Remembering the best moments of 2016
2015 ended with the UK hosting 12 World champions within their shores, and this year has gone one better with a grand total of 13!
This year in boxing has produced some amazing moments: Martin Gethin's revival with a brutal KO of John Wayne Hibbert, the incredible heavyweight ding-dong between bitter rivals Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora, Joshua winning the IBF World crown, Conlan v Nelson, Buglioni v Burton…they only just scrape the surface. And, of course, The Jackal Carl Frampton taking over the Big Apple and coming home with a second world title – against the odds!
Boxing is really booming in Britain right now so BBN decided to look back and celebrate by asking British boxers, trainers, managers and promoters their own personal highlights of the year.
Tommy LangfordBritish, Commonwealth & WBO Inter-Continental middleweight champion
Ben Day Former Southern Area super-lightweight champion
“My highlight of the year would be going 10-rounds for the first time in my career with Floyd Moore in a barnstormer of a fight for the Southern Area lightweight title."
Jamie Arlain British Challenge Belt & Southern Area Title Eliminator Winner
“Teaming up with my trainer Matt Marsh – best move I've ever done. Then, I go on to win the British Challenge belt over eight-rounds in our first fight together. Everyone said it was close, so we had a rematch in a Southern Area title eliminator and I stopped him in second-round – that was my biggest achievement of this year, as it was my first stoppage as a professional.
Outside of the ring, it was my daughter Harper-Rea being born on the 7th August and my eldest daughter Amelia-Rose meeting her for the first time.”
Carl Greaves Carl Greaves Promotions
“My personal highlight was going over to Arizona with – at the time – WBA Interim World welterweight champion David Avanesyan, who I train, and beat boxing legend ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley.”
Jason McClory Longshots Sports
“Tommy Langford cleaning up Commonwealth, British, and retaining his number 2 ranking in the World; making it out of hospital; the Guvnor (Frank Warren) clinching the BT Sport deal.”
Joe Elfidh JE Promotions
“My highlight of the year was Grant Dennis winning the Southern Area middleweight title in the champion’s own back yard in Brighton in November.
Close runner-up was Martin Hillman taking Boy Jones Junior the distance in their Southern Area title fight in November.”
Paul Hilz International Challenge Belt super-middleweight winner
“My highlight of the year would be coming back from a loss in a title fight to winning the International title at 35-years-old! Hard work does pay off!"
Jamie Speight Two-weight Southern Area titlist
"It's not been a great year for me, to be fair, very few ups and a few more downs when it comes to boxing, but my highlight would be seeing my old mate and four-time rival from the amateurs Tommy Langford lift the prestigious British title. Known Tommy many, many years and fought each other and trained together on the amateur circuit and I'm made up for him, he's a lovely lad."
Matt Marsh Former British Champion
"Best fight to look forward to was Kell Brook v Gennady Golovkin, and the best English fight of this year was Whyte and Chisora.
My personal highlight of the year was when I was introduced to Jamie Arlain as his trainer; he's had two fights with me and won both – one by stoppage. Looking forward to more hard work and more fights with Jamie in the New Year."
Louis 'Razor' RobinsonDebutant
"Personal highlight of the year for me is, without a doubt, turning professional and signing up with a manager like Asif Vali, who has also just re-signed Amir Khan and obviously worked very close with Tyson Fury, and already secured me an opportunity training alongside the Furys in January next year, so it's a great platform for me to be on and to get my name out there and show people what I am about.
In 2017, that's what I shall be doing and upsetting the heavyweight scene."
Mark TibbsBoxing Coach
"My highlight was on the 10th December in Manchester. My guy boxed beautifully to beat Derek Chisora in what should of been the first defence of his British title. What was special for me, as a coach, was the building mind-wise as well as technically, but the battle itself was incredible and both men were a credit regardless of the build up."
Darrel ChurchLight-heavyweight prospect
"Boxing highlight of the year would be Kell Brook V GGG – what an atmosphere!! Never seen GGG backed up before but, having saying that, I just think it got too overwhelming for Brook right from the start, though.
