Tuesday 16 August 2016 16:40, UK
Gennady Golovkin will make his UK debut when he faces Kell Brook, so how have boxing's big names fared in their first bouts on British shores?
Kazakhstan's WBA Super, WBC and IBF world middleweight champion Golovkin (35-0-KO32) has already conquered Germany and the US and having failed to agree terms with Chris Eubank Jr is set to take on IBF world welterweight champion Brook (36-0-KO25) at The O2 on September 10.
Boxing in Britain is bigger than ever, but the world's greatest fighters have long been arriving at the home of the sport to show off their skills.
Let's recall how 12 of the best dealt with fighting on UK soil...
When the incomparable Sugar Ray Robinson touched down in London, few expected him to meet with any serious resistance from the locals.
Turpin, famously, had other ideas; producing the performance of his life with countless counter-punches and opening up a deep gash on Robinson's left eyebrow. When the referee raised his hand, Turpin was the new world middleweight champion - a title he'd return to Robinson two months later having been knocked out in the 10th round.
One of the most famous bouts in British boxing history saw underdog Cooper drop 'The Louisville Lip' with a trademark left hook. With Wembley in rapture at the end of the fourth, was an upset on the cards?
The next twist went down in boxing folklore, as Clay's corner reported the visitor had torn a glove. Following a prolonged interval to regather his senses further, Clay emerged for the fifth to administer a savage flurry that left Cooper's left eye a bloodied mess. The American had made good on his pre-fight promise of a fifth round stoppage and became a world champion in his very next bout.
Marvin Hagler's coronation as a world middleweight champion will unfortunately be remembered for all the wrong reasons; the riot that followed the referee's decision to stop the fight was one of the uglier scenes the sport has witnessed.
The behaviour of a section of fans at Wembley, a shower of cans and bottles, should not detract from the surgical nature of Hagler's victory. Minter sustained several cuts - the worst being a gash over his left eye inflicted by Hagler in the very first round. By the third, the referee had seen enough.
'El Flaco Explosivo' fought the first half of his career almost exclusively in his native Nicaragua but as he cut a dash through the divisions, gradually expanded his empire. Having reigned as a world featherweight and super-featherweight champion, Arguello moved up to lightweight in 1980.
WBC world champion Jim Watt was his target and in front of an enthralled London crowd, the Scottish hero was outclassed on points. Arguello went on to challenge twice for super-lightweight crowns but was stopped on both occasions by Aaron Pryor.
Interestingly, Witherspoon's UK debut came against his fellow American. Scaff, who would last less than a round with a peak Tyson in his following bout, was making his own UK debut.
The fight proved a relatively routine task for Witherspoon, as he unloaded bombs to both body and head with little fear of retaliation. Scaff was knocked down by a heavy combination in the fourth round that proved decisive, and Witherspoon moved on to pick up the WBA world heavyweight title with a majority decision over Tony Tubbs.
McClellan's second bout in Britain would have tragic consequences but his first saw him claim a world title for the first time. The Royal Albert Hall was a fitting setting for 'The G-Man' and local favourite Frank Bruno was also on the bill.
It was one of the most emphatic statements a boxer could hope to make. McClellan landed brutal right hands early on and by the time the referee called a halt to proceedings late in the first round, the Ugandan had already visited the canvas three times.
Ahead of making his British debut, Wright had already fought in the US, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Monaco and Argentina. The slick southpaw brought his WBO world super-welterweight crown over with him for a trio of defences.
The first of these was against Ensley Bingham in the underdog's hometown of Manchester. The local boy bravely took the visitor the distance but following challengers Steve Foster and Adrian Dodson were both halted in the sixth round. Wright would lose his title to Harry Simon in South Africa the following year.
Barrera would revisit the UK late in his career to suffer a technical decision defeat to Amir Khan - but his first trip was triumphant. Having heralded the start of a second reign as WBO super-bantamweight champion with a victory over Richie Wenton, the legendary Mexican took his new title to London.
Paul Lloyd, who had held British, Commonwealth and European titles, was the opponent. It turned out the Merseysider was out of his depth and he suffered a bad cut having been knocked down in the opening round; leaving the referee no choice but to call it off.
Klitschko was already 24 fights into his boxing career and had vacated the European title in order to challenge Norwich's Hide for world honours.
If there was any doubt over the Ukrainian's legitimacy as a world-class operator, it was expelled when he produced two shuddering right hands at the start of the second round. With the champion still visibly stunned, 'Dr Ironfist' showed no mercy in finishing the job quickly.
Tyson became the biggest name in the sport in the late 20th century but it was not until the turn of the millennium that he finally fought in Britain.
'The Baddest Man on the Planet' had already dispatched London's heavyweight hero Frank Bruno in 1989 and 1996 and as he geared up for one final assault on the world championship (climaxing in his 2002 defeat to Lennox Lewis), Tyson blasted Francis aside inside two rounds at the Manchester Arena.
On a card that also saw Lennox Lewis defend his WBC and IBF world titles with a stoppage victory over Frans Botha, British boxing fans were introduced to the younger Klitschko brother.
Klitschko was emphatic in brushing Barrett aside - felling the American five times on his way to the stoppage victory. The success set up his next fight, in which 'Dr Steelhammer' became WBO world heavyweight champion with a unanimous points decision over Chris Byrd in Germany.
Another landmark night for the sport in Britain, Tszyu touched down seen as one of the pound-for-pound kings. He was a huge favourite to retain his IBF world light-welterweight title. He had not, of course, accounted for the desire and fitness of Hatton.
The footage is now legendary - an exhausted Tszyu slumped on his stool and his corner refusing to let him come out for the final round; prompting Hatton to collapse to the canvas in tears of joy.
