Five All-Action British Fighters to Watch Out for in 2024

2024 is shaping up to be a memorable year for boxing in Britain and beyond, with many big fights in the pipeline alongside the already-confirmed Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall rematch. At Big Fight Weekend, we wanted to bring you five of the best all-action British fighters to look out for this year and beyond.

British Boxing: Five Boxers to Watch Out for This Year

British Boxing: Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) is getting ready to headline “Knockout Chaos” against Francis Ngannou in the main event on DAZN on Friday, March 8. AJ dominated Otto Wallin in his last fight, which saw Joshua use his feet well and be the aggressor.

Read More: Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: A Breakdown of the Fight by Numbers

Against Ngannou, the British fighter needs to use his feet well and move in and out of range, jabbing and double jabbing, before landing the power shots. When AJ fights, there is plenty of action and drama, and the “Knockout Chaos” main event looks set to go the same way.

Chris Billam-Smith

Chris Billam-Smith (19-1, 13 KOs) is about as honest a fighter as you will find. His heart, determination and sheer will have got him through fights during his career, including his most recent win against Mateusz Masternak, who had hurt the Englishman – but Billam-Smith works brilliantly on the inside and eventually began to put his combinations together, which ultimately saw the Brit win, with the Polish fighter unable to appear for round eight.

Francesca Hennessy

Francesca Hennessy (3-0, 1 KO) was a gifted amateur who won two national championships. She is trained by former British and Commonwealth champion Bradley Skeete, who has done a great job developing her undeniable natural talents. She moves her feet exceptionally well and punches from a variety of angles, making her a nightmare to face. 2024 looks set to be a memorable year for this talented 19-year-old.

Leigh Wood

Leigh Wood (28-3, 17 KOs) is pure entertainment. His fights provide plenty of back-and-forth and normally end with a dramatic KO. Whatever comes next for “Leigh-thal,” he has been box office gold. His dramatic stoppage of Michael Conlan in round 12 was full of drama after Wood recovered from an early knockdown to eventually knock his opponent out of the ring during the final round. His rematch win over Mauricio Lara showed his bravery to get back in the ring and box superbly to win by unanimous decision. If it’s the Josh Warrington rematch next or a world title shot elsewhere, it promises to be full of fireworks.

Nick Ball

Nick Ball (19-0, 11 KOs) is readying himself to challenge Rey Vargas (36-1, 22 KOs) for the Mexican‘s WBC world featherweight title. Ball is a phenomenal pressure puncher who throws a lot of shots during his fights. He throws his combinations quickly and doesn’t slow down. If he can break the Vargas jab – Ball can get inside and let his hands go. Should the Liverpudlian fighter win on March 8, unification fights will move a lot closer for him.