My personal highlight would be having my sponsors MB Surfacing come on board to allow me to train full-time for fights. My last camp was the best ever and I got to live the life of a professional and spar with the likes of Anthony Yarde at the Peacock Gym. It's a massive boost for me and I'm excited for 2017!"
Tim RicksonTR Sports Agency
"There's been quite a few personal hightlights, fortunately.
I've enjoyed many shows this year, my favourites being Frank Warren's Wales events and Steve Goodwin's York Hall shows.
I'm really excited by my newest client Jamie Arlain; he absolutely sizzled in his last fight with a second round KO – he was awesome! Really looking forward to 2017 and being part of his team.
I've enjoyed watching Joe Elfidh build up shows in my area of Kent – Maidstone. There hadn't been a pro boxing show there since 2000 and now they are staged regularly with some top talent on display. I've enjoyed watching – and reporting on – his shows and seeing his fighters grow, and, again, I'm really looking forward to being a part of that story in 2017.
I think the UK's boxing highlight of the year was Carl Frampton doing what he done – beating two unbeaten rivals and winning world titles in two weight divisions; plus, one fight was a 50-50 and in the other he was the underdog! He is the World Fighter of the Year without question for me. He should also be applauded for doing it all over again, and I can't wait to see that rematch with Leo Santa Cruz in January.
However, my personal highlight of the year was Tommy Langford winning the British middleweight title in November with a hard fought victory against a tricky southpaw.
He deserves that title thoroughly and showed his mental strength after enduring the shenanigans that inevitably come when dealing with the Eubanks, the opponent change, the date postponement…it's all distracting and draining stuff to deal with, but he coped with it all like the consummate professional that he is and got over the line. That's 18 fights unbeaten, three major titles – British, Commonwealth, WBO Inter-Continental – and history made as North Devon's first ever British and Commonwealth champion. 2017 is gooing to be massive for Tommy!
Gianluca Di Caro BIBA
"I had so many truly great 2016 highlights to chose from, however one particular event really does stand out head and shoulders above all others.
In June this year, we, the British & Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA) were invited to sanction the first professional boxing event to take place in Pakistan, an honour in itself, however as the request was from Amir Khan himself, as the event was to raise funds for the Amir Khan Foundation (Amir Khan Trust as it is known in Pakistan), to build Water Wells in one of the most desolate and poorest regions in the World today, Thar Parker, this elevated the importance of the trip to another level altogether.
The whole trip was one of the most memorable of my life, from the moment we arrived until we boarded the flight home everyone, boxers and officials alike, were given the full VIP treatment. Even the journeys to the pre-show events were unreal, as we were transported to these in a high speed Army and Police escorted convoy. The reception we received at these events were surreal, one such event at the Dolman Mall in downtown Karachi was packed with thousands of fans, many of whom were intent on getting a selfie with us, I mean not just Amir or the boxers, Haroon Khan, Tasif Khan, Dayle Gallagher, Phil Townley, Stuart Maddox and Jody Meikle, they were also battling to get selfies with Referee Richie Davies, BIBA coach Steve Speed, BIBA Inspector Stephen Smith and myself! – I have to say I've never had so many selfie requests, in fact probably prior to this had only had about a dozen requests full stop!
The event itself was amazing, so amazing I would find it impossible to put into words that would adequately describe the show without taking pages and pages to do so, so rather than try here is a link to the post-event video https://youtu.be/9MP3SIwf9HM
We had an unbelievable trip, something I am sure not one of us involved will ever forget, however the best thing of all to my mind, the part I am most proud of, is that this event raised in excess of 8Million PKR to build and maintain the Amir Khan Trust Water Wells.
If I can be allowed a second highlight, well that came just a few months later, when the first Amir Khan Trust Water Well in Thar Parker became operational – I am so, so proud to have been a part, albeit a small part, of making this happen."