The Recent British Boxing Invasion

Over the last 10 or so years, we've seen some solid British boxers make a name for themselves on a world stage. These are fighters that may or may not go down in the all time ranks but have certainly made their mark on recent history. The likes of Lennox Lewis (although he is pseudo Canadian), Naseem Hamed, Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe have done the English proud. I think more than anything these fighters have demonstrated great box office drawing power. Don't get me wrong they are all solid world ranked c0mpetitors and possibly even all time greats, however, they made their biggest impact by attracting fans. Naseem Hamed, Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton, in particular, have been able to sell out live gates and generate phenomenal pay per view numbers. Part of the reason behind their popularity is the huge loyal audiences they have back in the UK. They have been able to generate lots of interest from US based promoters by bringing a large fan base to the negotiating table before each and every fight. Even future prospects like the super talented Amir Khan have large fan followings to back them up. I think this is great for boxing. As one of the few truly global sports, I think boxing needs more national iconic figures like the Ricky Hattons and Manny Pacquiaos of the world. If I were an Englishman or someone from the Philipines, I would no doubt be hugely interested in the Hatton-Pacquiao fight even if I were just a casual fan or observer of the sport. Here's to the great boxers and fans across the pond! Lets hope they keep producing solid talent.