Top Ten British Heavyweights

Top Ten British Heavyweights

By Joe Jessup

The heavyweight scene in world boxing is at it’s healthiest stage in many years right now. With champions such as AJ and Wilder at the helm, and past kings like Tyson Fury still going, the glamour division boasts an incredible potential for great fights over the next couple of seasons.

In this article, I explore the domestic scene from a British standpoint. With Joshua reviving the UK interest in boxing of late, the heavyweights seem to have taken off. Is this a true reflection, or is it merely a case of the good being very good and the rest being poor?

10 – Nathan Gorman (13-0)

The 22-year old fights out of Nantwich and despite being relatively unknown, is starting to make a name for himself. The Ricky Hatton trained heavyweight has gone 13-0 since turning professional, with 11 of those coming by way of knockout. He is yet to test himself against high level opposition, but his last bout against Sean Turner was a minor step up and one he passed with flying colours. Gorman is a distant cousin of Tyson Fury and comes from a lengthy, rich heritage of bare-knuckle boxing. Expect to see a step up to British level very soon.

9 – Daniel Dubois (8-0)

Daniel Dubois is very highly touted and since turning professional in April 2017, has shown the domestic scene exactly why. Originally expected to stay in the amateur ranks for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, the London fighter decided to start his journey to heavyweight stardom early. Soon to be only 21, Triple D has amassed a record of 8 knockout wins without loss and looks the real deal. He punches hard, stands at nearly 6’5 and is athletic in the AJ mould. He is signed to Frank Warren, so will undoubtedly receive a fair amount of exposure over the next few years. Up next for Dubois is tricky journeyman Kevin Johnson who, despite being on the slide, will teach the youngster a thing or two about ring craft.

8 – David Price (22-4-1)

Pricey is the big man that never quite was. Through a mixture of shortcomings, unfair luck and stamina issues, the once devastating Liverpudlian’s career has stalled big time.

An incredibly good amateur, Price built up a perfect record of 15-0 before meeting wily American Tony Thompson in 2013. In what was supposed to be a small test, the Scouse heavyweight was knocked out in 2 rounds before being stopped inside 5 in the rematch. This showed up Pricey’s big weakness – the chin. He would rebuild against lower level opposition before being shocked again inside 2 rounds by German Erkan Teper for the European Title. It would later be changed to a no contest after the German failed a drug test, adding to the failed drug test by Thompson after their second bout 2 years before.

Two more stoppage losses have occurred in recent years (sandwiched between minor wins) against Christian Hammer and Alexander Povetkin, leaving many to call for Price to retire. The gentle giant however is determined to continue and having looked good against Povetkin before the stoppage, could still pose a significant threat to his domestic rivals.

7 – Joe Joyce (5-0)

Joe Joyce looks the real deal. Despite turning professional late, the sterling amateur heavyweight has looked very good. In a highly impressive debut against Ian Lewison, the David Haye backed banger stopped the durable Lewison in the eight, two rounds earlier than Dillian Whyte had previously. Joyce won European and Commonwealth gold as well as an Olympic silver before entering the paid ranks, and that looks to be holding him in good stead. He won the Commonwealth title in only his 4th bout and was quickly calling for a domestic dust up with Dereck Chisora. Joyce is 32, so time is of the essence for the London Juggernaut. Standing an imposing 6’6, JJ has all the tools to hit the heights in this current heavyweight picture, providing he keeps his head screwed on and always improving.

6 – Tony Bellew (30-2-1)

Whilst I feel a little premature including the Bomber in this list, back to back stoppage victories against David Haye – albeit a shell of the former – show an impressive ability at heavy. I picked against Bellew in both of the aforementioned bouts, despite Haye not being the old powerhouse we once knew. That Bellew was able to take some shots from his significantly stronger opponent and put him away (in the rematch at least) told me that with the added weight, Tony would fare well against a lot of the big guys. It remains to be seen if the Cruiserweight champion will fight again at the weight, but whilst he identifies as one, I think Bellew warrants his place on the list. He’s tough, wily and can more than hold his own in a fist fight.

5 – Hughie Fury (21-1)

The lesser known of the Fury’s, Hughie is nonetheless forming a solid record. A standout amateur, Fury turned professional at the tender age of 18 and already has a record of 21 wins from only 22 bouts. His lone blip was a twelve round majority loss to Joseph Parker for the WBO strap in September of last year. He fought well, making Parker miss and showing great defensive skill but he was never busy enough to claim the title. Hughie looked fantastic last time out against Sam Sexton, winning the British title in the process. Next up is an IBF final eliminator against Kubrat Pulev next month, with the winner in line for a shot at Anthony Joshua – whether that will happen is anyone’s guess however. Now firmly over persistent injuries and away from his older cousin’s shadow, Hughie has the chance to show the world that he means business.

