Top 10 Irish Boxers P4P 2020

Top Ten Irish Boxers Pound For Pound To Look Out For In 2020.

First up at number 10 was John Joe Nevin. He was a stand out amateur winning gold at the European Championships twice and most famously winning silver at the 2012 Olympics. He done well in the WSB before turning pro but since turning over in 2014 he has went under the radar fighting journeymen here and there but thankfully in 2019 Nevin got a shot for the WBA International Super Featherweight Title against Freddy Fonseca. Nevin has all the minerals to be a world class fighter hopefully we can see him in bigger fights.

Number 9 is the 6ft 1in Celtic Warrior, Tyrone McKenna. He is the reigning WBC International Light Welterweight Champion. He won the title back in mid 2019 and has since defended it twice in the Golden Contract Tournament against Mikey Sakyi and former European and IBO World Champion, Mohamed Mimoune. McKenna’s only defeat came to the top 10 ranked Jack Catterall in 2018.

Number 8 is Tommy McCarthy. The Mac Attack is a former Commonwealth Silver Medalist and is the WBC International Cruiserweight Champion. He has secured a European mandatory position and if he wins that title it is rumoured that he will fight for a world title.

Number 7, Dennis Hogan was involved in one of the biggest robberies of 2019 when he clearly outboxed the WBO Light Middleweight World Champion, Jaime Munguia. Since then he moved up and challenged WBC Middleweight Champ, Jermall Charlo but unfortunately he was stopped.

Number 6 on the list is the hardest punching Irish fighter P4P, Belfast’s James “The Assassin” Tennyson. Back in 2013 a 19 year old Tennyson won the Irish National Super Featherweight Title. Just under two years later he defeated Kris Hughes for the BBBofC Celtic Featherweight Title. The following year he challenged the British champion, Ryan Walsh but he was stopped in a brave attempt in the fifth round due to being absolutely drained at the weight. In 2017 he moved up to 130lbs and knocked out Declan Geraghty to win the Irish National 130lbs title for a second time. Later that year he stopped Ryan Doyle then flattened Darren Traynor for the WBA International Title. In mid 2018 Tennyson stopped Commonwealth and European Champion Martin J Ward in a fight of the year candidate. This earned Tennyson a world title shot for Tevin Farmer’s IBF World Title. It was clear to see that The Assassin was drained on the scales. He lost but since has moved up to lightweight where he has looked like a different animal. He knocked out Atif Shafiq for the vacant WBA International Title and Craig Evans in a British Title Eliminator. Up at 135lbs Tennyson’s punch durability is much higher and should be able to compete with the heavy hitters in the division. In his next bout he is fighting Gavin Gwynne for the British title.

TJ Doheny comes in at number 5. He is the former IBF Super Bantamweight Champ. He won the title against Ryosuke Iwasa in Japan. He attempted to unify for Daniel Roman’s WBA title but lost on a close majority decision in a fight of the year candidate.

Jono Carroll is 4th on the list. He has always been a high paced aggressive fighter which saw him win the Lightweight Prizefighter Tournament as well as the IBF European and Inter-Continental Super Featherweight Titles. This earned him a world title shot but he unfortunately lost on points. Since then he has bounced back and showed a new side to his arsenal. The ability to box. He picked former world champion, Scott Qugg apart and became the only man to stop him, a job Carl Frampton and Oscar Valdez failed to do.

At number 3 is the Former Amateur World Champ and famous 2016 Rio Olympic robbery victim Michael Conlan. Since the Rio Olympics he has been signed with Top Rank and has fought as the main event on many shows. He has won two Inter-Continental titles and avenged his amateur defeats against rival, Vladimir Nikitin. Conlan is hoping to secure a world title shot late this year.

Number 2 is undoubtedly the greatest Northern Irish fighter of all time, Carl Frampton. He has unified the 122lbs division and made history when he won the WBA (Super) 126lbs title against Leo Santa Cruz. Fan favourite Frampton is looking to become a three weight champion this June when he fights for Jamel Herring’s WBO title.

Katie Taylor takes the number one spot. She is the greatest and most skilled female boxer of all time and has revolutionised female boxing like no other. She is Ireland’s most successful ever amateur and pro. She won five World Amateur Championships. Became the first woman to ever win the Lightweight Gold medal in the Olympics and has become the Undisputed Lightweight champion and WBO Light Welterweight Champion inside 15 pro fights.