Tag: Tyson Fury

Could Anthony Joshua’s final run as an elite heavyweight be his best?

Could Anthony Joshua’s final run as an elite heavyweight be his best?

The best of Anthony Joshua might be in his future.

That concept might sound absurd to many who have followed his career. After all, he lost three of five fights between 2019 and 2022, which changed the way the two-time heavyweight champion is perceived by pundits and fans.

However, things might be aligning themselves favorably for a strong run – a final run, the 34-year-old said – that could restore much of the luster he lost.

Joshua is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou on pay-per-view Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. If he wins, he’ll keep a close eye on the May 18 fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship.

“I think we’ve got to see what happens … with the belts,” Joshua said last year, per The Independent. “Let them be competed for and then potentially let them go up in the air and then we’ll see where the belts land.

“Then just stay consistent, stay focused on improving for these next 12 to 16 months while I’m in title contention.”

Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) was the unquestioned top heavyweight after Wladimir Klitschko declined, with victories over Dillian Whyte, Charles Martin (to win his first belt), Klitschko and Joseph Parker.

Then disaster struck in 2019. He was dropped four times and stopped by Andy Ruiz in seven rounds to lose the undisputed championship, after which he suffered one of the sport’s great indignities: His mental toughness was questioned.

He bounced back to easily outpoint Ruiz and regain his belts six months later but he looked timid, which didn’t help his reputation.

Then, after he stopped an aging Kubrat Pulev, he lost back-to-back decisions against former cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Some believed he was finished as one of the top heavyweights at that point.

Maybe not.

First, he gave a strong performance in the second fight with Usyk. He looked prepared and determined, and he boxed well, which is why the fight couldn’t have been much closer. Usyk won a split decision by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 113-115.

Joshua didn’t fight with his past ferocity in his next two fights, a unanimous decision over Jermaine Franklin and a seventh-round knockout of Robert Helenius. However, the victories had him moving in the right direction.

And in his third fight, against Otto Wallin on Dec. 23, he delivered a vintage performance. He fought with the confidence he had pre-Ruiz, outclassed the solid Wallin with his formidable boxing skills and ended the fight in brutal fashion in the fifth round under new trainer Ben Davison.

It arguably was his best performance since he knocked out Alexander Povetkin in 2018.

“I’m on a journey, and I’m going to stay focused,” he said afterward. “I don’t celebrate when we win these fights. I celebrate when I win the titles.”

Also, his rivals seem to be more vulnerable than ever.

The big fight for him would be a showdown with countryman Tyson Fury, providing Fury gets past Usyk. Fury looked terrible in his meeting with Ngannou in October, going down in the third round but rallying to win a split decision.

If Fury has ever looked beatable, it’s now.

And if Usyk beats Fury? We’ll go back to the second Usyk-Joshua fight, which could’ve gone either way. And consider Usyk’s last fight, in which he went down and was hurt badly by a body shot but rallied to outpoint Daniel Dubois in the ninth round in August.

That performance and Joshua’s apparent resurgence would make a third fight between them fascinating.

Of course, Joshua has to beat Ngannou before moving on to a title shot. If he does, he’ll be first in line to fight for a title when the opportunity arises.

That could come against the May 18 winner, although Fury and Usyk could do it a second time. Joshua also will be in a strong position if a title opens up for any other reason. One or more sanctioning bodies could strip their champion, fighters get injured, they retire. Who knows?

The former champion’s job is what he said it is, “stay consistent, stay focused.” If he can do that and continue to have his hand raised, he should get the opportunity to prove he’s as good as we used to think he was.

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Could Anthony Joshua’s final run as an elite heavyweight be his best?

Could Anthony Joshua’s final run as an elite heavyweight be his best?

The best of Anthony Joshua might be in his future.

That concept might sound absurd to many who have followed his career. After all, he lost three of five fights between 2019 and 2022, which changed the way the two-time heavyweight champion is perceived by pundits and fans.

However, things might be aligning themselves favorably for a strong run – a final run, the 34-year-old said – that could restore much of the luster he lost.

