Anyone care to speculate what this list will look like in 12 months?
Very similar as they all line up Patsy's to cling on to their titles and their money-making chances. The bodies have no interest in unification of titles as it lessens their standing. Oh for the days when there was only one or two governing bodies and we had proper title fights. All very short-sighted - can you imagine the global audience for another Rumble in the Jungle or a Thriller-in-Manilla? We would, of course, need some far better fighters with real personalities.
I think if that Charles Martin can hold on a little longer to that belt, Haye will prob wanna fight him as he would be the easier option.
Keep an eye out for Joseph Parker from New Zealand aswell, looks hungry and looks like a talent, i know hes gunning for Haye or Joshua, would say he needs to fight a couple of European Heavyweights first before the big guns!
End of 2016 Fury Fury Fury Who cares about the IBF now?
Regarding people not liking AJ, I don't think many don't, although the Hearn element and how unnatural the niceness comes across (compare him to Ricky Hatton) may play a part. I wanted Whyte to beat him but wouldn't want a non-domestic opponent to beat him, or Haye.
It may be devoid of class, but there's a bit of intrigue as the top 10 are so even. I think the defining moment for the division is whether Kiltch gets back to doing what he does best against Fury or if he really has met his match. If it is the latter you're left with three champions with 80 odd wins having only beaten two top 5 fighters in the process. They'll all be seen as vulnerable. You then have a bunch of up and comers Parker, Ortiz and Ajay (Ortiz being by far the oldest and with the best win on his record) and more experienced fighters that couldn't crack Klitch (Povetkin, Haye, Pulev). So you've got 9 fighters who could probably all beat each other on their day.
Weirdly, the most talented, Wilder, Parker and AJ have been kept wrapped up the most. Everyone has to wonder if they can step up. Of course AJ has the Olympic title, but IMO he'd not have won the semi or the final if it hadn't been at home. Fury beat the man and often looks very accomplished (but sometimes looks like a pikey with tits), and nobody will want to risk their reputation with him. Martin has burst onto the scene and probably should be in the up and comers bucket. He will be the champ that everyone wants a crack at.
For me I think Povetkin has the potential to clean up, everyone knows this and he's being avoided like the plague. He's stronger than when he lost against Klitch.
It may be devoid of class, but there's a bit of intrigue as the top 10 are so even. I think the defining moment for the division is whether Kiltch gets back to doing what he does best against Fury or if he really has met his match. If it is the latter you're left with three champions with 80 odd wins having only beaten two top 5 fighters in the process. They'll all be seen as vulnerable. You then have a bunch of up and comers Parker, Ortiz and Ajay (Ortiz being by far the oldest and with the best win on his record) and more experienced fighters that couldn't crack Klitch (Povetkin, Haye, Pulev). So you've got 9 fighters who could probably all beat each other on their day.
Weirdly, the most talented, Wilder, Parker and AJ have been kept wrapped up the most. Everyone has to wonder if they can step up. Of course AJ has the Olympic title, but IMO he'd not have won the semi or the final if it hadn't been at home. Fury beat the man and often looks very accomplished (but sometimes looks like a pikey with tits), and nobody will want to risk their reputation with him. Martin has burst onto the scene and probably should be in the up and comers bucket. He will be the champ that everyone wants a crack at.
For me I think Povetkin has the potential to clean up, everyone knows this and he's being avoided like the plague. He's stronger than when he lost against Klitch.
Povetkin is Wilder's mandatory and likely next opponent. The wrapping up is about to end!
Most generations have an outstanding heavyweight, Marciano, Patterson, Ali, Holmes, Tyson, Lewis, Klitschko (both) - with the rest somewhat off the pace. We look to be entering another period where perhaps another outstanding heavyweight emerges - that could be AJ, Wilder, Fury, Povetkin (although age is against him) - it could even be Parker.
Note: outstanding here means standing out from the rest - it doesn't necessarily mean a 'hall of famer'!
I think Wilder has to fight Povetkin in his next defence or he'll be stripped of the title. It will certainly be his toughest test to date.
Intrigued with the Fury V Klitschko rematch, as I can't see Vlad being so bad the second time around. Although, his inability to let his punches go in the first fight may suggest he is shot to bits.
Next opponent for AJ is an important one. Not ready for Haye but a massive level above Chisora / Whyte. In all honesty, on another night he could've stopped Whyte in the opening round. I can see Hearn arranging an eliminator for the IBF title against someone like 5th ranked Erkan Teper (who knocked out David Price)
Haye will only get beaten by a smart fighter. If you lean back and jab (and have a height advantage) he will struggle (such as against Wlad or if he were to fight Fury).
AJ has the height and reach but he has little experience at defensive boxing. If he fought Haye he would get caught by big shots when the first opportunity arose and Haye is a very good finisher.
Wilder's promotor was on talksport last night, he seems honest that Deontay is far from the finished article and certainly didn't commit when asked if Povetkin would get his mandatory shot next. Fair play to Wilder though for fighting 4 world title fights in 12 months, regardless of the quality of opponent. Plan seems to be keep him busy and keep him learning.
Wilder's promotor was on talksport last night, he seems honest that Deontay is far from the finished article and certainly didn't commit when asked if Povetkin would get his mandatory shot next. Fair play to Wilder though for fighting 4 world title fights in 12 months, regardless of the quality of opponent. Plan seems to be keep him busy and keep him learning.
That's what I'd do with him. Povetkin is decent, problem with Wilder is he has ironed out so many people his record maybe hypes him a bit. He is also the great American hope and they have had a load of them fall by the road recently
Heavyweight boxing starting to come alive again. Probably weight class with least interest for me in past few years.
