A new poll has been conducted to name the best British boxer of all time.
The British Boxing Hall of Fame was founded in 2015 and has become increasingly popular since then, with an annual event held to honour the best of boxing from these shores, both past and present.
This year’s event was preceded by a poll of writers and historians conducted by Dave Harris, the founder of the Hall and Ringside Charitable Trust, to ask about the greatest fighter in British boxing history.
It was Joe Calzaghe who came out on top despite stiff competition from the likes of former undisputed heavyweight ruler Lennox Lewis, 1920s and 1930s welterweight champion Ted Kid Lewis, and Ken Buchanan, who held world titles at lightweight in the 1970s and 1980s.
Calzaghe attended the event with his son to accept an award, as well on behalf of his coach and later father Enzo.
Across his famous and unbeaten 46-fight career, Calzaghe consistently dominated in fights with his fast hands, high punching output and boxing smarts. He beat the likes of Jeff Lacy, Robin Reid, and Mikkel Kessler and held his super middleweight title for a decade, with 20 defences made in all.
His final two fights came up at light heavyweight, where his winning streak continued and he beat fellow Hall of Famers Roy Jones Jr and Bernard Hopkins before retiring in 2008.