Joshua is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou on pay-per-view Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. If he wins, he’ll keep a close eye on the May 18 fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship.

“I think we’ve got to see what happens … with the belts,” Joshua said last year, per The Independent. “Let them be competed for and then potentially let them go up in the air and then we’ll see where the belts land.

“Then just stay consistent, stay focused on improving for these next 12 to 16 months while I’m in title contention.”

Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) was the unquestioned top heavyweight after Wladimir Klitschko declined, with victories over Dillian Whyte, Charles Martin (to win his first belt), Klitschko and Joseph Parker.

Then disaster struck in 2019. He was dropped four times and stopped by Andy Ruiz in seven rounds to lose the undisputed championship, after which he suffered one of the sport’s great indignities: His mental toughness was questioned.

He bounced back to easily outpoint Ruiz and regain his belts six months later but he looked timid, which didn’t help his reputation.

Then, after he stopped an aging Kubrat Pulev, he lost back-to-back decisions against former cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Some believed he was finished as one of the top heavyweights at that point.

Maybe not.

First, he gave a strong performance in the second fight with Usyk. He looked prepared and determined, and he boxed well, which is why the fight couldn’t have been much closer. Usyk won a split decision by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 113-115.

Joshua didn’t fight with his past ferocity in his next two fights, a unanimous decision over Jermaine Franklin and a seventh-round knockout of Robert Helenius. However, the victories had him moving in the right direction.

And in his third fight, against Otto Wallin on Dec. 23, he delivered a vintage performance. He fought with the confidence he had pre-Ruiz, outclassed the solid Wallin with his formidable boxing skills and ended the fight in brutal fashion in the fifth round under new trainer Ben Davison.

It arguably was his best performance since he knocked out Alexander Povetkin in 2018.

“I’m on a journey, and I’m going to stay focused,” he said afterward. “I don’t celebrate when we win these fights. I celebrate when I win the titles.”

Also, his rivals seem to be more vulnerable than ever.

The big fight for him would be a showdown with countryman Tyson Fury, providing Fury gets past Usyk. Fury looked terrible in his meeting with Ngannou in October, going down in the third round but rallying to win a split decision.

If Fury has ever looked beatable, it’s now.

And if Usyk beats Fury? We’ll go back to the second Usyk-Joshua fight, which could’ve gone either way. And consider Usyk’s last fight, in which he went down and was hurt badly by a body shot but rallied to outpoint Daniel Dubois in the ninth round in August.

That performance and Joshua’s apparent resurgence would make a third fight between them fascinating.

Of course, Joshua has to beat Ngannou before moving on to a title shot. If he does, he’ll be first in line to fight for a title when the opportunity arises.

That could come against the May 18 winner, although Fury and Usyk could do it a second time. Joshua also will be in a strong position if a title opens up for any other reason. One or more sanctioning bodies could strip their champion, fighters get injured, they retire. Who knows?

The former champion’s job is what he said it is, “stay consistent, stay focused.” If he can do that and continue to have his hand raised, he should get the opportunity to prove he’s as good as we used to think he was.

[lawrence-related id=40665,40495,40488,40436,40396,40332]

Tyson Fury says Francis Ngannou needs to kiss his feet: ‘I put him on the map, made him a multi-millionaire’

Tyson Fury thinks Francis Ngannou needs to thank him for his recent success.

[autotag]Tyson Fury[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] needs to thank him for his recent success.

WBC champion Fury scraped by former UFC heavyweight champ Ngannou (0-1) in a split decision win this past October, in a fight where he was knocked down. Despite losing, Ngannou became a ranked heavyweight after the fight and drew Anthony Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) next in a 10-round boxing match Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) takes credit for Ngannou’s rise and popularity in boxing.

“I think it’s a great fight, it’s a good fight,” Fury said on “The Stomping Ground” podcast. “When I was fighting Ngannou, it was ‘a mismatch’ and ‘a bullsh*t fight,’ but it is what it is, and styles make fights. … I’m not sure what people expected of the man before that.

