MMA pound for pound British rankings
BBC world officially announced MMA Pound for Pound British ranking 2009. The list will be updated periodically and should be treated as a talking point. Let the debate begin!
Ignoring weight, this subjective list takes into account fighters’ recent results, their skills, resilience and punching power.
1. David Haye
– Heavyweight
London (23-1, 21KOs)
Haye did what he had to do to claim the WBA heavyweight crown from Nikolay Valuev. John Ruiz is next, and provided he wins that one, the Brothers Klitschko will follow.
2. Carl Froch
– Super-middleweight
Nottingham (26-0, 20KOs)
Froch’s debut in the Super Six tournament against Andre Dirrell left both himself and fans frustrated, but a win is a win. However, he will have to be improved if he is to beat Mikkel Kessler.
3. Ricky Hatton
– Light-welterweight
Manchester (45-2, 32KOs)
Hatton was knocked out in two rounds by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas, but rumour has it he could be back against Juan Manuel Marquez next summer.
4. Amir Khan
– Light-welterweight
Bolton (22-1, 16KOs)
Khan demolished Dmitriy Salita in 76 seconds in the first defence of his WBA belt and now has his eyes set on the United States. First up, preparing Manny Pacquiao for Floyd Mayweather.
5. Kell Brook
– Welterweight
Sheffield (20-0, 13KOs)
Originally a product of the same Sheffield gym as Naseem Hamed, Brook has been tipped for world honours. Defends his title against Michael Jennings next.
6. Kevin Mitchell
– Lightweight
Dagenham (30-0, 22KOs)
Mitchell gave a classy display in beating Amir Khan’s conqueror Breidis Prescott and his next fight could be for the WBO belt. On the most recent evidence, he’s ready.
7. John Murray
– Lightweight
Manchester (28-0, 16KOs)
Was stripped of his British title after coming in too heavy against Scott Lawton, but won it back with a fourth-round stoppage of Jon Thaxton in October. Will now be scenting bigger prizes.
8. Junior Witter
– Light-welterweight
Bradford (37-3-2, 22KOs)
Witter’s hopes of fighting Amir Khan went up in smoke when he lost to Devon Alexander in trying to reclaim the WBC light-welterweight belt. Difficult to see what options he has left.
9. Nathan Cleverly
– Light-heavyweight
Cefn Forest (18-0, 8KOs)
Cleverly, 22, already owns the British and Commonwealth titles and will challenge for the vacant European crown against Antonio Brancalion, in Italy, on 27 January.
10. Rendall Munroe
– Super-bantamweight
Leicester (20-1, 8KOs)
Munroe defended his European crown against Italy’s Simone Maludrottu in November, and could now challenge Japan’s WBC champion Toshiaki Nishioka.
Nyubi 11:47 pm on January 5, 2010 Permalink
I’d like to see Ricky Hatton fight again after beaten by PacMan