5 British Fighters Who Have a Point to Prove in the Remainder of 2016

There comes a time in every fighter's career when they find their credibility questioned.

It could be they are untested at the highest level, or perhaps they have yet to fulfil their obvious potential. Others may be looking to bounce back and show a recent defeat was nothing more than a blip. Reputations can be changed by one bad result, no matter how successful you were previously.

Whatever the reason, there are several British boxers who will feel they have a point to prove in the second half of 2016.

Here, Bleacher Report has picked out five notable names who face a crucial period in their careers. As ever, we welcome your feedback and thoughts via the comments section. Feel free to also add any other names to the list.

Kell Brook

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Kell Brook is stepping up two divisions to take on Gennady Golovkin.

The boxing world was caught by surprise when it was announced that Kell Brook would be Gennady Golovkin's next opponent.

The IBF welterweight champion will jump up two divisions to take on the Kazakh, a bold move that no one saw coming. Chris Eubank Jr. was seemingly being lined up for Golovkin, only for Brook to jump ahead of his fellow Englishman and agree to face the IBF, IBO and WBC champion on September 10 at the O2 Arena, London.

The unlikely pairing came together after both had problems finding opponents in their respective divisions.

Brook believes moving up will not necessarily be a huge disadvantage. Per George Gigney of Boxing News, he said:

"

It’s the biggest fight in world boxing. It’s a fight that makes me so excited, I’m the best welterweight on the planet and nobody wants to fight me, it’s the same with ‘GGG’.

He’s the best middleweight in the world and they do not want to face him. I will bring speed but we’re also hitting the right numbers with power at the new weight. I’m going to be so sharp, so alive on the night.

"

For the Englishman, it is a chance to show the world what he can do.

That may seem an odd statement to make for a man who has won all 36 of his pro fights to date, but he has struggled to kick on since beating Shawn Porter to become a world champion two years ago.

Now he gets the opportunity to sink his teeth into a challenge—and they don't get much tougher than the heavy-handed Golovkin.

Nathan Cleverly

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Nathan Cleverly received plenty of praise for his display against Andrzej Fonfara.

At the start of August 2013, Nathan Cleverly was an undefeated world champion at light heavyweight who seemingly had the potential for superstardom.

By the end of that month, he had lost both his perfect record and also the WBO belt. That's what can happen when you run into Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev.

Welshman Cleverly has never quite been the same since that stoppage loss on home soil. After a brief stint at cruiserweight that included losing a rematch with bitter domestic rival Tony Bellew, he lost out after a 12-round war with Andrzej Fonfara in October.

Now Cleverly—who has lost three of his last six bouts—has been handed a shot at WBA champion Juergen Braehmer at the Jahnsportforum in Neubrandenburg, Germany, on October 1.

The pair had been scheduled to meet way back in 2011, only for Braehmer to suffer a cut eye during training. Much has changed for both men since, yet their paths are about to cross again.

It's a make-or-break fight for the challenger—and he knows it, too.

Per BBC Radio Wales Sport, Cleverly admitted: "This is a must-win for me—I'm confident I can upset the champion."

Frankie Gavin

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Frankie Gavin made his ring return in Leeds, England, on July 30.

In the summer of 2008, Frankie Gavin was seen as one of Britain's great boxing hopes ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

The southpaw had demonstrated his talent in the amateurs by becoming the first Englishman to win a gold medal at the World Championships in the previous year.

However, Gavin never even boxed at the Games. His failure to make weight meant he was back home by the time his team-mates were competing in China.

Fast forward eight years and it feels like the 30-year-old from Birmingham is still yet to make the most of his talents in the paid ranks, too.

The welterweight has won British and Commonwealth titles so far, but he fell short in his attempt to take the IBF belt from compatriot Kell Brook in May 2015.

Gavin's career has stalled because of a criminal conviction. He was initially banned from boxing for 12 months by the British Boxing Board of Control, though that suspension was halved, per Danny Flexen of Boxing News.

His comeback came on July 30, as he recorded a low-key points win over Ivo Gogosevic in a six-rounder.

Next up is likely to be a far trickier clash with local rival Sam Eggington, potentially in October. Gavin told Mike Lockley of the Birmingham Mail: "It’s a long road back for the loser."

Billy Joe Saunders

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Billy Joe Saunders is yet to appear in a ring in 2016.

Billy Joe Saunders has been included in the list even though there's no guarantee he will even make an appearance in the ring before the end of the year.

The reigning WBO middleweight champion hasn't been seen in action since claiming the title from Andy Lee in December 2015.

There were talks about a potential showdown with Gennady Golovkin earlier in the year, as well as a rematch with rival Chris Eubank Jr. However, neither fight made it beyond the negotiation stage.

He was definitely booked to fight Max Bursak in April, only for a hand injury to scupper that plan.

More recently, Saunders was in discussions over a potential December bout with Saul Alvarez, per Mitch Abramson of RingTV.com.

However, the latest twist in the tale saw Dan Rafael of ESPN.com reveal on Twitter how the English southpaw had turned down the chance to face Gabriel Rosado on the undercard to Canelo's clash with Liam Smith on September 17.

So, to summarise, we are still no closer to knowing exactly when Saunders will be fighting next. What a shame.

Scott Quigg

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Scott Quigg is nearing a return from a broken jaw.

Losing hurts. However, Scott Quigg's defeat to Carl Frampton in February was particularly painful.

The previously unbeaten Quigg suffered a broken jaw in Round 4 of the super bantamweight unification contest between the two rivals in Manchester, England. He managed to carry on and go the distance but came out on the wrong end of a split-decision verdict from the judges.

The 27-year-old Englishman has had plenty of time to reflect on the fight—one that was a major disappointment for fans following such a huge buildup—while waiting for his injury to heal.

There was a minor setback during his recovery when he had a reaction to the plates that had been inserted into his mouth, per BBC Sport. However, Quigg is now nearing a return to action.

He told Gavin Glicksman of the Sun that he expects to make a comeback in November, adding: "Some people have written me off and some that used to pick up the phone to me have disappeared."

Quigg has seen old foe Frampton go on to become a two-weight world champion. 

He will now be desperate to show he is better than his last performance, albeit the damaged jaw hindered his plans.

There are major fights out there for him at both super bantam and featherweight—it will be interesting to see what direction he heads in on his comeback.