“I know it was supposed to be a 1,000-1 shot and he was useless, and he couldn’t fight and all that. But he proved everyone wrong, so fantastic for him. I put him on the map, made him a multi-millionaire, and now I’m making him even more money. So he needs to thank me. He needs to get on his knees and kiss my feet, doesn’t he, for what I’ve done for him?”

Fury, who meets Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) May 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, isn’t concerned with who wins between Ngannou and Joshua.

“I don’t know and I don’t care, to be honest,” Fury said. “Whatever happens, happens. The best man will win on the night. They’re heavyweight giants, so anyone can win. Some good, brilliant fights on Friday – I’m looking forward to the whole bill.”

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Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: 5 questions (and answers) going into the fight

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: 5 questions (and answers) going into the fight on March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Anthony Joshua has taken part in many big fights, including one against Wladimir Klitschko, a rematch with conqueror Andy Ruiz Jr. and two against Oleksandr Usyk.

The former two-time champion’s fight on March 8 is his most unusual.

Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou (0-1) on pay-per-view from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Ngannou put Tyson Fury down and nearly upset him in his boxing debut in October.

There are many questions going into Joshua-Ngannou. Here are five of them.

Is Ngannou for real?

Yes. I’m convinced that Fury’s surprisingly weak effort against him was more the result of his lack of preparation – physically and mentally – than the MMA star’s boxing ability. Fury thought he could beat Ngannou with his eyes closed and one hand tied behind his back. That attitude almost resulted in a shocking loss against an opponent with no professional boxing experience. However, the fact is Ngannou deserves credit for his performance. He has respectable skills, the result of natural ability and work on boxing fundamentals early in his combat sports career. And no one will second guess his punching power. He looked like he belonged in the ring with arguably the best heavyweight in the world even though he lost a split decision. That was no illusion. Ngannou certainly isn’t the boxer Fury or Oleksandr Usyk are but he knows his way around the boxing ring and isn’t fazed by significant challenges.

 

Can Joshua become a three-time champ?

Absolutely. The 34-year-old hasn’t been the same dominating force since he was knocked out by Ruiz in 2019, when he lost his titles by failing to make it out of the seventh round in one of the sport’s greatest upsets. He outpointed Ruiz to regain his titles in a rematch but looked timid. Then, after stopping Kubrat Pulev, he lost back-to-back fights against Usyk in 2021 and 2022. He might have already hit his ceiling as a fighter. At the same time, he gave a good effort in the second fight with Usyk, losing a split decision that could’ve gone either way. He demonstrated in that fight that he has more to give. And he’s coming off back-to-back knockouts of Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin that were reminiscent of the old Joshua. He looked particularly good against Wallin, evidence that he’s thriving under new coach Ben Davison. I think this version of Joshua could compete with any heavyweight in the world.

 

Who is going to win?

Joshua, of course. Ngannou will never again take a genuine boxer by surprise. Joshua knows what he’s up against and appears to have prepared accordingly, meaning he should be at his best. Ngannou will fight with the same spirit of his surprising effort against Fury but that won’t be enough in this fight, which is how the oddsmakers see it: Joshua is about a 4-1 favorite. The former two-time champion will keep Ngannou at the end of his jab, pick him apart with power shots from a safe distance, wear Ngannou down and win either by a late knockout or one-sided decision. Of course, at the risk of sounding wishy washy, I put nothing past Ngannou after his performance against Fury. I think he’s a natural boxer with supreme confidence who is capable of anything on the right night. I just don’t think this is that night.

 

What’s next for the winner?

That depends on what happens on March 8 and in the May 18 showdown between Fury and Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship. The Joshua-Ngannou winner almost certainly will pursue a fight with the winner of Fury-Usyk. The problem is that there’s a good chance Fury and Usyk will engage in more than one fight, which would leave all contenders in a waiting mode unless the sanctioning bodies strip one or both of titles. And, of course, if Joshua-Ngannou is close, they could do it again. Other viable options for the Joshua-Ngannou winner is the winner of the Zhilei Zhang-Joseph Parker fight on the March 8 card, as well as former champion Deontay Wilder and Filip Hrgovic. Bottom line: Whomever has his hand raised after the Joshua-Ngannou fight will be in position to get an even bigger opportunity in the near future.