Anyone seen much of Joseph Parker from New Zealand? Impressed so far, like to see him step up this year.
Edit: for some reason I completely missed the millions of posts above all mentioning Parker. Twat.
Joseph Parker stopped American southpaw Jason Bergman in the eighth last night in Samoa after putting him down 3 times. His next fight will be in Christchurch in April and his management hope to find a top 10 opponent in the second half of this year.
Parker was hugely popular in Apia, birthplace of his parents and traffic came to a standstill for a street parade before the weigh-in.
He is trained by Kevin Barry who took David Tua to a shot v Lennox Lewis. An old boxer who is following Parker's progress with a lot of interest is Evander Holyfield who reckons he has great potential.
I like the look of Parker, fast heavy hands and quite mobile. Another whose hard to gauge though because of the quality of his opponents. Needs a top ten opponent on his record to be seriously considered for a title shot.
Joseph Parker was named no one challenger in the WBO rankings today. Anthony Joshua is no 2. They will hopefully meet later this year. Both want the fight and Parker hopes to fight him in NZ.
Joseph Parker was named no one challenger in the WBO rankings today. Anthony Joshua is no 2. They will hopefully meet later this year. Both want the fight and Parker hopes to fight him in NZ.
The sanctioning bodies and their rankings are a joke. It's turned in to one great big bun fight over who can get certain names in the ring and as their champion, despite some never having faced anyone inside the top 50 in the world.
Parker hasn't fought anyone to warrant that spot and is, in my opinion, stagnating and not progressing as he should be due to fighting complete bums. The same could be said of Joshua but the argument can be made that he's fought a higher calibre of opponent than Parker.
Parker doesn't want to fight Joshua. His manager turned up in London knowing full well that he wouldn't get a meeting with Matchroom at such short notice. Instead he used it as an opportunity to get his fighter mentioned in the same breath as Joshua before going home to arrange another bum for him to fight. Smoke and mirrors is all it is.
Comments
Now days the is seldom the desire from the fighters to make it happen and that tells you all you need to know about their quality
Fury and his wwe act on Saturday took away all the good he earned beating klitchko, I have not seen such a ridiculous act of bravado in boxing,
Yet wilder still said he will fight him after the next defence, so in a yrs time If both are still unbeaten and if the opportunity is there
Keep an eye out for Joseph Parker from New Zealand aswell, looks hungry and looks like a talent, i know hes gunning for Haye or Joshua, would say he needs to fight a couple of European Heavyweights first before the big guns!
Fury
Fury
Fury
Who cares about the IBF now?
Regarding people not liking AJ, I don't think many don't, although the Hearn element and how unnatural the niceness comes across (compare him to Ricky Hatton) may play a part. I wanted Whyte to beat him but wouldn't want a non-domestic opponent to beat him, or Haye.
Weirdly, the most talented, Wilder, Parker and AJ have been kept wrapped up the most. Everyone has to wonder if they can step up. Of course AJ has the Olympic title, but IMO he'd not have won the semi or the final if it hadn't been at home. Fury beat the man and often looks very accomplished (but sometimes looks like a pikey with tits), and nobody will want to risk their reputation with him. Martin has burst onto the scene and probably should be in the up and comers bucket. He will be the champ that everyone wants a crack at.
For me I think Povetkin has the potential to clean up, everyone knows this and he's being avoided like the plague. He's stronger than when he lost against Klitch.
Most generations have an outstanding heavyweight, Marciano, Patterson, Ali, Holmes, Tyson, Lewis, Klitschko (both) - with the rest somewhat off the pace. We look to be entering another period where perhaps another outstanding heavyweight emerges - that could be AJ, Wilder, Fury, Povetkin (although age is against him) - it could even be Parker.
Note: outstanding here means standing out from the rest - it doesn't necessarily mean a 'hall of famer'!
Wilder gets exposed way below world class. I actually think Whyte beats him.
Intrigued with the Fury V Klitschko rematch, as I can't see Vlad being so bad the second time around. Although, his inability to let his punches go in the first fight may suggest he is shot to bits.
Next opponent for AJ is an important one. Not ready for Haye but a massive level above Chisora / Whyte. In all honesty, on another night he could've stopped Whyte in the opening round. I can see Hearn arranging an eliminator for the IBF title against someone like 5th ranked Erkan Teper (who knocked out David Price)
WRT Povetkin I reckon the Wilder camp will kick down mountains to avoid that monster.
These are the only rankings that people should bother to look at: http://www.tbrb.org/all-rankings/
AJ has the height and reach but he has little experience at defensive boxing. If he fought Haye he would get caught by big shots when the first opportunity arose and Haye is a very good finisher.
Heavyweight boxing starting to come alive again.
Probably weight class with least interest for me in past few years.
Anyone seen much of Joseph Parker from New Zealand?
Impressed so far, like to see him step up this year.
Edit: for some reason I completely missed the millions of posts above all mentioning Parker. Twat.
Parker was hugely popular in Apia, birthplace of his parents and traffic came to a standstill for a street parade before the weigh-in.
He is trained by Kevin Barry who took David Tua to a shot v Lennox Lewis. An old boxer who is following Parker's progress with a lot of interest is Evander Holyfield who reckons he has great potential.
Parker hasn't fought anyone to warrant that spot and is, in my opinion, stagnating and not progressing as he should be due to fighting complete bums. The same could be said of Joshua but the argument can be made that he's fought a higher calibre of opponent than Parker.
Parker doesn't want to fight Joshua. His manager turned up in London knowing full well that he wouldn't get a meeting with Matchroom at such short notice. Instead he used it as an opportunity to get his fighter mentioned in the same breath as Joshua before going home to arrange another bum for him to fight. Smoke and mirrors is all it is.