British boxing is making a comeback, with London fighters gearing up for world title bouts and fans anticipating major successes, as Joshua Brown reports.
In the past 15 years there is a perception boxing has taken a fall in terms of popularity, promotion and grassroots investment. Boxing fans have supposedly spent more than a decade reminiscing about fights like Mike Tyson vs Frank Bruno, which filled a nation with excitement.
As the more iconic fighters retired, the big fights became less frequent, and attention seemed to wander on to other sports. Fast forward 15 years and it is as though the sport has climbed off the floor. Bermondsey’s David Haye and Anthony Joshua both sold out a full-capacity Greenwich O2 arena in recent weeks. Tyson Fury is the World Heavyweight Champion, and Kell Brook is the Welterweight champion.
Britain is beginning to showcase its talent in the boxing ring as more fights now get shown on primetime television. It has been slow progress since the London 2012 Olympics in Stratford, with the games proving a major turning point for the sport. Joshua won gold at the Games and has since turned pro and is on an undefeated run.
It highlights a renaissance in the fight game, leading the way for the post-Olympics’ sporting legacy. A 2013 BBC report claimed the number of people participating in boxing rose by 33% since the games, the second largest rise in all participation sports.
Joshua has been touted as British boxing’s saviour, his 15-0 record to go with a humble attidue is making the nation like him more each fight. Comparisons to Lennox Lewis have again surfaced since his knockout of rival Dillian Whyte, a fight that brought as much anticipation the country has had over a fight in years.
David Haye’s return from a three year retirement saw the South-East Londoner sell out the O2 arena with the fight being broadcasted on Dave. Other fighters like Luke Campbell, Chris Eubanks .Jr and Anthony Agogo have all fought on Channel 5 highlighting how far the sport has come.
Battled
UK Sports committee announced an investment of up to £9.6m in boxing since the Olympics with a hope to replicate London’s success at the Rio Olympics later this year. Since then, more boxing gyms have been built or renovated, illustrating how the sport is beginning to get the recognition it deserves.
Although there is official backing and support, it’s the heroic work that Audley Harrison MBE has put in that remains unsung. After Harrison won Gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, he earned an independent deal with the BBC for his fights to be shown on primetime terrestrial television, the first time such a deal had been struck in 15 years.
Setting up his own promotional company during his career, the Brent boxer battled with courts and committees to raise funding for amateur boxing as a whole.
A former amatuer boxer turned coach, Jason Nicholas told Rising East: “Audley wasn’t the best boxer towards the end of his career, but he’ll always be remembered for how he has changed British boxing.”
Whether it was the success of Olympics, the help of Audley Harrison or the dream of being the next David Haye or Anthony Joshua, British boxing has made fantastic progression over the last decade. It still has a lot of work to reach the heights of the late 90’s, but at this moment it’s on its way.