Boxing clever

In the next couple of months, there are two major boxing matches featuring British world champions.  Ricky Hatton and Carl Froch both defend their titles against experienced world title campaigners, namely Manny Pacquiao and Jermaine Taylor.  These should be two fantastic fights, and essential viewing for any boxing fan worth their salt.

With the well judged retirement of Joe Calzaghe, these two fighters will continue to carry the flag for British fighting across to the mass markets in the United States.  However both are now into their their thirties, and the search is surely now on for the next few Brits to set the world alight.

It's still unclear if Amir Khan has disappeared up his own backside so far that his undoubted talent will ever be fulfilled; the Barrera fight taught us nothing, and was little more than a PR exercise.  It can only be hoped he doesn't go the way of Audley Harrison, another who believed his own publicity and the yes men around him far too much, and not what his own jaw told him.

David Haye has a great chance of making it big, but runs the risk of his jaw being found out by one or other of the Klitschko brothers.  It would be a shame to see Haye disappear, boxing needs characters like him, and his undoubted talents would have seen him top the division without the Klitschkos looming large.

David Price, the Olympic Super-Heavyweight medallist has kicked off his pro career with a decent win, but has a lot of miles to cover before he can get in the ring with anyone of any quality.  

South Yorkshire stylist Kell Brook, another product off the Brendan Ingle production line, has massive potential, and an exciting style which the American TV matchmakers will love.  He may be the next to make it big, and fingers crossed could be the welterweight successor to Hatton, as long as he doesn't get overconfident.

Jamie Moore, another Northern fighter, has a big chance with his next fight due to be a world title shot.  Moore has been around a while, with only his fight of the year against Matthew Macklin a couple of years ago to show so far for his undoubted strength and courage.  Again the American market will love his all action, go forward style, coupled with the fact that he can be hurt (as Macklin showed).

There are a few hungry fighters coming to the forefront, and Sky Sports must get a lot of credit for continuing to offer them an opportunity on Friday Fight Night.  Long may it continue, and let's hope that at least a couple manage to show the Americans that British boxing is still punching its weight.