Best British Supermiddle weight

[RedDragonBoxing]

Which of these fighters in their prime is undoubtly the greatest

[johnny5]

I would have to say Joe, very closely followed by Eubank, Benn then Watson, Collins.

[kurt2006]

You forgot to include Fidel Castro Smith.

[TBooze]

You forgot to include Fidel Castro Smith.


And Slugger O'Toole!;)

[kosaros]

Carl Froch should not be mentioned alongside them, at least not yet.

[toffeejack]

I really want to know which person said Froch.

At 168 it's this for me:

Calzaghe
Eubank
Benn
Collins
Froch

Froch could possibly overtake Collins if he beats Taylor but he will go no further.

[kosaros]

I really want to know which person said Froch.

At 168 it's this for me:

Calzaghe
Eubank
Benn
Collins
Froch

Froch could possibly overtake Collins if he beats Taylor but he will go no further.

Yeah thats how I see it.

However in terms of which fighters I like the most it would go in this order:

1. - Eubank
- Benn
3. Calzaghe
4. Froch
5. Collins

[MightyLondoner]

1- Calzaghe
2- Eubank
3- Benn
4- Collins
5- Froch

[Diablo]

Calzaghe is clearly number 1.

Eubank and Benn were great fighters and Collins was pretty damn good too.

Froch hasnt really done anything yet...except slag off Joe - suggesting Calzaghe missed his defining fight vs the mighty carl froch:lol:

[JonOli]

Calzaghe

I wouldn't say it was as clear as people say it is though. Joe is clearly the most consistent, but I'd say possibly a 43 year old Hopkins in the only superior opponent Joe has beaten compared to what would have been facing a prime *Eubank, or *Benn.

*Maybe these guys were better at middle anyway.

Benn took risks and went abroad early - unlike Joe. As stated on here before there is at least an argument to compare resumes.

On resume alone... Benn V Calzaghe

Opponent wise I think Benn's resume is perhaps better then Calzaghes - but if you beef up the Hopkins win that may change things. Calzaghes achievements perhaps out-weight Benns though - but unlike Benn, Joe was largely unwilling to Travel (Hopkins fight excluded - but he was then a red hot favourite to win). Benn must get credit for going Stateside early, and taking on the top men in their own backyard - it adds more to those wins on his resume (he deserves a nod for that).


Benn, has McClellan and Iran Barkley. Iran Barkley beat Hearns twice (ok perhaps not the best version - but it's one who went on to draw against Sugar Ray Leonard). Barkley picked up the WBC middleweight title, the IBF super-middleweight title, and the WBA light-heavyweight title in his time. Thats a tad better then what Lacy, or Kessler ever did so far.


Benn.........Calzaghe
McClellan - Kessler
Dewitt - Hopkins
Iran Barkley - Jeff Lacy
Eubank (prime, draw/win) - Eubank (somewhat past prime)
Malinga - Reid

Where you place them in relation to each other also boils down to, the above wins, Benns loses, and how much credit you give Joe for his WBO - largely domestic fought - unbeaten run. And also how much credit you give to Benn for going stateside early, and fighting there.

[BamBam]

jaysus will people on here never get over the fact that Collins isn't british :good

[Diablo]

Calzaghe

I wouldn't say it was as clear as people say it is though. Joe is clearly the most consistent, but I'd say possibly a 43 year old Hopkins in the only superior opponent Joe has to beaten compared to what have been facing a prime *Eubank, or *Benn.

*Maybe these guys were better at middle anyway.

Benn took risks and went abroad early - unlike Joe. As stated on here before there is at least an argument to compare resumes. Benn's only loses came when he was done as well... Joe got out before that happened (that doesn't make him a better boxer).

On resume alone... Benn V Calzaghe

Opponent wise I think Benn's resume is perhaps better then Calzaghes - but if you beef up the Hopkins win that may change things. Calzaghes achievements perhaps out-weight Benns though - but unlike Benn, Joe was largely unwilling to Travel (Hopkins fight excluded - but he was then a red hot favourite to win). Benn must get credit for going Stateside early, and taking on the top men in their own backyard - it adds more to those wins on his resume (he deserves a nod for that).


Benn, has McClellan and Iran Barkley. Iran Barkley beat Hearns twice (ok perhaps not the best version - but it's one who went on to draw against Sugar Ray Leonard). Barkley picked up the WBC middleweight title, the IBF super-middleweight title, and the WBA light-heavyweight title in his time. Thats a tad better then what Lacy, or Kessler ever did so far.


