It took me a while to warm to Hunter. He doesn't look that good on the eye test I'll grant you, kind of sloppy and amateurish in the way he moves and throws shots. But he must be doing something right because he's given everyone he's fought real problems. People talk about him being too small or lacking power, but he's stopped, dropped or hurt a ton of durable guys, and has only ever been beaten by another so-called light punching CW in Usyk. He's also taken shots off some huge punchers, and while he can be hurt he seems to have great recuperative abilities and the sort of mentality that allows him to get right back in the saddle. Those are qualities which few HWs possess today, and they're mostly at the upper end of the spectrum. Maybe he's just (figuratively) punching way above his weight, and sooner or later someone will smack him down to earth. Or maybe he's just genuinely one of those tough as nails, awkward smaller HWs like Jimmy Young who'll continue to hold his own against the bigger and harder punching opponents in the division. At the moment I lean towards the latter, but I'd like to see him fight some more of the better guys in the division. If he can get a draw with Povetkin then he's clearly not going to be overmatched by too many.
He fought a lot of naturally much bigger behemoths as an amateur and even the ones who beat him didn't stop him. Fury, Cammerelle, Islam Timuziev, Roberto Alfonso, Ruiz Jr, and Oscar Rivas among others. Bakole hits very hard and has just stopped four extremely tough and durable HWs in a row Povetkin has legit KO power in both hands and has one of the best KO HL reels in the division. Even Hunter praised his power Kiladze dropped Ajagba Kuzmin and Ustinov can crack Hunter has a very solid beard
He does have a solid beard, but more importantly he has a great fighter's mentality so that when he does get hurt it doesn't discourage him or send him into a panic. Bakole buzzed him a few times and Hunter fired right back and didn't allow Bakole to follow up on his success. Povetkin also hurt him a few times but was unable to press the advantage. Those types of fighters can be a real nightmare for anyone that can't either knock him out or dominate him with workrate and superior skill. Right now I'd pick Hunter to beat: - Ortiz (won't be able to hang with Hunter's pressure and varied assault) - Parker (won't be able to outbox Hunter or hurt him) - Ruiz (won't be able to close Hunter down or hang with him on the outside) - Wilder (would try to catch Hunter with one big shot and get outboxed and possibly stopped) - Pulev (because Pulev is crap) - Joe Joyce (please) - Chisora (too slow and sluggish; Hunter would swarm all over him) I think Usyk beats the brakes off him again, Fury and Joshua should be favourites, and Whyte beats him in a close and scrappy affair with a lot of roughhousing and possibly some favourable judging. Someone like Briedis would probably beat him as well, and possibly Gassiev, if the gasman is back to form.
I agree on most things, Whyte would need roughhouse tactics and a hometown ref and judges to beat him. I think Hunter's power/finishing aility gets a bit underrated at HW, he finished Bakole, Ustinov and Maldonado in 2 rounds who had just gone he distance with Teslenko and Rivas and went the distance with Takam afterwards). He came him 10 pounds overweight vs Povetkin (comparred to his usual fighting weight) and still gave him a good fight (he was able to rock him a few times). Hunter would have a small reach advantge over Whyte and an actually lean version of Whyte would only be about 10 pounds heavier than him. The more I think about this one, the more I start leaning towards Hunter.
I wouldn't be at all shocked if Hunter beat him, but I think Whyte would ensure the odds are stacked in his favour beforehand or else avoid him completely. It's interesting that the best odds on guys I can see to beat him are all mostly CWs or former CWs. Quite a reversal from just a few years ago, and a potentially welcome change in the HW dynamic.
Ortiz has a more varied offense than Hunter, I feel Joyce would beat him too, Wiler`s reach would be too much, Ruiz is a better counter puncher and Parker has a faster jab.
Ortiz is limited as hell, Joyce would get outworked, Wilder doesn't know how to use his reach, Ruiz can't fight on the outside worth a damn and Parker is limited and passive.
Yes he definitely has a real fighter's mentality in addition to possessing a sturdy set of whiskers and he's not lacking in the confidence department either because he wants that smoke with everyone ranked above him. I agree with most of your pics there. The thought of Hunter vs Briedis never crossed my mind but thinking about it now that would be a really intriguing match up as too would Hunter vs Gassiev.
Agree with this bar the Joyce part Joyce is strange in that he can match Hunters work rate and pressure anyone in the division to ensure a very uncomfortable night
