Boxing history-makers: South Yorkshire's greatest EVER fighters
In South Yorkshire, we are lucky to have two global champions in Sheffield’s Kell Brook and Doncaster’s Jamie McDonnell.
But how good must if feel to have your name in the a roll of honour containing the BEST EVER British fighters?
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Hide AdThe website The Kingmaker has compiled such a list - and there are nine Sheffield-area or locally trained pugilists among the 500 they have come up with.
Our fighters rub shoulders in the list with the likes of Henry Cooper, Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe and Lennox Lewis.
The locally-trained banger with the most wins is Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham.
He is known as the best world champion that never was, after falling just short.
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Hide AdThe KO kings amongst the elite South Yorkshire group are Naseem Hamed and Ryan Rhodes, who both have 31 stoppages to their name and were flamboyant characters in the ring.
Here Bob Westerdale, Head of Sport, relays the locals on the revered list - and adds a couple of names that might end up joining them in future.
But has anybody been missed out?
Who are your top three British boxers of all time? And tell us about your one local hero - why is he your favourite?
Email: [email protected]
LOCAL RINGMASTERS:
Clinton Woods, aged 44.
IBF light-heavyweight title 2005 - 2008.
42 wins 5 losses, 1 draw. 25 KOs.
Runs a gym in Westfield.
Herol Graham, 57.
European, British, and Commonwealth light-middleweight titles
48 wins 6 losses. 28 KOs
Worked in the fitness industry.
Jamie McDonnell, 30.
WBA World Bantamweight Title.
29 Wins 29, 2 losses. 1 draw. 13 KOs.
Current campaigner.
Johnny Nelson, 50.
WBO cruiserweight title
45 wins 12 losses 2 draws. 29 KOs.
TV presenter/pundit.
Junior Witter, 42.
WBC light welter title title 2006 to 2008.
Wins 43 Losses 8 Draws 2. 23 Kos
Trainer.
Kell Brook, 30.
IBF welterweight title 2014-now
Wins 36 Losses 1. 25 KOs.
Current campaigner seeking a shot at Amir Khan.
Naseem Hamed, 42.
Multiple world championships at featherweight.
Wins 36 Wins Losses 1. 31 KOs.
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Hide AdRetired. Living near Wentworth golf course, Surrey. Occasional visitor to Sheffield.
Paul Jones, 50.
WBO Light Middleweight Title
Wins 31 Losses 12 Draws 1. 11 KOs
Health campaigner/ambassador for Heart Research UK.
Ryan Rhodes, 40.
European, British light-middleweight titles. Challenged once for a world title.
W 46 Losses 6 KO 31
Gym owner.
COMING SOON TO THE LIST?
Gavin McDonnell, 30.
Fights for the WBC World super bantamweight title on February 25.
W 16 L2. 4 KOs.
Current campaigner, going for gold.
Barry Abdul Awad (Kid Galahad,) 26.
W 21 L0 12 KOs
Won various super bantamweight title.
A champion in the making.
UNLUCKY NOT TO MAKE THE CUT
Brian Anderson, 55.
British middleweight champion
Wins 27 Losses 9 Wins KOs 14
Prison governor.
Esham Pickering, 40.
British, Commonwealth and European super bantam.
Wins 34 Losses 11. KOs 13.
Still involved in the game.
