THERE is not any denying the heavyweight division is getting ready to a sea change. Undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk is now 37 whereas Tyson Fury, who will try and win the {hardware} again on the finish of the yr, turned 36 on August 12.
Anthony Joshua, who’s eyeing a crack on the winner of that rematch, is the youngest of the three at 34 however his promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed that the 2012 Olympic champion may properly retire in simply 18 months’ time.
The excellent news, nonetheless, is that there’s a wave of heavyweights prepared and ready for the three most vital huge males of the present period to stroll off into the sundown. Right here, Boxing Information takes a take a look at the ten who is perhaps king.
THE AMERICAN HOPE
Jared Anderson
Age: 24
Report: (17-1, 15 KOs)
Jared Anderson had regarded like maybe essentially the most full heavyweight on this record and, at 24, nonetheless has loads of time to enhance on his all-round sport. However, with many individuals falling over themselves handy him the crown already, the Anderson prepare was violently derailed by Martin Bakole in August.
Anderson had barely put a foot mistaken all through his 17 wins as an expert however Bakole was clearly a step too far, too quickly. The American was dropped and stopped within the fifth spherical and now the onus is on him to study from the defeat and show he can bounce again.
The reality is he has loads of time on his palms however the man from Ohio, who has no downside admitting he has little love for boxing, has spoken brazenly about his want to exit the game as shortly as attainable. The loss to Bakole may very well be the making of him – or he may disappear with out a hint.
THE PRODIGY
Moses Itauma
Age: 19
Report: (9-0, 7 KOs)
In case you needed to purchase shares in anybody on this record, your finest guess would possibly simply be Moses Itauma. Nonetheless solely 19, and with designs on breaking Mike Tyson’s report because the youngest ever heavyweight champ, it’s scary to assume how significantly better this southpaw can get.
Though a record-breaking world title within the subsequent yr can be pushing it, he seems to have all of it; unimaginable shot choice, middleweight pace, knockout energy and what looks as if a complete lack of ability to be flustered. Nonetheless, at simply over 6ft 2ins, Itauma shouldn’t be the most important on this record and will probably be fascinating to see how his energy and power match as much as a few of the heavyweight giants who lie in wait.
THE COMEBACK KID
Daniel Dubois
Age: 26
Report: (21-2, 20 KOs)
Probably the most established heavyweight on this record, it’s simple to neglect simply how younger Daniel Dubois nonetheless is. He turned over after solely a handful of senior beginner bouts and has been studying on the job ever since.
He got here below hearth after each his defeats – to Joe Joyce after which Oleksandr Usyk – as a result of he was accused of ‘quitting’ in each however proved the doubters mistaken with back-to-back stoppage victories over Jarrell Miller after which Filip Hrgovic. He additionally confirmed an almighty chin in each fights, when he was caught flush a number of occasions.
That’s by no means a very good tactic in boxing, not to mention at heavyweight, so there’s loads of room for enchancment however he has time on his facet. May flip the complete division on its head by beating Anthony Joshua at Wembley on September 21.
THE CHARACTER
Richard Torrez
Age: 25
Report: (10-0, 10 KOs)
A trainee pilot, a Rubik’s dice skilled and a wannabe gardener, the extremely educated Richard Torrez Jr shouldn’t be your common heavyweight. The unhealthy information for the remainder of the division is he also can actually struggle.
After profitable super-heavyweight silver on the 2020 Olympic Video games, Torrez signed with Prime Rank and has raced to 10-0, 10 KOs in slightly over two years as an expert. The moustachioed Californian was crushed by Bakhodir Jalolov (extra on him later) within the closing in Tokyo and was badly knocked out by him on the worlds, too – and, given they’re each aligned with Prime Rank, count on the pair to fulfill within the paid ranks down the road.
What Torrez lacks in top, he makes up for in angles, variation and mixture punching and he steered the long run may very well be vivid when he stopped fellow undefeated American Brandon Moore in Could. He’s but to step up past eight-round degree on the time of writing so the jury continues to be out on whether or not or not he’ll take-off as a authentic world title contender.
THE DARK HORSE
Justis Huni
Age: 25
Report: (10-0, 5 KOs)
What stands out about Justis Huni compared to a few of the different names on this record is how a lot expertise he has managed to glean in simply 10 fights. All however a type of outings as an expert have been 10-rounders and 6 of these went the space which means he has already carried out 74 rounds below the lights.
You would argue this means the 25-year-old would possibly lack the requisite energy to essentially bother these on the prime however the man from Queensland has all the time discovered a method to win regardless. In two of his final three fights, he has outpointed two very succesful opponents in Andrew Tabiti and Kevin Lerena, suggesting that Huni is maybe the furthest forward of any heavyweight on the planet with 10 fights or much less.