4 – Dereck Chisora (29-8)

Delboy should be everyone’s favourite heavyweight – funny, fearless and charismatic. His record reads like a journeyman, but boxing fans know better than that. His loss against Helenius remains one of the biggest robberies I’ve ever witnessed and a solid case could be made for him having beaten Whyte in their grudge match in 2016.

Apart from these two losses, Chisora has only ever lost to top opposition (with the exception of Agit Kabayel). Chisora is a handful for any heavyweight in the world; incredibly tough, forward, strong and bullish. He is rarely in boring fights, as his most recent outing against Carlos Takam proved. Behind on the scorecards, having been hurt several times throughout the bout, Chisora landed a peach of a right hand that put Takam down hard. The Frenchman would beat the count, but Chisora knocked him out with a picture perfect hook moments later to give himself one last go at the elite level.

3 – Tyson Fury (26-0)

What more is there to say about Tyson Fury that hasn’t been said? Fury is a giant of a heavyweight that fights like a man at the ballerina. Often controversial and devise, the self-proclaimed Gypsy King has backed up his trash talking all through his career.

He is the man that beat the man and became lineal champion of the world, a feat that no one can take away from his career. Fury has a solid resume and although people tend prefer the big hitters of the division, Fury may well be the most skilful in the world. Barring a few small hiccups along the way, the big man has dominated everyone put in front of him without ever looking pushed.

After dethroning reigning King Klitschko in his own backyard at the end of 2015, Fury spent a self-inflicted two years out of the game suffering depression, drug abuse and ballooned in weight. He returned earlier this year against well overmatched Sefer Seferi and has won two straight, looking trimmer than ever but in much need of some rounds.

Next up is a rumoured bout with Deontay Wilder, which as been mooted for a November/December date. Whether Fury still has it remains to be seen but it’s hard to imagine that two years inactive, eight extra stone and cocaine addiction won’t have had some form of impact on the Gypsy King. Respect to Fury for wanting to get straight in with Wilder, but what should be his prime years may well turn in to a case of what could have been.

2 – Dillian Whyte (24-1)

Dillian Whyte came in to the public eye as the villainous, arch-nemesis of Anthony Joshua. He lost their grudge match in 2015 but gave a very good account of himself and has only gone from strength to strength since.

The ‘Bodysnatcher’ is quietly building a nice resume of names and putting himself in a good position to challenge for world titles, something he is adamant will happen soon. He has been fighting WBC eliminators for what seems like years and a lot of people believe Deontay Wilder viewed him as too big a risk for little reward. His last two fights have really seen an upturn in Whyte’s stock, scoring a spectacular knockout of former WBA champion Lucas Browne before winning a tough, gruelling contest against ex-WBO king Joseph Parker.

Whyte has been calling out everyone at the top and has his heart set on a rematch with AJ, something that looks certain for some time next year. An immediate option might be another domestic rematch with Dereck Chisora, after their epic bout in 2016 saw Whyte given the nod via split decision. Whyte has been patient and careful, working his way up the ladder. His time is surely now, and one which he may be able to grab with open arms.

1 – Anthony Joshua (21-0)

Joshua is the golden boy of British boxing, a true crossover star with masses of appeal to the wider public. Good looking, charismatic and seemingly carved in the form of a Roman God, AJ really has it all. All this aside however, the boy can fight too.

After an amateur career full of peaks and troths, culminating in an Olympic Gold medal at his home in London in 2012, Joshua turned professional and began a tear up through the domestic scene in a way unseen anywhere since a young Mike Tyson tore through the heavyweights in the late 80s.

In his sixteenth bout, he demolished Charles Martin in two rounds to claim the IBF title before meeting Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium last year in what would prove a classic. It turned in to a titanic battle of fire meets lightening and had a real feel of the passing of the torch between two champions in contrasting stages of their career; Joshua the young lion who is just beginning a journey to immortality and Klitschko, the old wolf trying to show the world one more time that he can still bite.

Joshua answered a host of questions including the big ones about his heart, whether he could go deep and how good his chin is. Two fights later the WBO strap landed after the unbeaten Joseph Parker was easily dismissed in a tactical battle, leaving only Wilder’s WBC belt to complete the puzzle.

Many people wanted and expected to see the two meet next for all the belts, but for whatever reason it hasn’t materialised yet. Alexander Povetkin will prove a worthy test before the calls for the ultimate unification start once again. Joshua has the potential to dominate the scene for years – he’s fast, strong, big and punches very hard. The Wilder fight must happen and soon, before a spanner gets thrown in to the works.