Boxing’s marquee division is in rude health currently, with some serious talent atop the heavyweight pecking order. Crucially, these men are keen to meet each other - and when the best fight the best, there is still no spectacle quite like it.
Here furyjoshua.com assesses the landscape and ranks the best big men around.
Boxing’s heavyweight division is red-hot as we head into 2025, with Oleksandr Usyk now very much at the top of the pile. And Daniel Dubois riding high as the new kid on the block.
The Ukrainian genius Usyk was sensational again as he defeated Tyson Fury for a second time in their eagerly-awaited rematch in Riyadh on December 21, even if it did not quite deliver the fireworks of their epic first meeting.
Dubois meanwhile holds the remaining heavyweight belt after he topped that incredible Wembley show in September by blasting out Anthony Joshua in an astonishing fight.
Let’s look at how all the major recent fights have impacted our heavyweight rankings, and how things may pan out in the coming months.
Our heavyweight rankings
Such is the influence of the sanctioning bodies in the sport, which sadly often defy logic to push their own agendas, it has never been an easy task to impartially rank the heavyweights. Our list ignores the so-called ‘alphabet’ ratings in favour of a non-partisan system which ranks fighters based purely on their skillset, ring achievements, title victories and potential.
1. Oleksandr Usyk (23-0)
The brilliant Ukrainian proved that nothing is beyond his incomparable skills as he outpointed Fury in a fascinating rematch to retain his WBC, WBA, WBO, Ring magazine and lineal titles just before Christmas. Usyk now holds all of the belts bar one after confirming his supremacy over ‘The Gypsy King’ in a more technical fight than their first blockbusting clash back in May. It appears as though Usyk is in no mood to retire despite winning it all both at cruiserweight and heavyweight. A rematch with Dubois or trilogy showdowns vs Joshua or Fury could theoretically be next.
Next fight: tbc
2. Tyson Fury (34-2-1)
Fury suffered his second defeat by Usyk in that Riyadh chess match, despite executing a more circumspect gameplan than he had done first time around. The British superstar came in much heavier than he had back in May, and tried to use his size to control the fight. It appears though he has found the one opponent he cannot dominate, and it would be a brave man to pick him to win any future trilogy match between the pair. Next up instead could be that long-awaited all-British blockbuster vs Anthony Joshua. It would be a huge event, though a massive shame it did not happen when all the belts would have been on the line.
Next fight: tbc
3. Daniel Dubois (22-2)
Dubois produced a quite astonishing performance to knock out Anthony Joshua in front of 96,000 stunned fans at Wembley Stadium to prove beyond doubt that he is now for real. The critics who called him ‘a quitter’ after those losses to Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk have been forced to eat their words in spectacular style with Dubois defeating Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and now Joshua - all inside the distance. Dubois was sensational against Joshua - putting the two-time heavyweight champion on the deck in four of the five rounds as he successfully retained his IBF world heavyweight title. Massive fights now await, starting with a title defence vs the tough Kiwi Joseph Parker in February.
Next fight: Dubois vs Joseph Parker (February 22)
4. Anthony Joshua (28-4)
Joshua is again at the crossroads of a glittering career after a devastating loss to Dubois in his bid to become a three-time world heavyweight champion. AJ was in trouble early and never really recovered from a heavy knockdown at the end of the first round. He was on wobbly legs and eating leather for most of a quite incredible evening as Dubois landed bomb after bomb. AJ somehow managed to survive to Round 5, but was then floored for the last time by a brutal Dubois counter and counted out by referee Marcus McDonnell. It appears a rematch is unlikely in the short term, and that blockbuster vs Fury has a much bigger chance of happening.
Next fight: tbc
5. Joseph Parker (35-3)
The former WBO champion continued his renaissance by recovering from two knockdowns to outpoint the giant Chinese star Zhilei Zhang on that Joshua vs Ngannou show in Riyadh in early 2024. Parker was again smart and sharp as he boxed to the plan laid down by trainer Andy Lee, and he duly followed up that win over Deontay Wilder with another upset victory. Joseph has not fought since, but will get a chance at becoming world champ for a second time when he challenges Dubois for the IBF crown in Riyadh in February. Should be a cracker.
Next fight: Parker vs Daniel Dubois (February 22)
6. Zhilei Zhang (27-2-1)
Zhang bounced back in style from that decision loss to Joseph Parker with a convincing demolition job on the fading force that is Deontay Wilder in Riyadh. The Chinese giant came in nine pounds lighter than he had against Parker, and he dominated ‘The Bronze Bomber’ en route to a fifth-round stoppage victory. With a pair of wins over Joe Joyce and now one over Wilder, ‘Big Bang’ is moving ever closer to that elusive world title shot. And next he faces talented German Agit Kabayel for the interim WBC title in Riyadh in February.
Next fight: Zhang vs Agit Kabayel (February 22)
7. Agit Kabayel (25-0)
Kabayel has been the division’s biggest revelation in the last year - claiming upset wins in Saudi over giant Russian Arslanbek Makhmudov and now Cuban slickster Frank Sanchez. His brilliant knockout of Sanchez on the Fury vs Usyk undercard earned him the spot as mandatory contender for the WBC heavyweight title, and it was richly deserved. In both of those terrific wins Kabayel was punch-perfect, executing the ideal gameplan on both occasions. He is tough and technically sound, and adept at mixing attacks to body and head beautifully. Next up he faces the mighty Zhang for the WBC interim title, another huge test - quite literally.
Next Fight: Kabayel vs Zhilei Zhang (February 22)
8. Martin Bakole (21-1)
The man from Congo who resides in Scotland looked like the second coming of one George Foreman as he burst the bubble of hot prospect Jared Anderson on that massive Riyadh Season card in Los Angeles in August. The performance was utterly conclusive, and now Bakole says he’s happy to go to China to fight Zhang. We’d love to see that slugfest.
Next fight: tbc
9. Bakhodir Jalolov (14-0)
The ‘The Big Uzbek’ could be the next big thing in heavyweight boxing - once he decides to go all in on the pro game. And that should be now after the man who has already built a 14-0 record in the paid ranks claimed a second Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024. We await his next assignment with much anticipation.
Next Fight: tbc
10. Moses Itauma (11-0)
It’s quite astonishing that the young British sensation Itauma was still just 19 years old when he destroyed tough Aussie Demsey McKean inside two minutes of their rumble on the Usyk vs Fury 2 undercard in Riyadh just before Christmas. ‘Enriko’, frighteningly talented and aiming to beat Mike Tyson’s long-standing record as the youngest world heavyweight champion, was sensational yet again. He blasted McKean to defeat with another devastating display of punching power and will be expected to step up again next time as he moves towards world level. It’s a big call to include him in our top 10 already, but he has that type of talent - and enormous potential.
Next Fight: tbc