It’s said that youth is a gift of nature, but age is a work of art and time waits for no man, especially in boxing. With Usyk weighing up his options and a potential Wembley showdown between Fury and Joshua, it may seem premature to discuss the division in their absence. But I think it’s fair to say that 2025 will bid a fond farewell to these men and we should extend that adieu to Deontay Wilder. Regardless of his dramatic decline, Wilder played his part, and fans can feel justifiably aggrieved that we never saw him share a ring with Joshua. Of course, that’s a whole other debate and one best argued over beer and barbeques.
The future of the division may fall into many hands over the coming years, and I suspect it will. The fight night on February 22nd will bring some clarity to the discussion and it’s as good a place as any to begin our breakdown of the men who would be king.
Daniel Dubois: (22-2-0)
As IBF title holder Dubois has already earned his championship wings, and his annihilation of Anthony Joshua was as spectacular as it was unexpected. Detractors will look to his defeat by Joe Joyce and his nightmarish opening round with Kevin Lerena, but he showed a great maturity against Miller and Hrgovic and I thought his performance against Usyk was commendable.
Dubois has power, speed and possesses a decent boxing IQ. He throws quality combinations and, at 27, time is certainly on his side. Michael Buffer is a fan, but many will question his heart and that will be tested on February 22nd when he faces Joseph Parker.
Joseph Parker: (33-3-0)
One could be forgiven for thinking that Parker has been around forever but, at 32, he’s still a heavyweight with huge potential. Another victim of the Juggernaut Joe Joyce, it once looked as if his career was over, but Andy Lee has transformed the Kiwi, and he is absolutely the best version of himself at this point. Big wins over Wilder and the man mountain Zhilei Zhang have re-established Parker as a genuine threat and he’s a beautiful boxer to watch.
In a recent interview, Lee stated that Parker had never been supremely conditioned and that was the building block they started with. Power may be an issue however, but he compensates with movement and speed. Any lingering questions will be answered against Dubois in a bout that will be seen as make-or-break for both men.
Agit Kabayel: (25-0-0)
It would be easy to overlook Kabayel as he’s only fought four times since his mediocre performance against journeyman Kevin Johnson in 2021. Prior to that, his most notable scalp was Derek Chisora in an equally forgettable bout way back in 2017. But his destruction of Makhmudov and his stunning victory over the much-fancied Frank Sanchez has put Kayabel firmly in the heavyweight spotlight. The German is an unlikely contender. He’s not an imposing figure to look at and I always felt he could be conditioned considerably better but, make no mistake, he’s a fine boxer and he’s ring smart to a stunning degree.
Beating Makhmudov wasn’t earth shattering but it was the manner in which he simply broke him down that impressed, and he was outstanding in knocking the gloss off Sanchez. He faces Zhang in Riyadh on February 22nd and the winner will certainly have a say going forward.
Martin Bakole: (21-1-0)
Every era needs its bogeymen and Bakole ticks all the boxes for now. He’s a powerhouse who pummelled US hopeful Jared Anderson over five rounds last August and that lopsided affair followed an equally destructive dismissal of teak-tough Carlos Takam ten months earlier. He’s fun to watch but he’s technically limited, and he was outboxed by the smaller, smarter Michael Hunter albeit six years ago.
Bakole is set to fight Efe Ajagba next in an IBF eliminator but it’s telling that both Kabayel and Zhang refused to fight him.
Jared Anderson: (17-1-0)
The decline of the American heavyweight is a talking point all by itself. With the exception of Wilder, the US has had little to offer the division over the last decade and the sport cries out for a Holyfield or a Tyson. Jared Anderson is not that but, at 25, he could yet make an impression. He can box, for sure, but I always regarded him more as a Bermane Stiverne rather than a Big Daddy Bowe.
At the time of writing, he has no scheduled bout so, maybe, his team are rebuilding but I’d like to see him fight someone like Andy Ruiz Jr next. I still rate Ruiz Jr and, if Anderson could take that scalp, he’d certainly be on the road to redemption.
Moses Itauma: (11-0-0)
Some would say I kept the best for last and it’s hard to disagree. At the tender age of 19, Itauma stands at the gates of history with many expecting him to take Mike Tyson’s ‘youngest ever’ title. I go back to the opening line of this article ‘Youth is a gift of nature’ and this kid is naturally gifted, of that there is no doubt. He moves wonderfully, he’s fast on his feet, he has fast hands and he’s a clever fighter. He has power and confidence in abundance, and he seems to have a maturity about him that can’t be taught.
But, in the hype that surrounds him, let’s look at the obvious. Wins over Demsey McKean and Mariusz Wach mean little and, though he looked good in those bouts, he’s only completed nine rounds in his last seven fights, so the opposition is compost. He needs competition. There’s talk of a British showdown with Fabio Wardley and, no disrespect to Wardley, that’s no more than a stepping stone fight for Itauma. But the boy could be something special, and we will definitely watch this space.
There are, of course, other contenders out there. Bakhodir Jalolov could have a say in proceedings as could Lawrence Okolie and there’s always the hope that a new name will emerge. But, as of now, the fighters I listed are probably the best of the rest when the curtains finally come down on the careers of Usyk, Fury and Joshua.
