How Do You Solve A Problem Like... #3 - Jamie McDonnell, Britain’s Most Underrated Fighter?
A multiple time world champion, Jamie McDonnell unfortunately never seems to get the credit he deserves.
Why is that?
Is it all his fault?
Is none of it his fault?
Are we all arseholes?
The answer is all of the above, to a degree.
There is talk of Jamie McDonnell fighting Japanese phenom Naoya Inoue in Tokyo, Japan later this year in yet another move that proves he’s got some of the biggest balls in the UK.
So I thought I’d have a look through his career, and see why perhaps he’s not given the credit he deserves.
Hailing from Doncaster, Jamie isn’t from the flashest of beginnings, but make no mistake he’s worked hard to get where he is today.
It was a good start for Jamie, who’d racked up a record of 8-0-1, until somehow in his 10th and 11th fights he was pitted against Chris Edwards, a journeyman but nonetheless too experienced for Jamie at the time, and a young Lee Haskins who held a record of 16-2 when they fought.
There’s no doubt that this would’ve been a setback to Jamie, losing your first fight is a big blow, never mind losing two in a row.
Are these two setbacks why he is undervalued today? Both losses can be chalked up to inexperience, but both have always been more or less at the same weight class as Jamie and he never avenged either loss.
It’s important to fans to see rematches, so perhaps he’s never been forgiven for these early losses.
Although I think it unlikely that’s the reason, I’ve got to weigh up every feasible option.
Jamie has never lost a fight since those two early losses in his career and is currently on a 21 fight win streak, which is impressive and easily forgotten.
In that incredible run he’s won the following titles at Bantamweight:
BBBofC Title (twice)
Commonwealth Title
European Title
IBF World Title
WBA (Regular) World Title
And he’s beaten the following high profile fighters on this run:
Stephane Jamoye
Stuart Hall
Tomoki Kameda (twice)
Tabtimdaeng Na Rachawat
Liborio Solis (twice)
It’s difficult to argue his credentials, but you could argue that he’s dominated his opposition so easily that his fights perhaps aren’t as exciting as they could be, but that’s not his fault, he has a ridiculous physique for the Bantamweight division which makes it difficult for his opponents.
Arguably Jamie’s best performances came against Tomoki Kameda in America, which unfortunately not many British viewers saw because of the time difference, but trust me those two fights were incredible and Jamie was incredible in both of them.
In 2013 Jamie was stripped of his IBF Bantamweight title after failing to agree a mandatory defence against #1 contender, Vusi Malinga.
There is no one who doubts that Jamie would’ve dispatched this opponent with relative ease, however the relinquishing of belts isn’t looked upon fondly on these shores and could’ve rubbed people up the wrong way.
I don’t blame Jamie for this.
The IBF are too strict with their over-matched mandatory fights. I’m always reminded of Kell Brook’s reign as IBF champion when he was mandated to fight Jo-Jo Dan and Kevin Bizier back to back... ridiculous.
Jamie’s attributes as a Bantamweight make it very difficult for his opponents to oppose themselves and their game plans upon him.
Standing at 5′ 10″ (178cm) in an orthodox stance, Jamie is freakishly tall for someone of his weight class, thus is able to control the distance in his fights rather easily, made even easier by his piston-like jab.
I believe this is the most likely reason he isn’t granted his credit. We as fans are savages and demand blood, and unfortunately Jamie has been unable to deliver that thus far in his remarkable career.
I’ve heard Eddie remark that Jamie doesn’t really love boxing, and he doesn’t follow the sport religiously like most fighters, so perhaps this contributes to his orthodox, domineering style.
He’s got everything going for him. He’s got the best promoter in the UK, he’s respected world wide as a genuine world champion (even though he only holds the regular WBA belt) but it just proves that style is everything in terms of making money in boxing.
Fans want the exciting fights, they want blood, guts, courage and death defying durability. Jamie hasn’t had to display those qualities, because to his downfall, he’s been too good.
Personally, I am a huge fan of Jamie McDonnell and I immensely respect what he’s been able to achieve in the sport.
After his latest Solis victory I would’ve loved to have seen Jamie move up in weight to either Super-Bantamweight or Featherweight, but a big fight against Inoue has came up so good luck to him.
Hopefully after this one he moves up to some big fights at Featherweight after this against the likes of Scott Quigg, Carl Frampton, Josh Warrington, Lee Selby etc.
Please spread the love Jamie McDonnell people!
