5 British Fighters Whose Stock Fell in 2015
Having already looked at five British fighters whose stock rose in 2015, it is now time to deal with the other side of the coin.
While some Brits have enjoyed success over the past 12 months, others have suffered setbacks in their careers.
Defeats don't mean the end, but Bleacher Report has picked out a quintet who need to bounce back in 2016.
These selections appear in alphabetical order.
If you don't agree with any of the names included, argue your case in the comments section.
Honourable Mentions
1 of 6
There were several names considered for the list who missed out on the final cut.
Martin Murray failed in a fourth attempt to win a world title, losing to WBO super middleweight champion Arthur Abraham in Germany. Will he be able to manoeuvre himself into a position for another shot?
Meanwhile, Rocky Fielding found Callum Smith too much to handle in a fight for the vacant British crown at the 168-pound limit. The battle of the two Liverpudlians was short and sweet for Smith, who knocked out his rival in Round 1.
Frankie Gavin lost his all-English showdown with Kell Brook in May, having been catapulted into a fight for a world title earlier than expected. The southpaw then saw a ring return against Sam Eggington later in the year ruined by a foot injury.
Finally, Amir Khan has seen his boxing career stall over the past 12 months.
At the end of 2014, Khan dominated Devon Alexander to such an extent that one judge awarded him every round of the bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. But, instead of a money-spinning showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Khan's only outing during the year saw him beat Chris Algieri on points in a largely forgettable fight.
Luke Campbell
2 of 6
Everything seemed to be perfectly set up for Luke Campbell going into 2015.
Having struck gold at the 2012 Olympics in London, the lightweight was making serene progress through the paid ranks.
After comfortable wins over Levis Morales and Aboubeker Bechelaghem in the first half of 2015, Campbell dominated local rival Tommy Coyle in Hull, England, to move to 12-0.
When he was pitted against Yvan Mendy in his final fight of the year for a WBC international title, few suspected the southpaw would come unstuck.
However, Frenchman Mendy threw a spanner in the works at the O2 Arena in London.
Sluggish and subdued, Campbell was dropped to the canvas for the first time as a pro. He rose to beat the count and made it through the full 12 rounds but was beaten on a split decision.
The defeat was a dent in the grand plan for Campbell, who may be a baby-faced boxer but is already 28.
However, his promoter, Eddie Hearn, believes it could be a blessing in disguise, telling Matt Christie of Boxing News: "It will make him [Campbell] a better fighter, and it will make him want it more, and it might even give him a kick up the behind. It tells him, ‘This isn’t as easy as you thought it was, mate.’"
George Groves
3 of 6
George Groves (21-3, 16 KOs) will be glad to see the back of 2015.
The Saint had a hellish year, despite only fighting once. His solitary outing saw him fall short in a third attempt to win a world title.
After two previous losses at the hands of Carl Froch, Groves looked to have an easier assignment against Badou Jack—who had won the WBC belt from Anthony Dirrell—in September.
However, if Groves thought his task would be straightforward, he was given a rude awakening when Jack dropped him to the canvas in Round 1.
The Englishman recovered from the early setback but still fell short in the final reckoning, as a split decision went against him.
At a crossroads in his career, Groves parted company with trainer Paddy Fitzpatrick. Instead, Shane McGuigan will be in his corner when he fights Andrea Di Luisa in London on January 30.
He insists there is still plenty left in the tank, per Neil Fissier of the Express: "I don't think this is last chance saloon. I have got plenty more to offer. They keep on saying to me its make or break after every fight."
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Kevin Mitchell
4 of 6
Kevin Mitchell (39-4, 29 KOs) is in danger of joining an unwanted list as one of the best British boxers to never win a world title.
The Hammer was both brilliant and brave in a heartbreaking loss to Jorge Linares in May, but he was battered and comprehensively beaten by Ismael Barroso in December.
The loss to Venezuelan Linares, when the WBA lightweight title was on the line, must have been particularly tough to take.
Mitchell dropped the reigning champion in Round 5, yet couldn't find a way to force a finish.
Sporting a horrible bruise above his left eye, the Londoner was eventually stopped in Round 10.
A bout against Barroso offered Mitchell a chance to claim the interim WBA strap, which would pave the way for a showdown in 2016 against fellow Englishman and full champion Anthony Crolla.
However, once again he came a cropper to an opponent from Venezuela.
Stopped in Round 5, Mitchell must now fear his chances of another crack at a major belt have come and gone, even though he is only 31.
David Price
5 of 6
David Price featured on the same list of fighters whose stock was falling at the midway stage of the year.
The heavyweight (19-2, 16 KOs) has not fought since suffering a brutal knockout loss to Erkan Teper in July.
The defeat was a major setback in Price's attempts to rebuild his career in Europe following back-to-back defeats at the hands of American Tony Thompson in his home city of Liverpool.
However, it turns out the result now won't count on his record.
Per Phil D Jay of World Boxing News, the fight will be changed to a no-contest due to Teper testing positive for a banned substance.
Boxing journalist Ron Lewis of the Times confirmed the news on Twitter: "David Price's loss to Erkan Teper in July has been changed to a no contest by the BDB because of Teper's failed drugs test."
While it is good news for Price, it still remains unclear what he will do next.
At one stage, the 32-year-old was considered a serious prospect in the division. Now, he's a fragile reclamation project, provided he chooses to carry on fighting.
Mitchell Smith
6 of 6
Mitchell Smith (13-1, 7 KOs) is seen as a rising star who has the potential to go all the way.
However, the 23-year-old—who had been named Young Boxer of the Year in 2015 by the British Boxing Writers' Club—hit a bump in the road in December.
That bump's name was George Jupp, a Londoner picked to provide Smith a bit of stiff competition at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.
However, Jupp failed to stick to the script. He won the bout on points, in the process spoiling Smith's unbeaten record as a pro.
Steve Bunce wrote after the fight in his blog for ESPN: "I was a bit disappointed with Smith and I was not alone in looking at his skin colour and body tone and thinking that perhaps he had cut a few corners during the preparation for the fight. I was probably right."
The Baby Faced Assassin has the chance to bounce back when he returns to action on January 22, but the defeat might be the humbling experience he needs.
Smith tweeted the morning after the night before: "Gutted got it all wrong very bad performance expecting a lot of abuse off of what I've hyped myself to be! Only way is up you live and learn."
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
