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Glenn McCrory says British boxing is leading the way with its big domestic battles

'Bellew-Cleverly, Brook-Khan, Quigg-Frampton are what we want'

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Image: Britain's best: the biggest names want to fight the best... in Britain

There are so many good fights between British fighters at the moment that I can't think of a better time in boxing.

I would even go further and suggest that right here and now, this is the best country in the world when it comes to the sport – amateur and professional.

What makes British boxing even better is that all of a sudden there are so many big fights that look like happening, so people will soon start looking in on what we are doing.
Glenn McCrory

A tiny island – and an even smaller one in the shape of Ireland – cleaned up at the Olympics two years ago, which doesn't always happen.

And what other country in the world would pack in a crowd of 80,000 fans to see two home fighters go at it? Yes, there was a world title or two at stake when it came to Carl Froch and George Groves, but would you see that anywhere else?

Floyd Mayweather is the best in the world and the biggest earner but can you see him going in against anyone other than Manny Pacquiao and it matching Froch-Groves II? No.

And what makes British boxing even better is that all of a sudden there are so many big fights that look like happening, so people will soon start looking in on what we are doing.

Back in the day we had the likes of Alan Minter against Chris Finnegan, then Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank, Eubank and Steve Collins, in fact Chris Eubank and anyone!

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They happened to have world titles but these were guys who didn't like each other and wanted to beat the other one, put them in their place and prove a point.

Money is always behind putting a fight on, but sometimes it goes beyond the pound signs. It always helps – especially if you lose – but all of a sudden there are fights that fighters want and we all want to see as well. That puts us top of the list.

Perhaps in the past our guys wanted to go across the pond and take on the Americans, but is there the same number of big-name superstars over there now? I don't think so. They don't have a heavyweight world champion and I am still amazed at the power of MMA in comparison to boxing in the US.

There used to be big fights over there and you were lucky if you made it. Amir Khan did that and Froch wants to sign off in Las Vegas, but who do we really want to see Amir fight next? Kell Brook, of course - and that will not be in Vegas.

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Image: Cleverly-Bellew: it is on and already it is hitting headlines

We are already getting Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora at heavyweight, which means the best in Britain will get a shot at the world title.

Tony Bellew and Nathan Cleverly is also one of the fights we all want to see again. They don't like each other, there is still unfinished business and for all the world titles out there, who is our best cruiserweight? I happen to think Cleverly will do it again and make it 2-0 and I like Bellew a lot, but love the fact he wants this. He could've gone down another route, looking for the world title. Right now, he wants to make sure he is Britain's best.

Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg both have world titles but we want to see who is the best. Let's hope that’s what we see. People are paying attention all of a sudden. This is one of those fights that will sell out straight away and will be built-up so well that non-boxing fans will want to know what happens. Oh, and let Kid Galahad get the winner!

Then we've got Billy Joe Saunders and Chris Eubank Jnr, two middleweights who don't like each other, but both think they are better – and maybe the best in Britain. I want to see that, and just the name Eubank will get people going.

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The super-middleweight division is like the old days of Benn, Eubank and Michael Watston, even though George Groves lost twice to Froch. Throw James DeGale in there and let’s see him and Groves get their unfinished business back on. And forget about the pointscoring out in Germany, I think Arthur Abraham was the rightful winner, but Paul Smith's performance was the best he has produced by far. A Brit flying the flag is something we should all be proud of.

I do think promoters are playing their part, too, as Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren realise that we want to see our best fighters fight each other.

The Olympics got everyone going and boxing has carried that on to the very highest level. There has never been a better time to be involved in British boxing and it is only going to get better.

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