Top 5 heavyweight prospects

Sanchez & Anderson flamed out.

The future is going to be Itauma & Jalolov (if he takes his pro career seriously).

 

1. Teremoana Jr - Had him winning the first two rounds against Jalolov in the Olympic quarter-final. Jalolov was on his third Olympics cycle. Teremoana had been fighting on the international amateur circuit for 18 months.
2. Justis Huni - Has already schooled Richard Torrez in the amateur ranks. Along with the likes of Nelvie Tiafack, Mahammad Abdullaev & Gurgen Hovhannisyan. Never officially stopped or dropped in an amateur or professional contest.
3. Jai Opetaia - Best of the Cruisers. Most likely to step up & do something at a higher weight. To those who keep saying he's never been in with a much bigger guy, he spars with Teremoana regularly who is huge & a massive puncher.
4. Alex Leapai Jr - Only 18, but physically very strong & a big puncher. Would like to see him placed onto the national amateur team if Teremoana elects to go professional full-time. Would take beatings against the best for two years & then start knocking everyone out.
5. Aussie Dave Nyika - 6 foot 5 Cruiser with the frame to carry the extra weight. Has the hand speed & skills of a Middleweight.

All much better H/W prospects than most of the pretenders mentioned here.

 

Leapai Jr is fighting on a stacked card in Auckland in September. Just noticed it last night.

 

I think the plan with him will be to fight regularly & start piling up the wins as a professional. I'd like to see him do a four-year stint with the national amateur team. His style is certainly better suited to the professional ranks but a full four-year cycle heading into the next Olympics would probably advance him further. If you want a successful national amateur program, you need to work hard at putting the best talent into it. Travelling the world facing the best amateur fighters from different parts of it is experience money can't buy.

 

He's no Muhammad Ali, but he's young and may improve.

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I made that Jared post about a year ago, before his recent devastating KO.

I still think he can learn from that and be great in the future.

 

No one
Nobody
No man
No thing
Just plain no

I don't see a single one I am really excited about. Some are good guys, and I give them respect, but there is no one that I am seeing on a trajectory for really big things.

Jalolov, Already 30.

Mallojonov- seems to be another Jalolov, semi-serious about the pros.

Termoana Jr, hope he works out, but he should probably have a professional fight before we even call him a prospect.

Huni- no power.

Torrez- I like him but he's probably too small.

Opetaia- Good, good cruiser, but just a cruiser at this point, and since I think his power is a little oversold there, probably not going to make a good heavy to any great degree.

Niyika- Good fellow but again, cruiser

Anderson- I and others told the whole forum he was not even a decent prospect, and no, he's not going to get much better. That talent is just not there, even if he somehow finds his dedication.

Leapai Jr. - I liked his dad and I hope he does well but he is hardly a blue-chip.

Itauma- already being overhyped for someone who had never been tested. That is NOT EVER a good sign. Could be wrong about this one, but until he gets hit on the chin, it's all hype.

Gurgen- I just see a big fat guy. I understand he has come down a bit, but once a weight problem, always a weight problem.

Suslenkov- Russian and therefore will struggle to get fights and have the wins recognized.

Gazhimagomedov- see below.

 

Won't make it at heavy. He really should be a cruiser, but his amateur and professional success are...complicated. It seems like he's had some Russian help, and they invented him a title with the WBA bridger--well, originally Tischenko, but he took over the role when Tishenko popped. I made a whole thread about it.

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...ly-bought-the-wba-bridgerweight-title.725121/

Again, no offense here, he has some talent I like his style. But some of his accolades have been conjured from air.

 

It goes a lot deeper than that. Take a look at the thread. Since the WBA announced the title, they have pushed three underqualifed Russians at it when there are better guys in line. I think there is something there.

As for Gaz, like I said, I actually like his style. But a champion in 4 fights? cmon, now.

 

This is what I don't like about Gurgen ... he had a fight called off recently in Miami against Robert Hall with no news as to why afterwards.

This projects a troublesome vibe IMO. He's had others fall thru, and taken a year off. The 'messing around' factor is a huge thing with many fighters from the east of Europe ... and he may be one of these fighters who are suddenly in their 30s and ... "you run and you run to catch up to the sun but it's sinking". Hope not tho.