THE 500 LIST IN FULL
Al Foreman
Al Phillips
Alan Minter
Alan Rudkin
Albert Finch
Alex Arthur
Alex Buxton
Alex Ireland
Alex Murphy
Alf Danahar
Alf Kid Pattenden
Amir Khan
Andy Holligan
Andy Nance
Anthony Crolla
Arthur (Ginger) Sadd
Arthur Boy Edge
Arthur Danahar
Arthur Donnachie
Arthur Howard
Arthur Killeen
Bandsman Dick Rice
Battling Jim Hayes
Ben Duffy
Benny Caplan
Benny Lynch
Benny Sharkey
Bermondsey Billy Wells
Bernard Pugh
Bert Gilroy
Bert Jackson
Bert Kirby
Bill Ladbury
Billy Calvert
Billy Charlton
Billy Clinton
Billy Cooke
Billy Davis
Billy Fry
Billy Hardy
Billy James
Billy Joe Saunders
Billy Jones
Billy Marchant
Billy Nash
Billy Rafferty
Billy Schwer
Billy Spider Kelly
Billy Tansey
Billy Thompson
Billy Walker
Billy Walker
Blaine Logsdon
Bob (Young) Fielding
Bob Fitzsimmons
Bobby Fisher
Bobby Neill
Bombardier Billy Wells
Boy McCormick
Brian Cartwright
Brian Curvis
Brian London
Brian Magee
Brian Rose
Bruce Scott
Bruce Woodcock
Bugler Harry Lake
Bunny Sterling
Bunty Doran
Callum Smith
Carl Frampton
Carl Froch
Carl Thompson
Charley Brown
Charlie Hazell
Charlie Hill
Charlie Magri
Charlie Nash
Charlie Squire
Chic Calderwood
Chris Eubank
Chris Finnegan
Chris Okoh
Chris Pyatt
Cliff Curvis
Clinton McKenzie
Clinton Woods
Colin Dunne
Colin Jones
Colin Lynes
Colin McMillan
Colin Powers
Cornelius Carr
Crawford Ashley
Curley Walker
Dai Dower
Damaen Kelly
Dan McAllister
Danny Frush
Danny Morgan
Danny O’Sullivan
Danny Williams
Darren Barker
Darren Hamilton
Dave ‘Boy’ Green
Dave Charnley
Dave Coventry
Dave Crowley
Dave Finn
Dave Magill
Dave McAuley
Dave McCleave
David Barnes
David Haye
David Starie
Dean Francis
Del Bryan
Dennis Andries
Dereck Chisora
Derek Angol
Derry Treanor
Dick Burke
Dick Corbett
Dick Richardson
Dick Turpin
Dickie O’Sullivan
Digger Stanley
Dom Volante
Don Cockell
Don Davis
Don McTaggart
Duke McKenzie
Eamonn Loughran
Eamonn Magee
Eddie Avoth
Eddie Carson
Eddie Phillips
Eddie Smith
Eddie Thomas
Elky Clark
Enzo Maccarinelli
Eric Boon
Eric Marsden
Ernie Roderick
Evan Armstrong
Floyd Havard
Frank Bruno
Frank Hough
Frank Johnson
Frank Lucas
Frank Moody
Frank Parkes
Frankie Ash
Frankie Gavin
Frankie Jones
Frankie Kid Bonser
Frankie Taylor
Frankie Williams
Fred Bilsborough
Freddie Gilroy
Freddie King
Freddie Mills
Freddie Welsh
Gary Jacobs
Gary Mason
Gary Stretch
Gavin Rees
Geoff McCreesh
George Aldridge
George Bowes
George Davis
George Feeney
George Groves
George Marsden
George Odwell
George Parkes
George Turpin
George Williams
Ginger Foran
Ginger Stewart
Gipsy Daniels
Glenn Catley
Glenn McCrory
Gordon Hazell
Gus Foran
Hamilton’ Johnny Brown
Harry Brooks
Harry Corbett
Harry Lazar
Harry Mason
Harry Mizler
Harry Orton
Harry Reeve
Harry Scott
Henry Akinwande
Henry Carpenter
Henry Cooper
Henry Hall
Henry Wharton
Herbie Hide
Herbie Hill
Herol Graham
Horace Notice
Howard Winstone
Hugh Cameron
Jack ‘Kid’ Berg
Jack Bloomfield
Jack Bodell
Jack Carrick
Jack Gardner
Jack Hood
Jack Hyams
Jack London
Jack Lyden
Jack Morris
Jack Petersen
Jackie Briers
