Status Report - British boxers in the world rankings

So, how do British fighters rate in the world? A look at the latest published ratings of the four main sanctioning bodies shows just 31 British fighters rated.

As you would expect, there is no consensus of opinion with one body rating a fighter very high and the others ignoring him altogether. The era of any strength in the lower division in Britain seems to be over with only five fighters listed below lightweight.

Only two fighters, Brian Magee and Matthew Macklin, are rated in the top 15 by all four bodies and in two of the upper divisions only one boxer is rated in each division, Nathan Cleverly at light-heavyweight and Ryan Rhodes at light middleweight.

The WBC list most British fighters - 16, the WBO - 13, the IBF -10 and the WBA - 7. You have the ridiculous situation of Herbie Hide, Kell Brook, Ajose Olusegun, Ricky Burns and Rendall Munroe being rated No 1 by one body and not even making the top 15 with the others and Jason Booth being No 13 super bantamweight with the IBF and No 2 bantamweight with the WBO.

The only encouraging thing is that anyone who wants to do their own ratings is sure of success as you could not do a worse job than these four bodies.

Heavyweight

David Haye-WBA champion

Audley Harrison-WBC No 15

Sam Sexton-WBO No 14

Cruiserweight

Ola Afolabi- IBF No 15

Enzo Maccarinelli-WBA No 10 & WBC No 8

Herbie Hide-WBC No 1 & WBO No 8

Light Heavyweight

Nathan Cleverly-IBF No 3 (really No 2 as there is no No1), WBC No 3, WBO No 3

Super Middleweight

Carl Froch-IBF No 9, WBA No 8, WBC No 2

Brian Magee-IBF No 14, WBA No 5, WBC No 5, WBO No 12

Paul Smith-WBC No 10, WBO No 6

Middleweight

Matthew Macklin-IBF No 5 (really No 4), WBA No 10, WBC No 7, WBO No 10

Darren Barker-WBC No 15

Light Middleweight

Ryan Rhodes-IBF No 4, WBC No 3

Welterweight

Matthew Hatton-WBA No 15 (Does not take account of his recent win)

Junior Witter-WBC No 15

Kell Brook-WBO No 1

Michael Jennings WBO No 11

Light Welterweight

Amir Khan-WBA champion

Ajose Olusegun-WBC No 1

Paul McCloskey WBC No 4

Gavin Rees-WBO No 11

Lightweight

Nigel Wright-IBF No 13

John Murray-WBC No 4, WBO No 6

Kevin Mitchell-WBO No 11

Super Featherweight Ricky Burns-WBO No 1

Featherweight

Martin Lindsay-IBF No 5 (really No 3 as there are no Nos 1 or 2)

Super Bantamweight

Rendall Munroe-IBF No 6, WBC No 1

Jason Booth-IBF No 13

Bantamweight

Jason Booth-WBO No 2

Super Flyweight

Lee Haskins-WBC No 11