The Champions / as of: January 7, 2020

WBO: Anthony Joshua

IBF: Anthony Joshua

WBA: Anthony Joshua*

WBC: Deontay Wilder**

*Mahmoud Charr is the WBA “regular” heavyweight champion and Trevor Bryan is the WBA interim heavyweight champion

**Dillian Whyte is the WBC interim heavyweight champion

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By Tom Donelson / Author, Member Boxing Writers Association of America / Contributor to dmboxing.com since 2008

The heavyweight division is becoming an interesting division with some intriguing fighters and even more intriguing bouts.  Anthony Joshua won his title back by out boxing Andy Ruiz, who didn’t show the same ability to penetrate Joshua defenses as he did in their first fight, but then Joshua didn’t give him a chance in the rematch.  This bout reminded me of Lennox Lewis and David Tua 리모콘 어플. Lewis did not bother to give Tua, who had a devastating left hook a chance to hit him, and Lewis simply jab, jab, jab with occasional right hand while Tua could never get close to throw any meaningful punches.  After getting knocked around by Ruiz in their first match, Joshua showed adaptability and simply boxed Ruiz 영어책 다운로드. Ruiz never got his chance to hit a home run but Joshua always had the technical skill and showed his boxing skills when he out boxed Joseph Parker in their match and he showed his ability to comeback off the canvas against Wladimir Klitschko to win that bout by knockout 7공주 mp3 다운로드.

Tyson Fury is a big 6’9” fighter but he also has boxing skills and is not easy to hit.  Against Wladimir Klitschko, his defensive skills kept Klitschko off guard 유안타증권 다운로드. Part of the reason sited at the time was Klitshcko age but after watching the Wilder fight, Fury frustrated Wilder equally.  Wilder nearly ended the fight twice with two powerful rights that sent Fury down but Fury both times manage to climb off the canvas.   Fury did have issues in his last fight as Otto Wallin opened up a massive cut over Fury eye and nearly stopped him in the early rounds due to cuts 다운로드. This was the second fight that Fury had to struggle to finish the fight, but he did finish the fight and won the bout.

Andy Ruiz has lost two fights, but his losses were to champions, Joseph Parker for Parker WBO title and Joshua for Joshua four titles.  He has knock out power but at 6’2” and a 74 inch reach, he is the smallest of the major contenders and as he showed in the Joshua, he did not show the ability to penetrate Joshua defenses and burrow his way on Joshua’s chest.  His weakness was not being able to get inside the taller Joshua.  He is still a threat to the title since he has for a brief moment had four of the Heavyweight title.

Deontay Wilder depends upon his power and while he has piston like jabs, his big punch is the right hand.  The biggest problem with Wilder is that he has depended on his power.  Against Fury, he did very little to set up punches and simply try to throw home runs as Fury defenses frustrated him.  He almost pulled out a victory with two knockdowns that were vicious but somehow Fury got back up and Wilder had to settle for a draw.  His two victories over Luis Ortiz were similar matches in which Ortiz won most of the round and was leading on scorecards before Wilder right hand ended the fight. 

Wilder weakness and inability to adopt in fights so far has not hurt him since he has the great equalizer, the most devastating right hand knock out punches.  Of all of the boxers, Wilder has the highest ceiling only because he has the athletic tools to be a complete boxer but against fighters with defensive skills, he has difficulty of setting up punches. Other fighters to look include Dillian Whyte who has only lost one fight to Joshua in 2015, and Joseph Parker whose only losses have been to Whyte and Joshua. There is also undefeated former Cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk who is looking to win another title in a different weight class.

The heavyweight division has Joshua, who has excellent boxing skills has shown some vulnerability in his first bout against Ruiz.  The one thing he showed in the second Ruiz fight, the ability to adopt and win by using his boxing skills over Ruiz.    In a match up with Fury, Joshua may have a power advantage and the boxing skills to set up punches and while he would be vulnerable to Wilder’s power, Joshua could frustrate Wilder
Fury has shown the ability to box and frustrate his opponents.  For a guy who is 6’9”, he can be light on his feet but against Wallin and Wilder, he nearly lost both bouts by knock out or stoppage. Wilder right hand nearly ended Fury bout and Wallin opened up a cut over Fury eyes, threatened to stop Fury by TKO.  Fury survived Wallin onslaught to take control over the final half of the fight. 

Wilder is the wild card since he knock-out any fighter with one punch, but he is the least technical skill fighter of all of the top heavyweights.  He often throws wild punch that leads him vulnerable to counters, but he also shown heart as he did in the first Ortiz fight who hurt him. He recovered and knock Ortiz out.  He has the great equalizer, his right- hand stopping Ortiz twice to secure a victory when he was behind on the scorecards and knocking Fury down twice to salvage a draw. 

Wilder will fight Fury in February and he has to show a little more adaptability to be set up his punches as oppose to trying to hit a home run.  Fury has to box, frustrate Wilder and not get hit.  The winner gets Joshua.  Ruiz will still be waiting later for his shot at recapturing the title.  The heavyweight division will be interesting over the next 12 months.