Prince Naseem Hamed v Kevin Kelley in New York
Prince Naseem Hamed v Kevin Kelley in New York

Anthony Joshua v Andy Ruiz Jr: A look back at the best British fights in New York as AJ fights at Madison Square garden


As Anthony Joshua makes his American debut at New York's Madison Square Garden this weekend, take a look back at the other big British fights in the Big Apple.

Joshua defends his IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles against Andy Ruiz Jr on Saturday at one of boxing's most revered venues.

He's the latest in a long line of Brits making their mark in the Big Apple - take a look back at some of the best.

Joe Calzaghe v Roy Jones Jnr, November 2008

The career of perhaps Britain's finest fighter came to a fitting conclusion at the Garden when Calzaghe retired undefeated after a convincing victory over the once-great Jones Jnr, giving him a record of 46-0. Recovering from a first-round knockdown, Calzaghe controlled each of the following 11. He then made the sadly all-too-rare decision to retire while near the peak of his powers, something many regret Jones Jnr did not also choose to do.

Lennox Lewis v Evander Holyfield, March 1999

What was then the highest-profile moment of the great Lewis' career came at this venue. He fought to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion against the respected Holyfield, attempting to unify the WBA, WBC and IBF titles and establishing himself as perhaps the finest heavyweight of the division's last truly great era. He was denied when it was controversially scored a draw despite most believing he had won.

Amir Khan v Terence Crawford, April 2019

Despite his four previous defeats, Khan had never been outboxed, but that is exactly what was happening when, in Crawford, he challenged the WBO welterweight champion and the fighter widely considered the world's second best. Khan suffered a first-round knockdown and was taking enough of a beating that a concussive stoppage appeared near when, in the fifth round, following a low blow, he was controversially withdrawn by his respected trainer Virgil Hunter. Khan remains adamant he was in no position to fight on and that he had not quit a fight he by then had little hope of winning.

Tyson Fury v Steve Cunningham, April 2013

Fury was 24 and making his American debut against one-time cruiserweight champion Cunningham when he demonstrated the unpredictability that has often made him so entertaining. He suffered a second-round knockdown before recovering to gradually bully former world champion Cunningham, eventually stopping him in the seventh.

'Prince' Naseem Hamed v Kevin Kelley, December 1997

The most memorable fight of Hamed's career featured three knockdowns for each fighter before Hamed stopped Kelley in the fourth round of his US debut. The nature of that fight and his performance, against a Brooklyn-based fighter, furthered his already big reputation in the UK and established his popularity in the US, where he also eventually fought in Las Vegas.

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