A British Heavyweight “Golden Era” ahead?

By Ian Ritchie

With David Haye cementing his place as WBA world champion with a straightforward win over mandatory challenger and potentially awkward John Ruiz, and a series of emerging heavyweight talents continuing their winning runs in the first few months of 2010, could we about to witness the best British heavyweight generation since Lewis, Bruno and Hide were the fighters making a splash at the top level?

We are fastly approaching a crossroads in the Heavyweight division on the world stage, with both Klitschko brothers pressing close to retirement, and with at least one of them inevitably facing Haye first.

Such has been the Klitschko’s dominance over the past 5 to 10 years, that it is likely going to be a free for all to scoop up the vacated titles between many fighters of a similar level, all of whom are a lot more beatable than either Vitali or Wladimir have proven to be. This will most definitely leave plenty of opportunities for the emerging UK heavyweight fighters of today;

Sam Sexton has on occasion looked the part. He can count himself fortunate to have beaten Martin Rogan twice now, most definintely with the first fight. He can also count a black mark on his record with the KO loss to Derek Chisora, another emerging British talent. He is only 25 though, and his career is definitely going in the right direction.

A prizefighter winner, and holder of the Commonwealth heavyweight title, he is probably going to find opportunities easiest to come by at this point in time.

Derek Chisora, Sexton’s only conqueror so far, looked to be on the crest of a wave after that victory, but has suffered from a stuttering career, up until his recent KO victory over a spent Danny Williams, which also earned him the British title.

His opportunities have been limited, but with the newly acquired title, and the likelihood of a Sexton rematch down the line, I can see him being propelled to the next level far quicker than his counterparts. He most definitely packs a punch, having seen away 8 of his 13 opponents inside the distance, and having only seen up to round 8 so far, his punching power isn’t up for question.

Whether he has the capability to go the championship distance remains to be seen, but an unbeaten record coupled with his arrogance and punching power should see him make impressions at a higher level than the domestic scene.

Tyson Fury has been massively hyped, although with a lack of consistency in his performances, including most recently, a somewhat gifted victory over John McDermott,  coupled with the loss of the ITV contract cutting his domestic exposure massively, this has started to settle down.

He appeared to be progressing in leaps and bounds with every fight, taking on more difficult and talented opponents every other month, but has again taken a step back in quality since struggling to a decision over John McDermott, which he couldn’t have had any arguments about had it gone the other way.

With a rematch ahead, it will ultimately be a crossroads for his career, and whether he can get over this hurdle or whether he has simply found his level, at 6’7”, with an outspoken personality and even just for his name, he is very marketable and should find opportunities easy to come by.

At 22, and with the most time to learn, and the most time to fulfil his real potential, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him eventually making a world title shot.

…He’ll definitely have to avoid punching himself in the face again anyway!

Larry Olubamiwo is another guy who will definitely make a splash domestically, and given his size and power, he is the very persona of a guy with a “punchers chance” against anyone. He lacks speed, and he lacks real talent, being brutally honest, but what he lacks here, he most definitely makes up in stature, heart and brutal one-punch KO power. At 31, he has probably left it too late, to go beyond UK/European level, but I wouldn’t be the one to bet against him.

On top of these guys who are relatively established domestically, you can throw Tom Dallas and David Price into the mix.

Dallas is another tall, well built power puncher, who, having knocked out his past 8 opponents in a fledgling 10 fight career, along with being 25 and in far better shape than your typical Heavyweight, he could very easily find himself making the step up at the right time. Despite the fact he has largely been facing inferior opponents, the nature of his wins would suggest a good career ahead, and for me, he is probably the pick of the bunch if he can carry his talent on to a higher level.

Price has a great amateur pedigree, having been a multiple ABA winner and commonwealth gold medalist, to go alongside his 2008 olympic bronze.

He has been getting the exposure, and he certainly has the talent to go further.

He has more natural talent than some of the other guys who have already started to make progress, but whether he has the heart and chin to see off the domestic challengers on offer, only time will tell.

I suspect he will have his career much more closely managed, and if he does ultimately have the talent, then he may find that his time at the top came too late. In any case, he is right up there in the mix of emerging heavyweight talents in the UK.

Are any of them going to match or surpass Haye?

It certainly looks like another British fighter who most observers feel should have retired a couple of years back, along with Danny Williams, is going to get an opportunity to prove it. Audley Harrison’s lack of heart has ultimately cost him, along with often apathetic performances inside the ring. He can punch, and he has an, albeit undeserving, opportunity to become a world champion.

This is a chance that any of the aforementioned fighters would bite your hand off for, and all of whom I would offer a far greater chance of pulling off the upset.

Let’s hope that Haye remembers his level, and manages to leave a lasting legacy to help these guys make it to the top alongside him.

He has completely skipped past the domestic heavyweight scene, but may have a big say, in determining the futures of these fighters, regardless of his result versus the Klitschkos.

Even if, ultimately, none of these guys make it, it will make for a very interesting and competitive domestic Heavyweight scene, and it will prove difficult to predict with any real certainty, any one of them emerging at the end of it out on top…

I can safely say, that we are going to see some great tear ups along the way though!

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