 

What if Joshua loses?

That would be devastating for him, especially if Ngannou wins convincingly. Joshua has already had to battle back from two downturns, his shocking upset loss against Ruiz and the two losses against Usyk. He had a 2-3 record from 2019 to 2022, which sullied his reputation. Another setback – particularly against an opponent taking part in only his second professional bout – might cause irreparable damage. If he loses a close fight, he might get the chance to turn the tables in a rematch. That could keep his career as an elite fighter alive. If Ngannou wins handily, Joshua might not be able to recover. In fact, he might not want start the rebuilding process again if he loses. He’s already a two-time champion and evidently in good shape financially. Why go through the indignity of getting back in line? Indeed, Joshua might be fighting for his boxing life against Ngannou on March 8.

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Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: 5 questions (and answers) going into the fight

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: 5 questions (and answers) going into the fight on March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Anthony Joshua has taken part in many big fights, including one against Wladimir Klitschko, a rematch with conqueror Andy Ruiz Jr. and two against Oleksandr Usyk.

The former two-time champion’s fight on March 8 is his most unusual.

Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou (0-1) on pay-per-view from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Ngannou put Tyson Fury down and nearly upset him in his boxing debut in October.

There are many questions going into Joshua-Ngannou. Here are five of them.

Is Ngannou for real?

Yes. I’m convinced that Fury’s surprisingly weak effort against him was more the result of his lack of preparation – physically and mentally – than the MMA star’s boxing ability. Fury thought he could beat Ngannou with his eyes closed and one hand tied behind his back. That attitude almost resulted in a shocking loss against an opponent with no professional boxing experience. However, the fact is Ngannou deserves credit for his performance. He has respectable skills, the result of natural ability and work on boxing fundamentals early in his combat sports career. And no one will second guess his punching power. He looked like he belonged in the ring with arguably the best heavyweight in the world even though he lost a split decision. That was no illusion. Ngannou certainly isn’t the boxer Fury or Oleksandr Usyk are but he knows his way around the boxing ring and isn’t fazed by significant challenges.

 

Can Joshua become a three-time champ?

Absolutely. The 34-year-old hasn’t been the same dominating force since he was knocked out by Ruiz in 2019, when he lost his titles by failing to make it out of the seventh round in one of the sport’s greatest upsets. He outpointed Ruiz to regain his titles in a rematch but looked timid. Then, after stopping Kubrat Pulev, he lost back-to-back fights against Usyk in 2021 and 2022. He might have already hit his ceiling as a fighter. At the same time, he gave a good effort in the second fight with Usyk, losing a split decision that could’ve gone either way. He demonstrated in that fight that he has more to give. And he’s coming off back-to-back knockouts of Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin that were reminiscent of the old Joshua. He looked particularly good against Wallin, evidence that he’s thriving under new coach Ben Davison. I think this version of Joshua could compete with any heavyweight in the world.

 

Who is going to win?

Joshua, of course. Ngannou will never again take a genuine boxer by surprise. Joshua knows what he’s up against and appears to have prepared accordingly, meaning he should be at his best. Ngannou will fight with the same spirit of his surprising effort against Fury but that won’t be enough in this fight, which is how the oddsmakers see it: Joshua is about a 4-1 favorite. The former two-time champion will keep Ngannou at the end of his jab, pick him apart with power shots from a safe distance, wear Ngannou down and win either by a late knockout or one-sided decision. Of course, at the risk of sounding wishy washy, I put nothing past Ngannou after his performance against Fury. I think he’s a natural boxer with supreme confidence who is capable of anything on the right night. I just don’t think this is that night.

 

What’s next for the winner?

