WHO would have thought way back in February — when Tyson Fury pulled off one of the most spectacular heavyweight title rematch performances in boxing history to break not only Deontay Wilder’s undefeated record but also his heart to snatch the WBC crown from his grasp — that only a month later Covid-19 would turn life as we know it upside down?

All of sudden our public discourse and daily vocabulary became peppered with new words and terms — “self-isolation,” “protective bubbles,” “quarantine,” “track and trace,” “social distancing,” and all the rest. Worst of all was the death toll from this ghastly virus, revealed on a daily basis as if tallying up the war dead.

For indeed it has been a war — or at the least the closest to one this generation has experienced — not only against Covid, but also just as crucially to retain a semblance of normality and, with it, sanity as we navigate our way through this unprecedented public health emergency.

For British boxing this placed a particular onus on its promoters and managers, figures within the sport traditionally and not always without foundation decried as its villains. But credit where credit’s due, the current crop rose to the challenge to ensure that the sport continued to function, albeit in unique circumstances and under surreal conditions. 

Prime among those responsible for keeping the sport alive in 2020 was Eddie Hearn with his Fight Camp series from August 1 to 22. The sheer effort involved in erecting a ring in the salubriuous grounds of his Matchroom Sport headquarters in Essex, and providing a Covid-free environment for the fighters, trainers, press and all the staff involved, was immense. 

It was the first major boxing event to take place without spectators in attendance. It thus took on the character of a roll of the dice, given the renowned passion of British fight fans and the crucial role they traditionally play when it comes to generating excitement. 

With the majority of pro fighters living prize money to prize money, it allowed the likes of Katie Taylor, Teri Harper, Martin Bakole, Ted Cheeseman and Sam Egginton to remain active, while in making Dillian Whyte v Alexander Povetkin the climactic main event in the last of the series on August 22, people watching at home were treated to a proper heavyweight clash.

Overall, Eddie Hearns’ Fight Camp series reaffirmed the old saw that where there’s a will there is a way — even in the midst of a deadly pandemic.

Frank Warren also had his share of success promoting shows in 2020. From his stable, and in conjunction with his broadcast partner BT Sport, we were treated to the return of Nathan Gorman and Liam Williams in October, each winning their respective fights. 

The previous month, meanwhile, BT Studios in London hosted Josh Taylor’s return to ring action after 11 months of inactivity. The result was a comfortable first-round stoppage of Thailand’s Apinun Khonsong to retain his WBA and IBF super lightweight titles. 

Taylor’s first fight under new coach Ben Davison, the victory sets up the exciting prospect of a clash against undefeated tough Californian Jose Ramirez in the first quarter of 2021, Covid permitting, for the right to be hailed as undisputed champion at the weight.

One of the most eagerly anticipated fights of the year was the heavyweight encounter between Dereck Chisora of London by way of Zimbabwe and Ukraine’s former undisputed cruiserweight king Oleksandr Usyk. The fight took place at Wembley Arena on October 31, and with Chisora’s manager David Haye promising exciting things from his man, and with Usyk’s supreme skill set in mind, we were entitled to expect fireworks.

Fireworks is precisely what ensued, with Chisora, a fighter with more miles on the clock than Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, setting a ferocious pace from the opening bell. Skills though really do pay bills in the squared circle and, once he’d got settled into his groove and weathered the initial storm, Usyk’s class and ring IQ proved the difference, ensuring that he got the decision.

Another much anticipated heavyweight clash took place on November 28 at Church House in Westminster. It saw two London giants in the shape of veteran campaigner Joe Joyce and rising star Daniel Dubois meet in what had all the makings of a classic domestic dust up. In the end experience prevailed over youth, with Joyce winning by stoppage after Dubois retired with a fractured orbital bone in the 10th round.

The aftermath saw a who’s who of prominent figures in the game plumb new depths of indecency with a barrage of criticism of Dubois’s decision to take a knee. Prime among them was Eddie Hearn, who went so far as to question the authenticity of Dubois’s injury. If Fight Camp was Eddie Hearn’s finest moment in 2020, this was his worst.

The award for most improved British fighter in 2020 surely belongs to Conor Benn. His performance against Sebastian Formella at Wembley Arena on November 21 was sublime. In terms of his power, timing, speed, footwork, punch variety and head movement, this was tantamount to a coming out party, wherein he announced to the world that he deserved to be recognised not as his father Nigel’s son, but as a top fighter and live contender in his own right.

Sheffield’s Kell Brook again came unstuck against elite opposition, losing by stoppage to pound for pound contender Terence Crawford in Vegas on November 14. The former welterweight world champion appeared a shadow of his former self and it’s to be hoped, with his health in mind, that he now gives serious consideration to hanging them up.

Billy Joe Saunders defeated Martin Murray on December 4 at Wembley to retain his WBO super middleweight title, while Britain’s other super middlewight world champion, Liverpool’s Callum Smith, was outclassed by Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, losing the WBA version of the title along with his undefeated record.

All in all, British professional boxing in 2020 more than rose to the challenge posed by Covid, proving that the sport’s foundations are strong, proving also that it enters 2021 in rude health in the hope and expectation that when fans finally return to arenas up and down the country, they do so with renewed appreciation for its fighters, trainers and, yes, even its promoters.