5 British Fighters Whose Stock Has Risen over the Course of 2016
While a week is said to be a long time in politics, a year is definitely a long time in boxing.
When Bleacher Report compiled this list at the end of 2015, Anthony Crolla, Tyson Fury and Liam Smith were all included. Since then, however—and for reasons not always to do with results in the ring—the trio have lost their world titles.
The idea here is not to acknowledge those who have had the most success, or who have necessarily won major belts. This is about tipping our hat towards those who have enhanced their reputations in 2016.
The selections have not been ranked; they appear in alphabetical order instead.
Honourable Mentions
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Before we get on with the list, a word or two in praise of those who didn't quite make the cut.
Frank Buglioni proved the step up to light heavyweight was a wise move by snatching the British title from Hosea Burton in dramatic circumstances in December.
Joe Murray has also had a good year, rekindling his career with four victories. The last man to beat the Mancunian was Liam Walsh, a super featherweight who is in line for a shot at the IBF title after dominating Andrey Klimov.
It has also been a good year for two experienced pros.
Ricky Burns became Scotland's first three-weight world champion by beating Michele Di Rocco for the vacant WBA super lightweight title in May.
The following day, Tony Bellew made it third time lucky in world-title fights, knocking out Ilunga Makabu to become the new WBC champion at cruiserweight.
Both deserve immense credit for overcoming setbacks in the ring to triumph.
To save any overlap, none of the five boxers picked in Bleacher Report's Britain's Got Talent feature were considered for selection.
They were (in case you didn't read/can't be bothered to click on the link): Andrew Selby, Ryan Burnett, Josh Taylor, Liam Williams and Hughie Fury.
Carl Frampton
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Carl Frampton has enjoyed a year to remember in 2016.
It all started with the Northern Irishman receiving an MBE in the New Year's Honours list, although he had to wait until March to visit Buckingham Palace in London and pick up his award.
Before his trip to the home of the Queen, Frampton travelled to Scott Quigg's backyard to win a unification clash at super bantamweight.
The much-hyped showdown between the domestic rivals failed to hit the expected heights in Manchester, England. The Jackal, however, still added the WBA title to the IBF version he already had in his possession.
He never defended either belt, though, instead choosing to move up to featherweight and face Leo Santa Cruz. In a contender for fight of the year, Frampton did just enough to get a majority-verdict decision. The result not only made him a two-weight world champion but also inflicted a first defeat on the Mexican.
The good news for boxing fans is the pair will do it all over again on January 28, 2017.
If there was one disappointment for Frampton, it was his absence from the list of contenders for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year. Still, I'm sure the 29-year-old will cope.
George Groves
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At the end of 2015, having faded badly down the stretch to lose to WBC champion Badou Jack, George Groves' future looked uncertain.
At the end of 2016, the rejuvenated super middleweight stands on the brink of another shot at a world title.
Groves has reeled off four wins in the last 12 months. While Andrea Di Luisa and David Brophy were never likely to cause too many problems, Saint George showed both skill and stamina in abundance to beat Martin Murray and then Eduard Gutknecht.
What makes the string of positive results even more impressive is that the 28-year-old knew one more loss would leave him on the boxing scrapheap.
He has looked more like the old Groves. Teaming up with a new trainer in Shane McGuigan seems to have returned some of the spite to his punches, as if the hunger has returned.
Now, with his reputation restored to some degree, comes the acid test. Groves confirmed on Twitter he'll face Russian Fedor Chudinov for the vacant WBA title, although a date and venue has yet to be decided.
It will be the Englishman's fourth crack at a world crown—and this time he has to find a way to win.
If he does, a rematch with James DeGale could happen. Chunky—who faces Jack in a unification clash early next year—said, per Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail: "If we both have world titles the rematch can happen. It would be a chance for me to box again in Britain in a huge domestic fight."
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Anthony Joshua
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Yes, Anthony Joshua also featured in this same list a year ago. However, it is hard to argue against the idea his stock has continued to rise over the past 12 months.
While it may seem like an age ago now, don't forget the heavyweight finished 2015 as the newly crowned British champion after defeating Dillian Whyte last December.
Now, 12 months on, he is the holder of a world title and booked to face Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in London on April 29, 2017.
"It's now about beating the right people to go down in history," Joshua said at a press conference for the Klitschko fight, per Ben Dirs of BBC Sport. "This is the start of a legendary campaign."
That is quite a change in attitude from a man who, just a year ago, admitted he was a "work in progress" after stopping Whyte in Round 7 of their grudge match.
Everything changed when the opportunity popped up to fight IBF holder Charles Martin in April. Joshua destroyed the American inside two rounds to become a world champion in just his 16th pro fight. Since then, he has defended the belt twice, stopping Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina with ease.
The challenges will only get tougher from now, starting with an enthralling clash against Klitschko, the former undisputed king of the division.
If he somehow manages to be selected in this list again at the end of next year—even though it seems impossible for his stock to go any higher—Joshua will have definitely beaten the "right people" in 2017.
Bradley Skeete
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Despite what he may think at the moment, Bradley Skeete is already better than domestic level.
After defending his British welterweight title with a points victory over John Thain in November, the champion told BoxNation (h/t Ron Lewis of the Times): "I know my level, I'm British level right now."
While Skeete's humility is both refreshing and unusual for the boxing business, his promoter disagrees with him.
"I believe he’s got to be fighting for a world title before next year is out," Frank Warren wrote for BoxingScene.com."He has proved himself domestically and defended the WBO European title four times. It is about moving on up now and we will present him with the opportunity to excel on a bigger stage."
Warren is right in stating that Skeete doesn't have to stick around, although the chance to keep a Lonsdale belt (meaning he needs to make two further successful defences) may be too good to pass up.
However, per FightNews.com's rankings, the Londoner is already inside the top 10 with both the IBF and WBO. At the age of 29, the time may be right to move onwards and upwards.
While a 42 per cent KO ratio suggests a lack of power, his probing jab and 6'1" frame makes Skeete an awkward opponent for any welterweight.
Of his three victories in 2016, the unanimous points triumph over Sam Eggington in Birmingham, England, was the pick of the bunch.
Travelling to his opponent's backyard, Skeete dealt with a dangerous fighter in impressive fashion to not only become British champion but also pick up the Commonwealth strap as well.
Khalid Yafai
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In defeating Luis Concepcion on December 10, Khalid Yafai made British boxing history. The super flyweight picked up the vacant WBA title to become the first world champion from the city of Birmingham.
Yafai dominated from start to finish against Concepcion, who had arrived in Britain as the champion but lost his belt on the scales after failing to make the weight.
A 21st-straight victory as a pro puts the eldest of three boxing brothers in with the big boys—in terms of reputation, not actual size.
Roman Gonzalez is the division's WBC champion in the division and is ranked by The Ring magazine as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, yet Yafai is ready to take on the challenge.
"You are there to fight the absolute best. Fighting him [Gonzalez] will tell me where I’m at," he told Mike Lockley of the Birmingham Mail.
The 27-year-old recorded four victories in 2016, albeit the three outings before his world-title bid were no more than tune-up fights.
Still, while it is one thing to be talked about as a potential world champion, eventually a fighter has to show he deserves such hype. Yafai—an exceptional body puncher with a mean left hook—did that in emphatic fashion against the experienced Concepcion.
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