That depends on what happens on March 8 and in the May 18 showdown between Fury and Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship. The Joshua-Ngannou winner almost certainly will pursue a fight with the winner of Fury-Usyk. The problem is that there’s a good chance Fury and Usyk will engage in more than one fight, which would leave all contenders in a waiting mode unless the sanctioning bodies strip one or both of titles. And, of course, if Joshua-Ngannou is close, they could do it again. Other viable options for the Joshua-Ngannou winner is the winner of the Zhilei Zhang-Joseph Parker fight on the March 8 card, as well as former champion Deontay Wilder and Filip Hrgovic. Bottom line: Whomever has his hand raised after the Joshua-Ngannou fight will be in position to get an even bigger opportunity in the near future.

 

What if Joshua loses?

That would be devastating for him, especially if Ngannou wins convincingly. Joshua has already had to battle back from two downturns, his shocking upset loss against Ruiz and the two losses against Usyk. He had a 2-3 record from 2019 to 2022, which sullied his reputation. Another setback – particularly against an opponent taking part in only his second professional bout – might cause irreparable damage. If he loses a close fight, he might get the chance to turn the tables in a rematch. That could keep his career as an elite fighter alive. If Ngannou wins handily, Joshua might not be able to recover. In fact, he might not want start the rebuilding process again if he loses. He’s already a two-time champion and evidently in good shape financially. Why go through the indignity of getting back in line? Indeed, Joshua might be fighting for his boxing life against Ngannou on March 8.

[lawrence-related id=40665,40495,40488,40436,40396,40391]

Fight Week: It’s Anthony Joshua’s turn to tangle with Francis Ngannou

Fight Week: It’s Anthony Joshua’s turn to tangle with Francis Ngannou on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.

FIGHT WEEK

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou on pay-per-view Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

ANTHONY JOSHUA (27-3, 24 KOs)
VS. FRANCIS NGANNOU (0-1, 0 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, March 8
  • Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Heavyweight (no limit)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Joshua 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ****
  • Also on the card: Zhilei Zhang vs. Joseph Parker, heavyweights; Rey Vargas vs. Nick Ball, featherweights (for Vargas’ WBC title); Gavin Gwynne vs. Mark Chamberlain, lightweights; Justis Huni vs. Kevin Lerena, heavyweights
  • Background: Can Ngannou do it again? The MMA star-turned-boxer shocked the boxing world by pushing heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury to his limits on Oct. 28, when he lost a split decision. And he’s jumping directly into another fight with an established star, two-time champion Joshua. Ngannou probably benefitted from the fact Fury took him lightly, which Joshua will not have done. However, Ngannou demonstrated that he’s a capable boxer with unusual physical strength. He’s a genuine threat to Joshua even though he’s around a 4-1 underdog. Joshua is coming off his strongest performances in years, demolishing a solid opponent in Otto Wallin in five rounds on Dec. 23 at Kingdom Arena. He has now won three consecutive times since he lost back-to-back fights against Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. And he seems to be thriving under new trainer Ben Davison. The winner of this fight will be in a strong position to face the winner of the May 18 Usyk-Fury matchup, as will the winner of the Zhilei Zhang-Joseph Parker fight on the undercard Friday. Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs) is coming off back-to-back knockouts of former title contender Joe Joyce last year. Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) delivered a career-changing unanimous decision victory over fellow former titleholder Deontay Wilder on the Joshua-Wallin card. The Kiwi has won four connective fights since he was stopped by Joyce in 11 rounds in 2022.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

  • Steven Butler vs. Steve Rolls, middleweights, Montreal (ESPN+)
  • Ariel Lopez vs. Gregorio Lebron, featherweights, New Yok (Boxinginsider.com)

SATURDAY

  • Azael Villar vs. Jairo Noriega, junior flyweights, Managua, Nicaragua (ESPN+)

Fight Week: It’s Anthony Joshua’s turn to tangle with Francis Ngannou

Fight Week: It’s Anthony Joshua’s turn to tangle with Francis Ngannou on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.

