics against Sean O'Grady would have guaranteed disqualification in 90% of World Title fights fought in civilised countries however by some quirk nothing was done. He was a limited albeit brave fighter who would struggle to make my top 100.
Posted by: Dave Potter | March 05, 2008 at 09:04 AM
disappointing that Dave Charnley and Howard Winstone did not make the top 20.
very very surprised.
Posted by: martin ryan | February 09, 2008 at 06:58 PM
Jim and Duncan, thanks for joining the debate if a bit late. Click on the category Top 100 British boxers on the right hand side to read all the posts and the debate. The next list will be the greatest middleweights of all time, so please feel to contribute to that debate.
Posted by: Ron Lewis | January 28, 2008 at 08:59 PM
No Freddie Mills
Posted by: Jim | January 28, 2008 at 07:10 PM
Downes is at 22
Posted by: Ron Lewis | January 28, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Where is Terry Downes?
World Middleweight Champion missing!
Posted by: Duncan Heenan | January 28, 2008 at 02:24 PM
I am not sure about this top 20,some of the best names are not included.we have gone back to the old days ,moved forward to today and missed the middle.
Posted by: p.hooper | January 20, 2008 at 12:02 AM
Good to see common sense prevail and Kid Lewis remaining atop the pile. Very entertaining article this has been over the past few weeks. Well done to the writer. I'd have had Benny Lynch higher and Turpin lower. Certainly Lynch was better than Andries but I'm sure many on the list thought they were better than Dennis!
Posted by: Crashing Dashing Kid | January 18, 2008 at 10:49 PM
Mike, see the earlier reply under The Top British Boxers (11-20)
Posted by: Ron Lewis | January 18, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Barry McGuigan is from Clones in Monaghan, which is in the Republic of Ireland. I understand he is loved in Britain as he is in Ireland and long may that respect continue. It's fantastic to see him so highly rated by your newspaper. The fact remains that he is not British. Why is he in the list?
Posted by: Mike | January 18, 2008 at 07:20 PM
One could quibble about precise orders till Doomsday, but with the exception of Moran for Minter and, arguably, Winstone for Andries, those are the names that I'd expect to see in the Top 20.
A really noble effort, Ron, if I may say so - it's interesting, don't you think, how few of our brightest and best can truly be accounted "great" in world terms? The top half-dozen, certainly; Driscoll, Welsh, Lynch and Moran are also deserving members of the Hall of Fame in Canastota. McGuigan is a more controversial selection, as will Hamed be if he gets elected. Barely a dozen names in all - the difference between very good and truly great was never so starkly illustrated.
Posted by: James Fairweather | January 18, 2008 at 09:29 AM