Benn.........Calzaghe
McClellan - Kessler
Dewitt - Hopkins
Iran Barkley - Jeff Lacy
Eubank (prime, draw/win) - Eubank (somewhat past prime)
Malinga - Reid

Where you place them in relation to each other also boils down to, the above wins, Benns loses, and how much credit you give Joe for his WBO - largely domestic fought - unbeaten run. And also how much credit you give to Benn for going stateside early, and fighting there.

"Benn took risks and went abroad early - unlike Joe. As stated on here before there is at least an argument to compare resumes. Benn's only loses came when he was done as well... Joe got out before that happened (that doesn't make him a better boxer)."

Benns only loses came when he was done? :patsch He lost to Eubank and Watson when he was in his prime....

The fact Calzaghe lasted at the highest level until he was 36 proves he was a better boxer.

[JonOli]

The fact Calzaghe lasted at the highest level until he was 36 proves he was a better boxer.


Sorry I meant losses to lower calibre opposition, I thought I'd written that. Losing to a hot Eubank or Watson is no disgrace. They were better fighters then Joe faced anytime during his ten years or so of WBO title defences.


Anyway...
Have one of these back..:patsch

Calzaghe, "highest level", WBO?

Also, I really don't see how you see that, the fact a certain boxer can fight at an older age, necessarily means (by default) he's a better boxer than someone who finished at a younger age.

I put Calzaghe at no1 anyway... I'm just giving Benn some deserved credit for his ambition...

[TFFP]

H2H Calzaghe is the most impressive, followed by Eubank. Green Calzaghe against past prime Eubank gives some idea of how a prime match up would have gone. Eubank wasn't at his best as a supermiddle, remember. I think he would have always had serious issues with Calzaghe that faced Lacy or Kessler, even Hopkins. Activity, speed and most importantly combined with intelligence troubles him. The work-rate is key to the points win.

I think Eubank just about proved himself as superior to Benn too.

Nobody remembers Collins. He was not outstanding.

[p.Townend]

Benn and Eubank are the best 2 for me.Mike Watson would have maybe gone on to be the best but sadly that wasnt to be.Ritche Woodall was also a decent fighter and isnt on the list.

[PaddyD1983]

Calzaghe
Benn
Eubank


Collins










Froch

[Diablo]

Sorry I meant losses to lower calibre opposition, I thought I'd written that. Losing to a hot Eubank or Watson is no disgrace. They were better fighters then Joe faced anytime during his ten years or so of WBO title defences.


Anyway...
Have one of these back..:patsch

Calzaghe, "highest level", WBO?

Also, I really don't see how you see that, the fact a certain boxer can fight at an older age, necessarily means (by default) he's a better boxer than someone who finished at a younger age.

I put Calzaghe at no1 anyway... I'm just giving Benn some deserved credit for his ambition...

When I say the highest level I mean p4p. Calzaghe was regarded as p4p 2 or 3 in the world. Benn and Eubank never reached that kind of level.

Its usually a testament to how good a fighter is/was if he can fight on well into his 30s at world level. Recent examples are Hopkins, Calzaghe and Lewis....all greats.

[tonysoprano]

i think its a joke that people can pick Steve Collins or Carl Froch whos only just won the title

[Phil Austin]

I'm with Paddy's rankings on this one, also a major fan of The Force, Michael Watson - would have been right up there if his last fight had not gone against the run of play and he ended up hurt. A very underrated boxer and clever as all hell: I could watch his fight with Benn non-stop! Benn was another favourite his fight with Lou Gent is one that I wil always remember. Not one for the purists but gee it was fun while it lasted!

[SouthpawSlayer]

collins aint british

[widdy]

in benn,eubank and collins time,p4p dident really come into it,it was defo not talked about like it is now,to me its utter bollocks.
how can manny pac now be p4p no1 after beating a real shit DLH,when you got ,lets say hopkins (who's record is far superior to pacs)beating a talked about future ATG in pavlik.
i think i could go on about this p4p shite all night,there is always someone out there to beat you,thats why JC has called it a day,he don't wanna fight hopkins again,thats for sure.

[TommyV]

Why have you not included Michael Watson?

[ishy]

Why have you not included Michael Watson?

Cos Eubank II was his only fight at SMW I guess.