Will AJ-Klit crown a new lineal Heavyweight champion?

[Sadiqkingofko]

He'll be back. And even if Tyson Fury is never fighting again, you still have Wilder and Povetkin ranked higher than AJ who would be #4 in the division at best.

if Wlad beats Joshua and Povetkin beats Wilder then we'll just get Wlad-Povetkin2

[Jewish-Reptile]

I think there are other guys that need to be dealt with, I don't think it is clear cut 1 vs 2 so to me no. Because right now there is no number 1, I can't have Wlad at 1 off that performance against Fury, and I am not putting Joshua one based of his impressive looking wins against mediocre opposition.

The winner would be clear number 1 but they would then have to fight whoever number 2 is to really establish a new lineage.

Klitschko and Povetkin are number one and two respectively, I also feel Parker has more credible wins than Wilder and Joshua combined, so can Joshua even be considered top 3 ?

[Holystroke3]

Fury is still lineal champ

[Holystroke3]

Even without Fury in the picture, the heavyweight division is way too muddy to have a fight for the lineal title. There's no consensus top 2

[The Gambler1981]

Klitschko and Povetkin are number one and two respectively, I also feel Parker has more credible wins than Wilder and Joshua combined, so can Joshua even be considered top 3 ?

You aren't number 1 coming off a horrendously bad loss, that spot is vacant at best for these two men. Povetkin has not done anything that special either and hasn't fought in more than 1 year, he needs to beat Wilder to get that sort of distinction. Beating Stiverne will get him back to his standard position but is not making him 1 or 2.

Either Fury is 1 or 1 is vacant with Wlad-Joshua being able to establish a new 1. Once number 1 is established either through Fury coming back strong or the Wlad-Joshua fight, then we can start talking about a new lineage with the winner of that fight either against an established number 2 or Fury.

[BrometheusBob.]

We should be reluctant to crown a new lineal champ w/o the current lineal champ's involvement. I'd vote no.

I think the winner of this fight should still fight Fury in order to be recognized as the man of the division. If Fury declines that fight or retires, then I'd be fine with the winner assuming the spot of lineal champ.

[Dr Rumack]

Nah. Even if Fury is temporarily out of commission, Wilder and Wlad are still ahead of AJ. No way AJ's competition puts him in the top 2.

[Cheek busting]

Def. should be, glad to hear it is.

Joshua is a completely different style than Fury - he's not nearly as fleet of foot ass Fury, and his reach isn't as long as Fury's. That was what threw Wlad so off - there was finally a boxer who was just as fast (if not faster) than him, PLUS had a reach advantage that inhibited him from gauging distance to his "comfort zone" - that's why towards the end of the fight he started using a lot more lead left hooks - he abandoned trying to box from the outside and tried to sit down in mid-range (too little, too late doe).


But, Joshua also hits about thrice as hard as Fury - if Joshua gets a free, unprotected 3-2 combo on Wlad then it's lights out..


Personally, I think if Wlad still has the same foot speed he's shown, he knocks Joshua out.. Joshua won't be used to Wlad clinching all the time, and he'll get frustrated - Wlad will catch him with that lead left hook he transitions so brilliantly into from the pawing jab. SEE PULEV FIGHT.


Wlad uses his jab to setup the 2, and then uses the 2 to setup the 3.. It's brilliant.

[Cheek busting]

Nah. Even if Fury is temporarily out of commission, Wilder and Wlad are still ahead of AJ. No way AJ's competition puts him in the top 2.

Eh, not ahead of Wlad but he's ahead of Wilder, IMO.

Whyte is better than anyone Wilder has fought..

Stiverne is overrated, and I expect Povetkin to actually stop him. If he beats Povetkin, I take this back!

Although Wilder's win over Duhaupas is looking more, and more impressive with each passing win he accumulates.

[Larry the boss]

if Wlad beats Joshua and Povetkin beats Wilder then we'll just get Wlad-Povetkin2