Already ranked inside the highest 10 with the WBO, his allegiance with Matchroom will even open doorways for him everywhere in the world.
THE ATTRACTION
Johnny Fisher
Age: 25
Report: (12-0, 11 KOs)
By no means thoughts the Chinese language takeaways, the Insta-famous Dad or the astonishing legion of followers, the underside line is that Johnny Fisher has developed into a real heavyweight contender. His promoter Eddie Hearn has usually steered that Fisher’s profession can be a ‘enjoyable one’ which belies the seriousness of the Romford Bull’s ambitions to succeed in the very prime.
He has an unimaginable humility which has underpinned huge enhancements within the ring and his profession up to now has been a gradual march by means of the decrease ranges of the division. His dismantling of Alen Babic in simply 36 seconds, nonetheless, appeared to sign a change in perspective; the apprenticeship is now over and Fisher is prepared for the subsequent step.
Large challenges await in Britain alone however he has time on his facet and the right mindset to enhance. Oh, and he punches like a mule.
THE AMATEUR
Bakhodir Jalolov
Age: 30
Report: (14-0, 14 KOs)
It could be truthful to argue {that a} 30-year-old with 14 skilled wins, gold medals on the Olympics and the worlds (twice) can’t actually be included on a listing of the perfect younger, promising heavyweights. Nonetheless, regardless of his accomplishments up to now, it feels as if Bakhodir Jalolov has not likely scratched the floor of what he can obtain within the professional ranks but.
That is partly as a result of the massive Uzbek simply can not avoid the beginner code and represented his nation as soon as once more on the Olympics in Paris profitable his second successive super-heavyweight gold
He’s anticipated to focus absolutely on life punching for pay thereafter and it isn’t pushing it to say he has all of the instruments to emerge as essentially the most dominant heavyweight on the planet over the subsequent decade. Being able to doing it and truly doing it, nonetheless, are two various things.
THE BIG MAN
Gurgen Hovhanisyan
Age: 26
Report: (6-0, 6 KOs)
At 6ft 7ins and the perfect a part of 280lbs, Gurgen Hovhannisyan is the most important specimen on our record and has been making regular enhancements below coach Joe Goossen since relocating to Los Angeles.
Because the nickname suggests, ‘Huge Gug’ has the scale to make life uncomfortable for anybody already however he’s no flat-track bully. He’s surprisingly nimble on his toes and technically gifted along with his palms. He applies strain sensibly and, contained in the ring not less than, has made serene progress to 6-0 with all of them fast. The query is whether or not Hovhannisyan will get the backing required to essentially make a dent on the prime as a heavyweight. He spent the entire of 2023 out of the ring and has boxed below numerous totally different promotional banners already.
A person of his fashion, measurement and high quality is all the time welcome within the ‘Who Wants Him? Membership’ however given the chance, can show his price as a headliner.
THE NATURAL
Fabio Wardley
Age: 29
Report: (17-0-1, 16 KOs)
At 29 years previous, as British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion, Fabio Wardley seems completely positioned to make the most of the change in guard on the prime of the division.
Given his lack of beginner expertise, with solely a handful of white collar fights earlier than he turned professional, he additionally has few miles on the clock regardless of his advancing years compared to a few of the pups on this record.
An unorthodox and explosive fighter, Wardley has made nice strides since linking up with Ben Davison and has banked huge struggle expertise towards David Adeleye and Frazer Clarke.
The latter of these, nonetheless, was a bloody battle which led to a cut up draw. It was the kind of struggle which might change a person so the onus on Wardley is to win the rematch and press on for larger and higher issues thereafter.
THE PROBLEM
Jai Opetaia
Age: 29
Report: (25-0, 19 KOs)
Given Oleksandr Usyk’s ascent to the undisputed heavyweight crown it might be remiss to exclude cruiserweight Jai Opetaia from this record. The Australian has virtually an identical dimensions to his Ukrainian counterpart and packing containers in such an identical fashion that Tyson Fury known as him in for sparring for his final camp.
Usyk has proven that such a method, significantly from a southpaw, will be kryptonite for the division’s greatest males and Opetaia seems properly set to make a splash at heavyweight if that’s the place he needs to ply his commerce.
Usyk was practically 33 when he made his heavyweight debut so at 29, Opetaia has loads of time on his facet too. Extra importantly, he has the kind of tenacious perspective required to attempt his hand within the weight class above and has the expertise to greater than maintain his personal when he will get there.
