Anthony Joshua hits New York City this Saturday night to make his American debut against Andy Ruiz Jr. Here, Sporting News look at other British boxers and the bouts that they made a big impression with when fighting stateside.
Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield 2, Las Vegas, 1999
The coronation of Lennox Lewis occurred eight months later than he would’ve liked, but after doing enough to deter Evander Holyfield over 12 rounds, the last big heavyweight fight of the millennium saw the Brit become the unified heavyweight champion. Lewis’ lengthy wait to be recognized as the world’s finest in his weight category had dragged on since he exploded onto the rankings with a destructive second-round stoppage of Donovan Ruddock in 1992. Seven years later, Lewis was denied the chance when his maiden meeting with Holyfield was controversially declared a draw. He wouldn’t wait long to correct the decision, though.
Taking part in an immediate rematch, Lewis was forced to fight at a quicker pace from the outset as Holyfield displayed a wild intensity that had been absent in their first encounter. Despite Holyfield’s trademark relentlessness accompanying him in this highly-anticipated sequel, Lewis was able to match him every step of the way. Lewis’ stinging jab combined with much cleaner work was enough to convince the officials and after another distance fight, the 1988 Olympic gold medallist left the ring as the world’s most dominant heavyweight.
Lloyd Honeyghan vs. Donald Curry, Atlantic City, NJ., 1986
One of the most referenced fights when a British underdog ventures to America due to the size of the upset, but Lloyd Honeyghan’s stunning upset over the multi-talented Donald Curry was an unlikely victory that hasn’t come close to being replicated. Gutsy names like Howard Clarke, Danny Williams, and Herbie Hide have crusaded to America to overturn the odds, and every single time, the memory of Honeyghan/Curry will have been mentioned throughout the buildup profusely.
Honeyghan arrived in New Jersey as the proprietor of a solid 27-0 ledger that included wins at European level, but his body of work was nothing compared to that of the “Lone Star Cobra.” Curry possessed wins over the likes of Marlon Starling and Milton McCrory, but it was evident early on that Honeyghan had a chance. After four rounds, Curry faded badly and didn’t answer the bell for round seven leading to scenes of chaos as Honeyghan celebrated wildly.
Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana, Las Vegas, December 2010
Amir Khan had already impressed American audiences by disposing of Paulie Malignaggi with the utmost of ease in the spring of 2010, but now came an altogether different challenge in the shape of Argentine banger, Marcos Maidana. The latter was on an impressive run after halting the progress of Golden Boy prospect, Victor Ortiz, and he had high hopes of doing the same to another Golden Boy fighter at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay.
Maidana, famed for his toughness and resilience, was almost out of the running in the opening session as a stunning body shot from Khan had him withering on the ground in clear pain. Most of the action was one way until the 10th round when Maidana found the shot he’d been looking for all fight. He jolted Khan and for the fight’s final quarter, Khan was in survival mode. A dramatic finish made the fight come alive, and for Khan, question marks surrounding his chin were briefly answered here as he demonstrated amazing guts to see out the last three rounds.
Ricky Hatton vs. Jose Luis Castillo, Paradise, NV., June 2007
Although Ricky Hatton’s American conquests are remembered for stunning losses to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, the Manchester man’s memorable victory over Jose Luis Castillo in the summer of 2007 is a vastly underrated win by a Brit performing stateside. The tough Mexican, a veteran of over 60 fights at the time, was often resolute in the ring and after exchanging closely-contested showdowns with Mayweather and Diego Corrales, Castillo was expected to give Hatton a tough night.
What transpired was one of the easiest nights of Hatton’s career as he charged at Castillo from the start. Setting a ridiculous pace, Hatton was forcing his opponent to fight at a pace he wasn’t comfortable with and he managed to find the target several times in the early going. During the fourth round, Hatton sunk a left hook into Castillo’s unguarded body and from the moment the experienced campaigner hit the deck, it was clear he wasn’t going to rise. Hatton’s Vegas outing had been a glorious one and it paved the way for a lucrative contest with Mayweather later than year.
Naseem Hamed vs. Kevin Kelley, New York City, December 1997
The Hagler-Hearns of the featherweight division and arguably the finest fight of 1997, as Naseem Hamed and Kevin Kelley went to war for four unforgettable rounds. Hamed, before arriving in New York for his American debut, was a superstar in Britain thanks to ridiculous confidence levels combined with two-handed power. He became world champion in 1995 after destroying Steve Robinson, but America was now his target, and in Kelley, he had the perfect dance partner.
Originally slated to give Hamed a decent test, Kelley, who had seen better days, was highly-motivated for this clash and he began it by flooring Hamed on multiple occasions. The man from Sheffield was enduring something of a crisis, but he fought fire with fire and kept returning the favor to Kelley, who was also dropped more than once. With the Queens, New York fighter seemingly all out, Hamed, much fresher, found the shots required to end the matter and with it, his American crusade was off to a stunning start.