Ever since Cornishman Bob Fitzsimmons crossed the Atlantic in 1890 to box some of America’s early greats, the sport has had a love affair with bouts between British and American fighters.
Throughout the history of the sport we have seen some of the most incredible bouts between Britain’s finest and their American rivals.
Whilst sadly there is very little footage of fights before the 1960s the two nations have produced some of the world’s greatest fighters and that has led to some terrific contests.
Over the last 30 years or so this has only intensified and it is down to the boxers produced by both nations that the sport has become such a global money-maker.
Stylistically there are huge differences between boxers in the UK and those from the States. There has always been a suggestion that the American boxer is far more street-smart than his British equivalent who prefers the more traditional approach. But with many British fighters now plying their trade in the USA with American trainers like Freddie Roach the style gap is closing fast.
And while there have been some terrific rivalries with boxers from other parts of the globe, notably Latin America (Buchanan and Duran will take some beating) there is nothing quite like a British fighter taking on an American counterpart.
Here are 10 of the best encounters from down the years...
Frank Bruno V Mike Tyson 1989
In February 1989 Bruno challenged Mike Tyson for the undisputed world heavyweight title at the Las Vegas Hilton. Despite rocking Tyson with a left hook early in the first round, Iron Mike recovered and in the fifth round and the referee stopped the contest in round five with Bruno taking heavy punishment, lying helpless on the ropes.
Joe Calzaghe V Bernard Hopkins 2008
In April 2008 unbeaten Welshman Calzaghe took on Hopkins in Las Vegas for The Ring light heavyweight championship. The pair clashed in the build-up with the then 43-year-old Hopkins claiming he would never lose to a white man.
Calzaghe started badly, being knocked down by a straight right hand from Hopkins in the first round. The ill-feeling led to both fighters being warned for low blows and hitting behind the head. However, Calzaghe recovered from his early setback to comfortably win the bout on points, much to the disgust of Hopkins.
Hopkins said, "I just really feel like I took the guy to school. I feel like I made him fight my fight, not his. I wanted him to run into my shots. I think I made him do that, and I think I made it look pretty easy. I think I controlled the pace, and I controlled the fight."
Calzaghe – who would remain undefeated throughout his 46 fight career – had a different take on the fight.
He said: "I knew this wouldn't look pretty tonight. He's so awkward. He gave me some good shots. It wasn't my best night, but I won the fight. The world title in a second division and a win in America is just icing on the cake for my career."
Nigel Benn V Gerald McClellan 1995
In a fight which would have life-changing consequences for McClellan, Benn was given little chance of victory against his hard-hitting opponent. Within 35 seconds of the first round, Benn was knocked out of the ring by McClellan, but came back strongly in round two. The following rounds were "a brutal, yet exhilarating back-and-forth contest that saw both combatants give as good as they took.
The fight entered a tenth round; McClellan had never fought past the eighth round in his career. At the midway point, Benn connected with a right hand, causing McClellan to drop to one knee. The referee began his count until McClellan stood back up at seven, and the fight continued. Shortly after, Benn connected with another right, and again McClellan dropped to a knee, this time allowing the referee to count him out. After the fight ended, McClellan walked back to his corner, where he collapsed on his back. As a result of the injuries endured during the fight, McClellan is blind, hearing-impaired, suffers short-term memory loss, and needs to use a wheelchair.
Naseem Hamed V Kevin Kelley 1997
In 1997 Hamed made his much hyped American debut. His ceremonious arrival in New York on the British Airways Concorde was covered by multiple media outlets. There, he and former WBC title holder Kevin Kelley fought in a highly entertaining bout. This fight marked something of a watershed in Hamed's career, as he was forced, for the first time, to abandon his hands-down style of fighting throughout the entire course of the bout, given the calibre of Kelley. Nonetheless, despite suffering three knockdowns himself, Hamed put Kelley down for a third and final time to win by a fourth-round knockout.
Muhammed Ali V Henry Cooper 1963
Arguably the most well-known fight between an American and British fighter, a controversial decision by the referee arguably spared Ali’s blushes.
Cooper started aggressively and it was clear that Ali had underestimated the man from Surrey calling him "a tramp, a bum, and a cripple not worth training for.”
In round four Cooper threw three successive jabs as Ali stood against the ropes. Ali retreated further against the ropes when Cooper unleashed a left hook which struck Ali squarely on his jaw, lifting Ali on impact. Two things happened simultaneously at this stage which saved Ali from a possible knockout. First, the round came to an end. Second, the ropes had cushioned Ali's fall.
At the end of the round Ali’s trainer, Angelo Dundee, then waved the referee over claiming Ali’s glove was split. Officials were requested to obtain a new pair of gloves for Ali, and the resulting confusion led Ali getting valuable time to recover beyond the scheduled one minute. It has long been said that Dundee spit the glove on purpose. In the fifth round, a bloodied Cooper was stopped after Ali stepped up the pace. Ali would go on to win a rematch three years later stopping Cooper in the sixth round but this time with a much more cautious display.