FIGHT WEEK

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou on pay-per-view Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

ANTHONY JOSHUA (27-3, 24 KOs)
VS. FRANCIS NGANNOU (0-1, 0 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, March 8
  • Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Heavyweight (no limit)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Joshua 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ****
  • Also on the card: Zhilei Zhang vs. Joseph Parker, heavyweights; Rey Vargas vs. Nick Ball, featherweights (for Vargas’ WBC title); Gavin Gwynne vs. Mark Chamberlain, lightweights; Justis Huni vs. Kevin Lerena, heavyweights
  • Background: Can Ngannou do it again? The MMA star-turned-boxer shocked the boxing world by pushing heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury to his limits on Oct. 28, when he lost a split decision. And he’s jumping directly into another fight with an established star, two-time champion Joshua. Ngannou probably benefitted from the fact Fury took him lightly, which Joshua will not have done. However, Ngannou demonstrated that he’s a capable boxer with unusual physical strength. He’s a genuine threat to Joshua even though he’s around a 4-1 underdog. Joshua is coming off his strongest performances in years, demolishing a solid opponent in Otto Wallin in five rounds on Dec. 23 at Kingdom Arena. He has now won three consecutive times since he lost back-to-back fights against Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. And he seems to be thriving under new trainer Ben Davison. The winner of this fight will be in a strong position to face the winner of the May 18 Usyk-Fury matchup, as will the winner of the Zhilei Zhang-Joseph Parker fight on the undercard Friday. Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs) is coming off back-to-back knockouts of former title contender Joe Joyce last year. Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) delivered a career-changing unanimous decision victory over fellow former titleholder Deontay Wilder on the Joshua-Wallin card. The Kiwi has won four connective fights since he was stopped by Joyce in 11 rounds in 2022.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

  • Steven Butler vs. Steve Rolls, middleweights, Montreal (ESPN+)
  • Ariel Lopez vs. Gregorio Lebron, featherweights, New Yok (Boxinginsider.com)

SATURDAY

  • Azael Villar vs. Jairo Noriega, junior flyweights, Managua, Nicaragua (ESPN+)

Great Eight: Which champion is more likely to be dethroned, Tyson Fury or Dmitry Bivol?

Great Eight: Which champion is more likely to be dethroned, Tyson Fury or Dmitry Bivol?

The proliferation of titles makes it difficult for all but the most astute fans to determine the cream of the boxing crop.

That’s why Boxing Junkie came up with its “Great Eight” feature, which names the best fighter in each of the original eight weight classes –heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and the WBA and WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight, middleweight includes junior middleweight and so on down to flyweight, which includes junior flyweight and strawweight.

In this installment of “Great Eight,” we ask (and answer) the question: Which of our champions is most likely to lose his championship in his next fight?

Many might suggest it’s Tyson Fury, who struggled to defeat Francis Ngannou by a split decision last October even though the MMA star was making his pro boxing debut.

Fury’s performance led to comments suggesting the longtime heavyweight star has started his inevitable decline, criticism he deserved after a weak performance.

And now Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) set to face unbeaten boxing wizard Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) for the undisputed championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia. I had thought that would be an easy fight for Fury, who I believed was too big and good enough to handle the former 200-pound champ.

Now I’m not sure because of the Ngannou debacle even though I believe he struggled because he thought he could roll out of bed on any day — and in any condition — and defeat Ngannou with his eyes closed, which is no way to go into any fight.

I have no doubt that he’ll be fully prepared — physically and mentally — when he faces Usyk.

Still, Fury has to prove to me and everyone else that he’s not in decline by winning the most important fight of his career. In other words, Usyk poses an enormous threat to Fury.

So does that mean Fury is the Great Eight champion most likely to be dethroned? No.

I believe Dmitry Bivol, our light heavyweight champ, is most likely to get knocked off when he faces fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.

Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is a tremendous boxer with an outstanding resume, which is why he’s one of our champions. The fact he conquered Canelo Alvarez is his calling card but he has demonstrated repeatedly that he’s one of the best in the business.

He’s a better boxer than Beterbiev, which is why I pick him to win a close decision. However, Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) is an underrated technician and a physical freak, one who seems to have superhuman strength, historic punching power and a sturdy chin.

