There has much talk lately about how quickly the UK fighters get a title shot, or get pushed along quicker than other countries. There might be something there in those statements, but also the UK boxing scene has very good paths from amatuer to pro, so therefore you could easily say they progress thru the pro ranks as expected. I thought I'd do some searching and find some of the current HW fighters who have had a title shot recently, and list down the fight #'s and time frame between pro debut and title shots... Anthony Joshua- UK Debut to Shot- 916 days # Fights- 16 Joseph Parker- NZ Debut to Shot- 1619 days # Fights- 22 Deontay Wilder- US Debut to Shot- 2254 days # Fights- 33 Tyson Fury- UK Debut to Shot- 2548 days # Fights- 25 Derek Chisora- UK Debut to Shot- 1824 days # Fights- 18 Dominic Breazeale- US Debut to Shot- 1324 days # Fights- 18 Charles Martin- US Debut to Shot- 1176 days # Fights- 24 Eric Molina- US Debut to Shot- 3010 days # Fights- 26 Bermaine Stiverne- CANADA Debut to Shot- 3207 days # Fights- 26 Gerald Washington- US Debut to Shot- 1673 days # Fights- 20 Johann Duhaupas- FR Debut to Shot- 4616 days # Fights- 35 Alexander Povetkin- RU Debut to Shot- 3038 days # Fights- 27 Bryant Jennings- US Debut to Shot- 1884 days # Fights- 20 Kubrat Pulev- BUL Debut to Shot- 1886 days # Fights- 21 Carlos Takam- FR Debut to Shot- 4340 days # Fights- 40
If you have these numbers are accurate, it's actually the US fighters that get shots early. With Joshua being the rare exeption. 1. Joshua 916 UK 2. Martin 1176 US 3. Breazeale 1324 US 4. Parker 1619 NZ 5. Washington 1673 US 6. Chisora 1824 UK 7. Jennings 1884 US 8. Pulev 1886 BUL 9. Wilder 2254 US 10. Fury 2548 UK Half of the top10 are from the US. And 3 out of the first 5 US average (5 fighters) = 1662 days (counting Molina, who's not in top10 it's 1884 days) UK average (3 fighters) = 1763 days
Joshua was an Olympic gold medallist and blasted pretty much all of his stepping stone fights out in quick and explosive fashion, hence why he was so quick to get a title fight. I don't think it's anything to do with country you're from tbh. More to do with: Willingness to take a fight. AJ clearly had confidence in his own ability and seems happy to take any opportunity, as does someone like dillian whyte. Same may not necessarily be said for other fighters. Amateur pedigree, someone like Conor Benn hasn't got the amateur pedigree of someone like joe joyce, hence taking more fights before reaching title levels. Age, as with the above joe joyce vs Conor Benn example, if you turn pro late then you cant spend 3 years to get to british level etc.
Yeah this. A fighter progress is determined by his own development and progress, Joshua was fast tracked because it became very clear he was not being tested by guys like Kevin Johnson. Love was meant to be a durable journeymen but was blasted out in 2. Johnson again was meant to be durable and cagey and could take Joshua some rounds and was KO'ed in 2. They couldn't really keep him at the level for any longer otherwise fans would of switched off. Joyce will be fast tracked because of his age like you say. His first fight was against an opponent you'd expect at a much later stage and Haye said he expects a title shot within 2 years.
