Ranking the 5 Most Entertaining Fighters in British Boxing Today
As well as actually be able to fight, a modern boxer needs to be a salesman, a shameless self-promoter and a natural in front of the television cameras.
The bottom line is all about the bottom line—if you put bums on seats and get people to pay to watch you perform, the quicker your reputation will grow.
Boxing is an entertainment industry, and Bleacher Report has picked out Britain's top-five entertainers in the ring.
The selection process not only took into account their abilities as a boxer, but also the fanbase they have developed. The chosen few can talk the talk, as well as walk the walk.
Before we get to those who made the list, a mention for a few who missed out.
Honourable Mentions
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There were plenty of strong candidates who didn't make the final cut.
Welterweight Kell Brook is an unbeaten world champion who, although not dazzling with his words when a microphone is thrust in front of him, tends to make big statements in the ring.
He went to the United States to win the IBF title in 2014 and has successfully defended it twice since.
Tony Bellew, meanwhile, definitely entertains at press conferences. There is a switch that seems to be flicked inside the Liverpudlian's head when it comes to going from family man to ferocious fighter.
However, The Bomber has at times failed to live up to the big billing he has given himself.
David Haye is a two-weight world champion who made waves before injuries hampered his career. He makes a comeback early in 2016, but he could not be included on the list until he has been seen in a ring again.
Sam Eggington is a welterweight who is always enjoyable to watch, while Callum Smith is a super middleweight with knockout potential.
Both, though, do not do enough to make the top five.
Finally, a special mention for Tommy Coyle. The Hull lightweight is as brave as he is honest.
His bout with Daniel Eduardo Brizuela—where the pair were knocked down four times apiece—was astonishing to watch in 2014, plus he climbed off the canvas to beat Martin Gethin in March.
The clash with local rival Luke Campbell in August ended up resulting in a one-sided loss, but Coyle—who told Bleacher Report that boxing "saved" him—could not be criticised for lacking heart.
5. Carl Frampton
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Carl Frampton (21-0, 14 KOs) is a little man with a big following.
The IBF super bantamweight champion from Belfast, Northern Ireland, is treading a path his promoter and manager, Barry McGuigan, knows all about.
Frampton's home city is divided in many ways, but the people are united in supporting The Jackal.
Such is his level of popularity, Frampton can expect to have the majority of the crowd on his side when he faces WBA champion Scott Quigg in 2016, despite the fight being in his opponent's back yard of Manchester.
Paul Gibson in the Guardian said of the 28-year-old (WARNING: Linked article contains language NSFW): "Frampton is a legitimate sporting superstar but, thankfully, he’s of the down-to-earth sort. Affable by nature, he comes across as a genuine guy; what you see is what you get."
Frampton has produced some scintillating performances so far in the ring.
An all-action style of fighter, he won the IBF title by outmanoeuvring the dangerous Kiko Martinez in 2014 then flattened Chris Avalos inside five rounds in his first defence.
In his last outing, Frampton had to climb off the canvas twice to get the better of Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. on points in El Paso, Texas.
It wasn't quite the impression he wanted to make on his American debut, but as McGuigan told BBC Sport afterwards: "He had to show courage and come back and he was fantastic in the way he came back."
4. Chris Eubank Jr.
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Middleweight Chris Eubank Jr. (21-1, 16 KOs) has inherited several of his famous father's traits.
Just like Chris Eubank Sr., the 26-year-old can fight. He's also a chip off the old block when it comes to entertaining out of the ring, too.
While not quite having his dad's unique way with words, Eubank Jr. is not shy of talking up his own potential.
He is not above calling anyone out, telling Michelle Joy Phelps of Behind The Gloves (h/t Scott Gilfoid of Boxing News 24): "I don’t think Gennady Golovkin has been truly tested yet. So I think I’m the man to do it."
This is all from a man who took too long to get going against Billy Joe Saunders in a bout for the British, Commonwealth and European titles in 2014.
It helps, perhaps sometimes hinders, to have Eubank Sr.—or English, as he now wants to be known—hovering in the background.
Kissed at the weigh-in before his fight with Gary "Spike" O'Sullivan on December 12, Eubank Jr. isn't loved by all.
There are boxing fans who want to see him fail, yet that appears to be water off a duck's back. So long as they're showing an interest, that's all that really matters.
