Amazingly, and proof positive that boxing is flourishing on these shores, the UK can now boast more reigning world champion boxers than any other country in the world. With 13 world rulers – from heavyweight all the way down to super-flyweight – the UK currently has more champs than America (12) and Mexico (8).
The current impressive list of world champions consists of:
Anthony Joshua, IBF heavyweight champ
Tony Bellew, WBC cruiserweight champ
Nathan Cleverly, WBA light-heavyweight champ
James DeGale, IBF super-middleweight champ
Billy Joe Saunders, WBO middleweight champ
Kell Brook, IBF welterweight champ
Ricky Burns, WBA super-lightweight champ
Terry Flanagan, WBO lightweight champ
Carl Frampton, WBA featherweight champ
Lee Selby, IBF featherweight champ
Jamie McDonnell, WBA bantamweight champ
Lee Haskins, IBF bantamweight champ
Kal Yafai, WBA super-flyweight champ
Yafai, who comprehensively outboxed Luis Concepcion this past Saturday to claim the title, is the UK’s newest ruler. Yafai also made history in Manchester as he became the first ever British fighter to hold a world title at the weight class.
But who of the UK’s reigning champions will be able to hold onto their belts in 2017?
Joshua – prognosis: stay
Bellew – prognosis: go
Cleverly – prognosis, go
DeGale – prognosis: stay
Saunders – prognosis: go
Brook – prognosis: stay
Burns – prognosis: go
Flanagan – prognosis: stay
Frampton – prognosis, stay
Selby – prognosis, go
McDonnell – prognosis: stay
Haskins – prognosis: stay
Yafai – prognosis: stay
There could soon be further British world champs, though, as George Groves is likely to face Fedor Chudinov for the WBA super-middleweight title, while Joshua – who will face Wladimir Klitschko for the WBA heavyweight title in April – and DeGale – who will face WBC champ Badou Jack in January – could soon pick up another belt each.
Boxing is certainly thriving in the UK.