By James Slater: Although former World Boxing Association (WBA) champ David Haye is currently the only British big man to have proven himself at world class, there are quite a few British big men who are coming along nicely and catching the eyes of the fans.
Go back a few months, and the heavyweight division had nowhere near as many promising British fighters. Guys like Tyson Fury, David Price and Richard Towers, to name just three British heavies, have been keeping active and have shown improvement in each successive outing.
So who are the ten best heavyweights in Great Britain today?
1: David Haye, 25-2(23). We still wait to see whether or not “The Hayemaker” will stall his October 13th retirement promise, but there are some good fights out there for the 30-year-old if he does decide to stick around. Only this Sunday, in The Star newspaper, his co-promoter Sauerland was talking about the possibility of either Haye Vs. Vitali Klitschko, or Haye Vs. Alexander Povetkin (should Povetkin beat Ruslan Chagaev next month). Both fights would attract the fans, and with these kind of possible options out there for him, it’s clear Haye stands head and shoulders above any other British heavyweight.
2: Tyson Fury, 15-0(10). There may be a big gulf between the man at #1 and the man at #2, but unbeaten Fury is now the British and Commonwealth champion. A promising fighter with big ambition but also the patience to wait, Fury says he wants to win the Irish and European titles before he gets in there with the world champ.
3: Dereck Chisora, 14-1(9). “Del Boy” was disappointing in his fight with Fury, primarily because he came in at a career-heavy 261-pounds. Still a talented fighter, the big question now is whether or not 27-year-old Chisora has the necessary drive to be able to come back from his first pro loss.
4: Audley Harrison, 27-5(20). Yes, he’s still around and hasn’t retired! Though he may be looked at as a joke by many, the fact remains how “A-Force” has the skills and the experience to be able to test, maybe even beat, any British heavyweight this side of Haye. The 2000 Olympian said via his Twitter page recently that he wanted the winner of Fury-Chisora. Can the big southpaw win one more biggish fight before his up-and-down career finally comes to an end?
5: Sam Sexton, 13-2(6). Inactive since his September 2010 TKO loss to Chisora, 27-year-old Sexton had better get himself a fight soon or risk being removed from the ratings. Twice a stoppage winner over the tough Martin Rogan, Sexton has shown he has the tools needed to be able to make some waves. Would be a great opponent for Fury at this stage.
6: David Price, 11-0(9). The big, 6’8” hope who won a bronze at the Beijing Olympics (and holds an amateur win over Fury) has really impressed in his last two fights. A heavy-handed banger with good skills and a serious attitude when it comes to training, 28-year-old Price faces the seasoned John McDermott at the end of the year.
7: John McDermott, 26-7(17). “Big Bad John” may have lost four of his last five fights, but he looked good last time out when he iced the impressively-muscled Larry Olubamiwo inside a round back in February of this year. Twice beaten by Fury and stopped in the second fight, the 31-year-old must beat Price if he’s to avoid falling off the radar.
8: Michael Sprott, 36-16(17). 36-year-old Sprott seems to have been around forever and it is this experience that continues to make him a contender at British and even European level. Set to challenge Euro champ Alexander Dimitrenko next, Sprott will give his career a massive kick-start if he can win.
9: Matt Skelton, 25-6(20). We don’t know how much the 44-year-old has left, and like Sexton he needs to get a fight set soon to avoid falling out of the ratings, but Skelton has experience and he has raw strength and power. The problem many be that the young guns would look at a fight with “The Bedford Bear” as too much risk and no reward.
10: Richard Towers, 11-0(8). Should the 6’8” “Inferno” be ranked higher than the shot-looking but more proven Danny Williams? Let’s make room for some new blood, I say. Towers is a young 31 and he has shown he is definitely a fighter who has a chance to go places. Towers is yet another fighter Fury has called out.