The Brits will punch back

Honeyghan (right) inspired a generation of British boxers

BBC Sport Online's Sanjeev Shetty examines the state of British boxing after its two biggest stars both lose within two weeks of each other, and says that history has repeated itself.

It has been a depressing fortnight for British boxing.

After crowing that the nation had two of the best in the business, Naseem Hamed and Lennox Lewis both let themselves down in front of the world.

And with only super-middlweight Joe Calzaghe recognised as the best in his division worldwide, the situation looks bleak for the sport in this country.

But there really is no need for boxing fans to get too depressed.

Followers with long memories will remember a similar period for British boxing in the early 80s.

And British boxing rebounded.

Marvellous

During the first 18 months of the decade, four of the nation's best fighters were handed crushing defeats.

First there was John Conteh, who on 29 March 1980, saw his career in big time boxing end when he was knocked out in four rounds by American Matthew Saad Muhammad.

Just under six months later on 27 September, Alan Minter, the world middleweight champion, was ordered to face his mandatory challenger, a certain Marvellous Marvin Hagler.

After three bloody rounds, Minter had lost his title at Wembley and was to retire from the game less than a year later.

In May of the following year, tricky southpaw Maurice Hope headed for the most dangerous assignment of his career - a defence of his junior-middleweight world title against Puerto Rican Wilfred Benitez.

After 12 well contested rounds, Hope walked into a monster right hand from his highly skilled opponent, and crashed to the floor for the count.

Less than a month later, future television pundit Jim Watt defended his WBC lightweight title against the Nicaraguan Alexis Arguello.

Claim

Watt valiantly lasted the distance but never had a hope of holding on to his title.

In the intervening years, fighters like Charlie Magri, Duke McKenzie, Dave McAuley and Herol Graham all raised the profile of the sport as did a young man called Frank Bruno.

And Lloyd Honeyghan's defeat of Donald Curry meant that Britain could lay claim to one of the best boxers in the world at any weight.

But the Brits were about to start another rut.

It was only 12 years ago that Britain saw two major stars go to Las Vegas with high hopes only to return with bruises.

On 4 February 1989, Honeyghan defended his world welterweight title against American Marlon Starling.

After throwing an incredible 400 punches in the opening four rounds, Honeyghan tired dreadfully and was stopped after a brutal beating in the ninth round.

Jim Watt (right) could not beat Arguello

The colourful Englishman never recovered from the defeat.

Three weeks later, the nation was gripped by Frank Bruno's bid to defeat the seemingly unbeatable Mike Tyson.

Although Bruno had his moments, he was unable to produce the unthinkable and lost after five compelling rounds.

But he would come again and Britain was on the verge of dominating the middleweight division for years to come.

A quartet of boxers - Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Michael Watson and Steve Collins - would come through and lay the foundations for a boom spell in British boxing.

Ironically, when they were through with boxing, it would be left to Lewis and Hamed to carry the mantle.