Ranking the Top 5 Performances by British Fighters so Far in 2016
As British boxing takes a summer break, the time seems right to take stock on what has happened so far in 2016.
Sure, we are beyond the halfway stage of the year in terms of months, but the busy schedule has meant a steady stream of fights involving Brits on both sides of the Atlantic right through to the end of July.
It has been quite a year so far, too. England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have a combined total of 14 world champions.
Bleacher Report has decided to take a look back at the previous seven months of action and rank the best performances by Brits so far.
As ever, this countdown is there to be agreed with/criticised/ridiculed as you see fit. You are welcome to have your say by using the comments section.
Honourable Mentions
1 of 6
As with any list, there isn't room to squeeze in everyone who merits a place.
Anthony Joshua was tipped to become a world champion the moment he turned pro, yet no one expected it to happen in just his 16th pro fight. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist did just that when he dethroned Charles Martin in February.
So, why doesn't Joshua get in the top five? Because Martin was more a pauper than a prince.
Josh Warrington came close for two of his victories. The featherweight found a way to topple the sizeable challenge of Hisashi Amagasa—all 5′10 ½″ of him—in April, and then flattened Patrick Hyland in July.
In domestic action, Liam Williams kept his cool to defeat archrival Gary Corcoran. The pair had little time for each other beforehand and were far from friends after the fight was stopped in Round 11.
Steve Bunce wrote for The Independent: "It is unusual in the boxing game for two men or women to hurt each other, cut each other and even drop each other, and then not embrace. It happens, I’ve seen it, but rarely at a high level."
Williams eventually retained his British super welterweight title in Round 11 after a real battle that saw Corcoran hampered by a horrible cut.
Bradley Skeete, meanwhile, claimed the Lonsdale belt at welterweight by beating Sam Eggington in the latter's home city of Birmingham, England.
Apologies to the others who feel they deserve to be included, but it's time to crack on with the countdown.
5. Ricky Burns vs. Michele Di Rocco
2 of 6
When: May 28
Where: The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland
Ricky Burns had won just three of his previous seven fights ahead of facing Michele Di Rocco for the vacant WBA super lightweight crown in May.
The Scotsman's last real performance of note had been against Kevin Mitchell—and that was back in 2012.
Yet any suggestions The Rickster was finished at the highest level were silenced by the way he dismantled Italian Di Rocco in front of a raucous home crowd in Glasgow.
The end came in Round 8, Burns knocking down his rival to force referee Terry O'Connor to wave off the contest.
Per the Press Association (h/t the Guardian), Burns said: "[Trainer] Tony [Sims] was saying at the end of the first round, ‘Just do what you’re doing’. It was everything we had been doing in the gym, the game plan we set out was to keep it long, get the jab going, double it up, straight right hands, I couldn’t miss him with it."
He could also reflect on creating a piece of British boxing history, as he became the first Scot to win world titles at three different weights.
It was Burns' night.
4. George Groves vs. Martin Murray
3 of 6
When: June 25
Where: O2 Arena, London
Faced with a make-or-break fight, George Groves displayed both skill and stamina in defeating fellow Englishman Martin Murray on points in June.
The two super middleweights knew that a win could propel them toward another world-title shot. Defeat, however, would lead to questions over their long-term future in the sport.
Groves—who had fallen short in three previous attempts to become a world champion—proved there's still plenty of fight left in him yet.
Teaming up with trainer Shane McGuigan has revitalised him. Looking more like the fighter who nearly toppled Carl Froch in 2013, he continuously caught Murray with clean and clever punches.
Yet perhaps the most pleasing part of his performance was the way he came through a rocky Round 10 to triumph by unanimous decision on the scorecards.
"I think I performed great, but I got caught with punches," the 28-year-old told Sky Sports (h/t Ben Dirs of BBC Sport).
Watching Groves is like viewing a horror movie—you know there'll be scary moments along the way, but you have to deal with them to see how it finishes in the end.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
3. Tony Bellew vs. Ilunga Makabu
4 of 6When: May 29
Where: Goodison Park, Liverpool, England
Tony Bellew's clash with Ilunga Makabu only lasted just over 10 minutes.
However, in terms of what the whole occasion meant to Bellew—plus his previous failed attempts to win a world title—it must have felt like he had crossed the line after running a marathon.
Having starred in the movie Creed as "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, the Liverpudlian had the chance to write his own script on home turf.
At Goodison Park, the ground where his beloved Everton play, Bellew claimed the vacant WBC cruiserweight belt by knocking out Makabu in devastating fashion.
After climbing off the canvas in Round 1, the home favourite finished the bout with a pair of left hooks.
Bellew told Micheal McKenna of the Liverpool Echo: "If I'm honest, I thought I was always going to be a nearly man. I didn't know how I was going to beat Makabu. He was my nightmare opponent."
Forget being a nightmare, Bellew had lived the dream. He will struggle to reach such heights again in his career.
2. Anthony Crolla vs. Ismael Barroso
5 of 6When: May 7
Where: Manchester Arena, Manchester, England
Anthony Crolla used his own version of the rope-a-dope tactics to defeat the dangerous Ismael Barroso and retain his WBA lightweight title.
With the help of his trainer, Joe Gallagher, the reigning champion devised a cunning plan for success.
Barroso had demonstrated his power by stopping Kevin Mitchell in 2015. However, the Venezuelan southpaw's desire to attack proved to be his downfall against Crolla.
Rather than copy Muhammad Ali's famous plan against George Foreman by leaning back on the ropes and soaking up shots, the home favourite stood right in front of his rival in Manchester.
Barroso landed plenty in the early stages, yet his efforts took a toll as the fight wore on. By Round 7, he was a spent force, allowing Crolla to end proceedings with a right hand to the body.
Former world champion Carl Froch wrote in his blog for Sky Sports how it had been a "privilege to be ringside to see him [Crolla] turn in such a disciplined and brilliant performance."
Hats off to Crolla and Gallagher—they took a gamble and were richly rewarded.
1. Carl Frampton vs. Leo Santa Cruz
6 of 6
When: July 30
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
Carl Frampton deservedly tops this list after his points triumph over Leo Santa Cruz in Brooklyn, New York.
After seeing his fighter triumph, manager Barry McGuigan wrote in his column for the Mirror: "Carl Frampton gave one of the great performances on foreign soil by a fighter from these islands."
Now McGuigan may be biased, considering his close relationship with The Jackal, but he made a valid point.
Following a damp squib against Scott Quigg in February, Frampton dazzled on his debut at featherweight.
He also made history, becoming the first Northern Irishman to win world titles in two different divisions.
What made the performance so impressive is that Mexican Santa Cruz—a three-weight world champion—had never previously tasted defeat in the paid ranks.
The good news is the pair might be set to do it all over again. Per Jeff Powell in the Daily Mail, Frampton will honour the request for a rematch.
Do you agree with the order? Does Frampton-Santa Cruz top your list for the best fight of 2016 so far? Let Bleacher Report know by using the comments section.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