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3. Anthony Joshua
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Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15 KOs) is a smiling assassin who has built a huge fanbase since turning professional in 2013.
Capitalising on the heavyweight's success at the 2012 London Olympics, promoter Eddie Hearn took the gold-medal winner on a tour of Britain in his early fights.
The exposure—combined with the Londoner's knack of knocking people out in a hurry—has seemingly paid off.
Joshua's last fight, against rival Dillian Whyte at the O2 Arena in the English capital on December 12, sold out in six hours, per Sky Sports.
While the heavyweight division has been in the doldrums for a while, it is still special. The great Rocky Marciano once said: "What could be better than walking down any street in any city and knowing you're the heavyweight champion of the world?"
Joshua has all the physical tools to be a success. He is 26 years old, 6′6″ tall and packs a punch. So far, only Whyte—who had him in trouble in the early stages—has gone past Round 3 against him.
It is easy to draw comparisons to the much-loved Frank Bruno, the last heavyweight Britain truly took to their hearts.
As Barry McGuigan wrote in his blog for the Mirror in September: "Like Frank, he [Joshua] has a nice disposition out of the ring, but he wants to take your head off in it. That's what I love about him."
It's not just you, Barry. There is much for everyone to love about Joshua.
2. Amir Khan
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Amir Khan's blistering hand speed makes him a joy to watch when he is in full flow.
However, with the 29-year-old, there is always an element of doubt over what might happen next. The nature of his defeats to Breidis Prescott and Danny Garcia always make him vulnerable to a knockout.
Yet, for all the criticism of Khan's chin, it should be remembered he stood toe-to-toe with Marcos Maidana, a seriously hard-punching Argentinian, during their tremendous scrap in 2010.
Khan also produced a masterclass at the end of 2014 against Devon Alexander, and there is still a huge draw to watching a boxer who burst onto the scene as a teenager at the 2004 Olympics.
He can also be as quick with words as he is punches, albeit not with the same level of success.
In recent times, Khan has talked up potential fights with two of the biggest names in the sport: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.
His pursuit of the legendary duo has seen him do more talking than fighting of late. Still, any publicity is good publicity, right?
Mayweather Jr. just led Khan down a garden path before taking on Andre Berto in his final outing before retirement, while a date with Pacquaio now looks unlikely, according to Gareth A. Davies of the Telegraph.
Still, Khan deserves to be ranked high in the top five. He has an air of unpredictability about him in the ring that makes him a must-watch fighter.
1. Tyson Fury
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Tyson Fury has been in the headlines for all sorts of reasons over the past few months.
His comments over homosexuality and abortion in an interview with chief sports writer Oliver Holt of the Mail on Sunday became a hot topic and certainly couldn't be described as entertaining. The newspaper published a full transcript of the recorded interview.
He also courted controversy over comments about women, according to Tim Lamden of the Mail.
Per Mark Ashenden of Sky Sports, Fury responded by saying: "I wouldn't be a very good Christian if I hated anybody. If Jesus loves the world, I love the world."
Those issues have absolutely nothing to do with why he tops this list. What they have done, however, is overshadow the heavyweight's achievement in defeating Wladimir Klitschko on November 28.
He handed the Ukrainian his first defeat in over a decade, cleverly using lateral head movement and a stiff jab to outfox the experienced Klitschko in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The fight itself wasn't entertaining, but Fury—nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2015—created interest with his bizarre behaviour during the buildup.
It all started with him dressing up as Batman at a press conference, then it continued with him being filmed head-butting a water melon in half.
The big finish saw him serenade his opponent with his own version of the song "Wind Beneath My Wings" in the days running up to the bout. To be fair, his karaoke skills in front of Klitschko were quite impressive.
The pre-fight antics played their part in unsettling Klitschko, who looked as befuddled in the ring by Fury as he was bemused out of it.
Glenn McCrory said of the Mancunian in his Sky Sports blog: "When he's on form and keeps it all together, Tyson Fury is just brilliantly entertaining."
Good or bad, you never know quite what you're going to get from Fury. Just stick to talking about boxing, Tyson.
Do you agree with the top choice? Who would make your top five?
Remember, it is all a matter of opinion. Share yours via the comments section.
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