Jackie Brown
Jackie Brown
Jackie Bryce
Jackie Paterson
Jackie Rankin
Jackie Turpin
Jake Kilrain
James Cook
James DeGale
James Hare
Jamie McDonnell
Jamie Moore
Jason Booth
Jason Cook
Jawaid Khaliq
Jerry Delaney
Jim Berry
Jim Brady
Jim Campbell
Jim Driscoll
Jim Higgins
Jim Maharg
Jim McDonnell
Jim Sullivan
Jim Watt
Jimmy Anderson
Jimmy Bell
Jimmy Berry
Jimmy Bray
Jimmy Brown
Jimmy Carson
Jimmy Chick Stewart
Jimmy Davis
Jimmy Gill
Jimmy Lydon
Jimmy Molloy
Jimmy Moore
Jimmy Newman
Jimmy Pearce
Jimmy Quinn
Jimmy Revie
Jimmy Stubbs
Jimmy Walsh
Jimmy Warnock
Jimmy Wilde
Jock McAvoy
Joe Beckett
Joe Bowker
Joe Cairney
Joe Calzaghe
Joe Conn
Joe Curran
Joe Erskine
Joe Fox
Joe Hardy
Joe Lucy
Joe Symonds
Joe Young Connelly
John Conteh
John Davison
John Farrell
John H Stracey
John Kelly
John L. Gardner
John McCluskey
John McCormack
John O’Brien
Johnny Basham
Johnny Boom
Johnny Brown
Johnny Butterworth
Johnny Caldwell
Johnny Clark
Johnny Cooke
Johnny Curley
Johnny Cusick
Johnny Cuthbert
Johnny Frankham
Johnny Hill
Johnny King
Johnny Mantle
Johnny McGrory
Johnny McManus
Johnny McMillan
Johnny Molloy
Johnny Morrisey
Johnny Nelson
Johnny Owen
Johnny Peters
Johnny Pritchett
Johnny Sullivan
Johnny Summers
Johnny Summers
Johnny Williams
Jon Thaxton
Junior Witter
Kell Brook
Ken Barrett
Ken Buchanan
Ken Shaw
Kevin Finnegan
Kevin Mitchell
Kid Broad
Kid Milo
Kid Socks
Kirkland Laing
Larry Paul
Lee Haskins
Lee Selby
Len Beynon
Len Davies
Len Hampston
Len Harvey
Len Johnson
Len Wickwar
Lennie Williams
Lennox Lewis
Les Allen
Les McAteer
Les Pickett
Llew Edwards
Lloyd Honeyghan
Mark Hart
Mark Kaylor
Mark Prince
Mark Rowe
Martin Murray
Matt Skelton
Matt Wells
Matthew Macklin
Maurice Core
Maurice Cullen
Maurice Hope
Maxie Smith
Michael Ayers
Michael Brodie
Michael Gomez
Michael Watson
Mick Leahy
Mick McAdam
Mickey Flanagan
Mickey McGuire
Mike Honeyman
Murray Sutherland
Naseem Hamed
Nathan Cleverly
Neil Sinclair
Nel Tarleton
Neville Brown
Nicky Cook
Nicky Piper
Nigel Benn
Norman Lewis
Norman Tennant
Ola Afolabi
Ovill McKenzie
Owen Moran
Paddy Ryan
Pat Barrett
Pat Cowdell
Pat McAteer
Pat Palmer
Paul Hodkinson
Paul Ingle
Paul Jones
Paul McCloskey
Percy Jones
Peter Bates
Peter Culshaw
Peter Fallon
Peter Kane
Peter Keenan
Peter McLaren
Peter Waterman
Phil Bloom
Phil Edwards
Phil Milligan
Phil Scott
Phineas John
Pierce Ellis
Ralph Charles
Randolph Turpin
Ray Cattouse
Ray Close
Rendall Munroe
Richard Dunn
Richard Williams
Richie Woodhall
Ricky Burns
Ricky Hatton
Rinty Monaghan
Robbie Regan
Robert McCracken
Robin Reid
Rocky Kelly
Roland Todd
Ron Barton
Ron Johnson
Ronnie Clayton
Ronnie Draper
Ronnie James
Ross Hale
Ryan Rhodes
Sam Kellar
Sammy McCarthy
Sammy McSpadden
Sammy Reynolds
Sapper Jack O’Neill
Scott Harrison
Scott Quigg
Seaman Arthur Hayes
Seaman Nobby Hall
Seaman Tommy Watson
Shea Neary
Sonny Lee
Spider Jim Kelly
Spike Robson
Stan Hawthorne
Stan Rowan
Stephen Smith
Steve Boyle
Steve Johnson
Steve Roberts
Steve Robinson
Syd Parker
Tancy Lee
Ted Kid Lewis
Ted Moore
Teddy Baldock