And the Canada-based Russian demonstrated in his most recent fight that he hasn’t slipped even though he’s 39, as he beat up, twice dropped and finally stopped capable Callum Smith in seven rounds on Jan. 13.

Bivol can win only if he can prevent Beterbiev from walking through his punches, which will be difficult. Indeed, Bivol had better be at the top of his game or he could become Beterbiev’s 21st knockout victim in as many fights and lose his position here.

Here are the top fighters in the original eight divisions:

HEAVYWEIGHT

Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) – Fury appeared to be fit before his showdown with Usyk (originally scheduled for Feb. 17) was postponed because Fury suffered a cut in sparring. That’s a good sign for the Englishman, who seemed to have taken victory for granted when he eked out a decision over Ngannou.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) – The winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev showdown on June 1 will determine not only the Great Eight champion but also the best 175-pounder of the era. Few possible matchups in boxing are better or more significant than this one.

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) – The 154-pounder came up short against 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez but he remains the best at 160 and 154. He wants to fight pound-for-pound and welterweight king Terence Crawford, who would take Charlo’s place in this division with a victory.

WELTERWEIGHT

Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) – Crawford, coming off his epic beat down of Errol Spence Jr., could be poised to move up to 154 to challenge titleholder Charlo, which would create an opening here. Only talented Jaron Ennis would appear to be a genuine threat at 147.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) – “Tank” remains the most-complete fighter at 135 and 130 but boxing wizards Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko might have something to say about who reigns in Great Eight before all is said and done. Now we need to see these pivotal matchups.

FEATHERWEIGHT

Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) – Inoue gave another dominating performance against Marlon Tapales on Dec. 26, stopping the Filipino in the 10th round to become undisputed champion in a second weight class. Can anyone compete with him? Luis Nery will be the next one to try. They meet on May 6.

BANTAMWEIGHT

Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) – The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer from Mexico didn’t fight last year but he presumably will get back to work soon. He has hinted that he might move up from junior bantamweight to bantamweight, which would make him eligible to retain his title here.

FLYWEIGHT

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) – Rodriguez supplanted Edwards as champion here after leaving no doubt about who is the best 112-pounder in the world. However, he has said he plans to move up to junior bantamweight. We’ll wait until he schedules a fight to remove him.

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Great Eight: Which champion is more likely to be dethroned, Tyson Fury or Dmitry Bivol?

Great Eight: Which champion is more likely to be dethroned, Tyson Fury or Dmitry Bivol?

The proliferation of titles makes it difficult for all but the most astute fans to determine the cream of the boxing crop.

That’s why Boxing Junkie came up with its “Great Eight” feature, which names the best fighter in each of the original eight weight classes –heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and the WBA and WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight, middleweight includes junior middleweight and so on down to flyweight, which includes junior flyweight and strawweight.

In this installment of “Great Eight,” we ask (and answer) the question: Which of our champions is most likely to lose his championship in his next fight?

Many might suggest it’s Tyson Fury, who struggled to defeat Francis Ngannou by a split decision last October even though the MMA star was making his pro boxing debut.

Fury’s performance led to comments suggesting the longtime heavyweight star has started his inevitable decline, criticism he deserved after a weak performance.

And now Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) set to face unbeaten boxing wizard Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) for the undisputed championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia. I had thought that would be an easy fight for Fury, who I believed was too big and good enough to handle the former 200-pound champ.

Now I’m not sure because of the Ngannou debacle even though I believe he struggled because he thought he could roll out of bed on any day — and in any condition — and defeat Ngannou with his eyes closed, which is no way to go into any fight.

I have no doubt that he’ll be fully prepared — physically and mentally — when he faces Usyk.

Still, Fury has to prove to me and everyone else that he’s not in decline by winning the most important fight of his career. In other words, Usyk poses an enormous threat to Fury.

So does that mean Fury is the Great Eight champion most likely to be dethroned? No.

I believe Dmitry Bivol, our light heavyweight champ, is most likely to get knocked off when he faces fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.

Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is a tremendous boxer with an outstanding resume, which is why he’s one of our champions. The fact he conquered Canelo Alvarez is his calling card but he has demonstrated repeatedly that he’s one of the best in the business.

He’s a better boxer than Beterbiev, which is why I pick him to win a close decision. However, Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) is an underrated technician and a physical freak, one who seems to have superhuman strength, historic punching power and a sturdy chin.

And the Canada-based Russian demonstrated in his most recent fight that he hasn’t slipped even though he’s 39, as he beat up, twice dropped and finally stopped capable Callum Smith in seven rounds on Jan. 13.

Bivol can win only if he can prevent Beterbiev from walking through his punches, which will be difficult. Indeed, Bivol had better be at the top of his game or he could become Beterbiev’s 21st knockout victim in as many fights and lose his position here.

Here are the top fighters in the original eight divisions:

HEAVYWEIGHT

Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) – Fury appeared to be fit before his showdown with Usyk (originally scheduled for Feb. 17) was postponed because Fury suffered a cut in sparring. That’s a good sign for the Englishman, who seemed to have taken victory for granted when he eked out a decision over Ngannou.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) – The winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev showdown on June 1 will determine not only the Great Eight champion but also the best 175-pounder of the era. Few possible matchups in boxing are better or more significant than this one.

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) – The 154-pounder came up short against 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez but he remains the best at 160 and 154. He wants to fight pound-for-pound and welterweight king Terence Crawford, who would take Charlo’s place in this division with a victory.

WELTERWEIGHT

Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) – Crawford, coming off his epic beat down of Errol Spence Jr., could be poised to move up to 154 to challenge titleholder Charlo, which would create an opening here. Only talented Jaron Ennis would appear to be a genuine threat at 147.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) – “Tank” remains the most-complete fighter at 135 and 130 but boxing wizards Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko might have something to say about who reigns in Great Eight before all is said and done. Now we need to see these pivotal matchups.

FEATHERWEIGHT

Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) – Inoue gave another dominating performance against Marlon Tapales on Dec. 26, stopping the Filipino in the 10th round to become undisputed champion in a second weight class. Can anyone compete with him? Luis Nery will be the next one to try. They meet on May 6.

BANTAMWEIGHT

Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) – The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer from Mexico didn’t fight last year but he presumably will get back to work soon. He has hinted that he might move up from junior bantamweight to bantamweight, which would make him eligible to retain his title here.

FLYWEIGHT

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) – Rodriguez supplanted Edwards as champion here after leaving no doubt about who is the best 112-pounder in the world. However, he has said he plans to move up to junior bantamweight. We’ll wait until he schedules a fight to remove him.

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Tyson Fury lays out five-fight plan for next several years

Heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury laid out on social media a five-fight plan for the next several years.

Tyson Fury has a plan. And it definitely isn’t retirement.

The heavyweight titleholder, who is scheduled to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia, indicated in a video on social media who he wants to face in his next five fights:

  • Usyk in May.
  • Usyk in a rematch.
  • Anthony Joshua.
  • Joshua in a rematch (maybe, he said).
  • And Francis Ngannou in a rematch.

Fury’s timing isn’t great. He’s coming off the worst performance of his career, a split decision over Ngannou even though the MMA star was making his boxing debut in October.

And his showdown with Usyk, originally scheduled for Feb. 17, was postponed after Fury suffered a cut in sparring.

Fury, who has used the word retirement in the past, sounds as if he’s determined to stick around for a while and get back to his dominating ways.

“I keep hearing people saying I should retire or I’m going to retire soon,” Fury said in the video. “I ain’t going to retire anywhere. I’ve got two fights with Usyk for the undisputed.

“Then I’m going to fight AJ at least once, maybe twice if there’s a rematch, if he wants one after the first battering I’m going to give him. And then I’m going to fight Ngannou again.

“That’s just to start. There’s five little fights for you to whet your appetite with you. I ain’t going nowhere. I’m 35 years old in the prime of my life.”

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