2014: The year British Boxing finally makes the weight?

In the last 10 years or so, British Boxing has been labelled both boring and laborious by fight fans across not just Britain, but the world. Yes the likes of Hatton, Haye, Khan and Calzaghe excited at times, all four of whom providing their fans money can’t buy moments, but do these memories stack up to those that Mayweather, Pacquiao or Hopkins have given their fans? Maybe, but not to the same consistency.

Most recently when it comes to British Boxing, you think of how David Haye was unable to dethrone the Klitchkos, how injury has prevented him from giving fights the fans want to see, Amir Khan losing in a controversial manor and Ricky Hatton’s unfortunate comeback. But if you cast your mind back to November 2013, when Carl Froch beat George Groves in what was billed the fight of the year by many, then that will give you just a snippet of what we have to look forward to in 2014.

Yes, the IBF have demanded a rematch of the Froch Groves fight, but this isn’t all we have to look ahead to this year. 2014 will not only see the rise of the 2012 Olympic Champions, but it will also see a number of British fighters challenge for European and World titles.

Out of the Olympic medal winners, Anthony Ogogo, Luke Campbell and Anthony seem destined for greatness. Joshua, in particular has impressed me. He fights well on the inside and his jab is impressive. The Londoner has all the ingredients to dominate and reinvigorate what has been a stagnant heavyweight division for the last 10 years. With Vitali Klitschko finally hanging up the gloves Joshua can be the symbol of a new era for heavyweight boxing flying the Union Jack flag around the world as Lewis did before him.

Elsewhere in the Heavyweight division it has been loud mouth Tyson Fury who has grabbed the headlines recently with his unusual tactics of tweeting boxers he wants to fight. First it was Haye, then Chisora and most recently, he has been in dialogue with the “Bronze Bomber”, Deontay Wilder, who has a record of 30-0, with none of his fights going past the fourth round. The way he put away Audley Harrison in the first round was devastating, but then again, so were all of his other knock outs. A fight between these two macho heavyweights, would allow us to see how good Tyson Fury really is, and a win would put him on the path to a world title shot.

[quote align=”center” color=”#999999″]Last but by no means least is a domestic dust up that could grip the nation like Groves v Degale[/quote] Last but by no means least is a domestic dust up that could grip the nation like Groves v Degale did back in 2011. Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg have had a war of words recently and in my eyes, Carl Frampton is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world right now, and I’d put him up there alongside all the world champions out there. Frampton told Ringside that discussions had taken place last year between his camp and former promoter Hearn over a potential world-title fight against WBA champion Scott Quigg. So far those talks have failed to reach fruition but many are unsure as to whether undefeated Matchroom Sport fighter Quigg can handle the power of 26-year-old Commonwealth super-bantamweight champion.

With so many possible match ups and confirmed fights already, 2014 looks set to be an explosive year for British boxing. This time next year I have a sneaking feeling we’ll be talking about more than the six current British world champions.

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!!

Sam