Best all-round fighter: Oleksandr Usyk
Not only the best fighter in the division, Usyk is the consensus choice as the leading boxer in the sport. His work at heavyweight is difficult to fault, with two wins over each of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Daniel Dubois. At 38 years old, and with niggling injuries understandably piling up, it’s logical to suggest his time left is limited.
Usyk has exhibited his ability to outbox cunning stylists, like Fury, while also taming more thunderous opposition like Joshua and Dubois. Without question, Usyk has mastered the art of befuddling bigger men, though some have questioned if those levels of trickery would need reworking against fighters closer to his own size – like Agit Kabayel, Joseph Parker and Moses Itauma.
Best puncher: Daniel Dubois
Fabio Wardley, given the manner of his victories over Justis Huni and Frazer Clarke, might carry greater one-punch power but it is Dubois who edges ahead here. When oozing with confidence – never a given with “DD” – he’s a frightful banger who can hurt anyone in the division. Presuming his heart is still in the sport, he’s only 28 so has plenty of years ahead to prove it.
Rising fast: Moses Itauma
It’s very difficult to not get swept up in the hype regarding the 20-year-old Itauma but the truth is, he’s yet to beat anyone who was truly worthy of a Top 10 ranking at the time of defeating them. However, his nimble hands and feet, his ability to discombobulate with one wicked counter, and his unteachable understanding of what to do and when, might indeed point to the division’s king in waiting.
Jury is still out: Bakhodir Jalolov
There has been a buzz around this 6ft 7ins southpaw for many years but, for several reasons (him doubling up as a fearsome amateur while trying to progress might be the biggest), Jalolov is yet to truly convince in the professional ranks. That’s not to say he won’t but, at 31 years old, now is the time to make his play.
Most awkward proposition: Lawrence Okolie
The 32-year-old is sitting pretty in the WBC rankings thanks to his exploits in the maligned bridgerweight class but is never, ever, mentioned by any of his rivals. That’s likely down to his spidery style, lack of box office appeal, and his underrated power. Should Usyk opt to walk away in the next 12 months, though, don’t be surprised if Okolie, 32, is among those who pick up belts.
Best gatekeeper: Derek Chisora
If brains were not prone to being damaged by endless abuse from gloved fists then ol’ man Chisora, 41, could likely hang around for several years doing just enough to beat the also-rans but not quite enough to trouble the elite. Scheduled to have his final outing in December, the division will be on the lookout for a new go-to hard man. One hopes that the likes of Joe Joyce, 40, and Luis Ortiz, 46, do not apply.
Most reliable whiskers: Filip Hrgovic
Hrgovic is astonishingly durable but surely too aware of his own mortality to fill Chisora’s shoes. Spent an awfully long time morphing from prospect to contender but recent victories over Joyce and David Adeleye, which followed a punishing but thrilling loss to Dubois, make him a dangerman who will take some shifting.
Deserves a title shot: Joseph Parker
It’s testament to Parker’s bloody-mindedness that he’s opted to fill his time with Fabio Wardley rather than just wait around for what is rightfully his. One fears it might all go wrong for the affable New Zealander because, well, that’s just the way it goes sometimes. Should he defeat Wardley as most expect, however, he should be presented with a contract to challenge Usyk immediately afterwards. Agit Kabayel is worthy of an honorable mention here, too.
Most protected: Nelson Hyna
The 41-year-old “Albanian Eagle” can boast a shiny 23-0 (21 KOs) record and top 10 rankings with the WBA and WBO. He has beaten precisely nobody to earn them, though.
At the crossroads: Anthony Joshua
Joshua might still be the most lucrative commodity in the division but he’ll need a convincing win in his next bout to prove it. Unquestionably scarred by losses to Andy Ruiz and Usyk, and perhaps even the up-and-downer with Wladimir Klitschko before those, it stands to reason that Joshua – following a crushing defeat to Dubois last year – will need rebuilding psychologically if his projected comeback is to be a success.
Just hanging around: Kubrat Pulev
If ever there was a champion who highlighted what a waste of time and space WBA ‘regular’ titles are, it’s Kubrat Pulev. The Bulgarian veteran, inactive since December and 44 years old, would have a target on his back if that belt was anything approaching worthwhile. But, alas for him, it’s not.
Should not be ranked at all: Mahmoud Charr
Charr, who lost that pesky regular gong to Pulev and hasn’t won a meaningful bout since 2017, finds himself ranked at No. 11 by the WBA. But when one looks closely at those heavyweight ratings (Lenier Pero at No. 3, Nelson Hysa at No. 7, Dainier Pero at No. 9, Gurgen Hovhannisyan at No. 10, Yoandy Toirac at No. 14 and Joseph Goodall at No. 15) it becomes apparent that the WBA are operating in a parallel universe to which the rest of us are not privy.
Dark horse: Jai Opetaia
Admirably, Opetaia is determined to stick around at cruiserweight so he can collect all the belts. Should he do so impressively, which would mean defeating Gilberto Ramirez, the only place to go next would be the heavyweight class.
Time to say goodbye: Deontay Wilder
Nobody should forget about Wilder’s incredible rise from raw novice to one of the scariest brain scramblers in existence. But his time has been and gone. The punishing rivalries with Fury and Luis Ortiz took their toll, and the horrible KO suffered at the hands of Zhilei Zhang will have eroded him further. Only in the land of the giants could he still be on the road for one more ginormous payday.
Don’t forget about: Martin Bakole
Only 12 months ago he was regarded as the modern-day version of George Foreman but, in nods to the modern tendency to both overrate and write off too quickly, he’s now about as well-regarded as Duane Bobick. It might end up working in his favor if a big-name opponent shares that lack of faith.