Ali said after the first fight that: “Cooper's not a bum any more. I underestimated him. He's the toughest fighter I ever met and the first to really drop me. He's a real fighter.”
Lennox Lewis V Evander Holyfield 1999
Having drawn their first fight in March, albeit controversially, the two greats were ordered to fight again in November. Lewis thought he comfortably won the first fight – a cagey 12 rounder but the rematch left no doubt he was the best in the world.
Like in the previous fight, Lewis gained an early advantage, winning both rounds one and two.
Lewis won round three on two of the judges' scorecards, but a late rally from Holyfield during the final 30 seconds in which he landed several punches, including a hard right to the side of Lewis' head, helped him win on the third judge's scorecard. Holyfield then won the next four rounds.
In an entertaining round seven, the two fighters fought in the middle of ring during the final 20 seconds, each landing several punches.
Lewis seized control of the fight by winning rounds eight to 11. The men fought a close round 12, but Lewis again took the round on two of the judges' scorecards.
Lewis was then named the winner by unanimous decision with scores of 115–113, 116–112 and 117–111, becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion in nearly seven years.
Carl Froch V Jermaine Taylor
Carl Froch produced one of the great comebacks to retain his WBC super-middleweight crown against Jermain Taylor in his long anticipated ‘real’ debut on American soil (he once fought on an undercard earlier in his career in a win against Costa Rica’s Henry Porras in Los Angeles).
The Cobra was well behind on two scorecards going into the 12th round but produced a grandstand finish to stop Taylor with seconds remaining.
Froch had been outclassed for much of the fight and he went down for the first time in his career in the third.
But an exhausted Taylor was unable to withstand Froch's furious late rally as Froch pulled off an incredible upset which would ultimately make his career.
Don Curry V Lloyd Honneghan 1986
At the time Don Curry was considered the best pound for pound fighter in the world and Honeyghan was given little chance by the majority of the media.
He caused a major upset in Atlantic City by dominating the fight, dropping Curry in the second round, before Curry retired at the end of round six. Before the fight Curry had himself dismissed his unknown foreign opponent, asking "Who is this ragamuffin?". Honeyghan thereafter adopted the title "ragamuffin" or "Ragamuffin Man" with relish.
Ricky Hatton V Floyd Mayweather 2007
It was one of the most anticipated match-ups in history with the trash-talking Mayweather meeting the people’s champion Hatton.
Arguably the first real ‘super fight’ in Vegas in terms of pay per view offerings and the vast sums both boxers earned.
Hatton was at the top of his game but ultimately Mayweather’s class proved too much for the Hitman.
Hatton started well, unsettling Mayweather in the early rounds, with many fans unhappy that referee Joe Cortez, appeared to be interfering with the fight in Mayweather’s favour.
In the third round Mayweather managed to open up a cut above Hatton’s right eye but he held his own until round six, where he visibly tired from chasing Mayweather around the ring. Mayweather sensed the exhaustion of Hatton, and pursued Hatton's punches with stiff, damaging counterpunches. Mayweather was clearly in control before rocking Hatton in the 10th round. He knocked him down with a left hook, and Hatton was badly hurt. He didn't look as though he knew where he was when he got up, but referee Joe Cortez let the fight continue.
Mayweather wasted no time jumping on him again, landing a flurry of punches, including another left hook that sent Hatton staggering backward and down again. Cortez called off the fight at 1:35 without a count at the same time the white towel was thrown from Hatton's corner
Mayweather commented post-match that "Ricky Hatton is one tough fighter. He is still a champion in my eyes and I'd love to see him fight again. "Ricky Hatton is probably one of toughest competitors I've faced. I hit him with some big ones but he kept coming and I can see why they call him the 'Hitman'.
Alan Minter V Marvin Hagler 1980
Comfortably the most controversial fight of the lot, Welshman Minter and New Jersey native Hagler clashed well before a punch was thrown.
The row began with Hagler refusing to shake Minter's hand ahead of his fight against Vito Antuofermo– the British fighter was in the country to watch the contest – and on Hagler's arrival in the UK, the subject was dug up once more.
It had been claimed that Hagler had once said that "I don't touch white flesh", although he strongly refuted this accusation.
"I make a point of never shaking hands with future opponents," commented Hagler, adding that he didn't feel it appropriate to do so with someone he intended to inflict damage upon, and also indicating that he always shook hands with his opponent after a fight.
Minter did not exactly help matters though. Talking about the challenge ahead, he said he "did not intend to lose his title to a black man", which was unhelpful to put it mildly, Hagler understandably responding in a furious manner: "He will pay for saying that when we meet at Wembley."
What followed was a low point in boxing history. Minter’s face was such a bloody mess that the referee stopped the contest in the third round, such was the beating Hagler dished out.
The natives in Wembley were not amused. Disappointment at seeing their boy battered, combined with an unjustified rage towards the referee for stopping the fight, led to an explosion in anger within Wembley.
Beer bottles and cans rained down on the ring, Hagler's celebrations cut short as his corner surrounded him to protect the new champion. With the help of the police, Hagler and his corner were bundled to safety, but for the journalists and commentators ringside, there was little or no hiding place.
