Does the current heavyweight era have multiple all time great caliber fighters

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by MarkusFlorez99, Nov 23, 2025.


.

This poll will close on Aug 19, 2028 at 11:42 PM.
  1. Yes !!

    14.3%
  2. NO

    85.7%
  1. Sks476

    Sks476 Active Member Full Member

    598
    841
    Mar 25, 2023
  2. Finkel

    Finkel Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,083
    4,869
    Feb 10, 2020
    Usyk, yes of course.

    Fury/Joshua?

    I guess it is a case of what do you consider an ATG?
    Is Riddick Bowe an all time great?
    Ducked his biggest rival in Lewis, but has wins over ATG Holyfied (who gave him his only loss) and he actually became Undisputed champion.

    Neither Fury or Joshua fought their biggest rival (each other). Joshua has a slightly better resume than Fury, but neither of them became undisputed.

    They are both inferior to Bowe in terms of ATG standing, so...

    Sadly, this also affects how high Usyk can be ranked, especially as he keeps dropping belts and not fighting his mandatories. Maybe Usyk will finish up in the top 10 ATG heavies when the dust settles.

    Joshua and Fury? They will be lucky to get in the top 30. Wasted potential, I'm afraid
     
  3. The Professor

    The Professor Socialist Ring Leader Staff Member

    26,752
    19,057
    Sep 29, 2008
    Correct answer
     
  4. Slyk

    Slyk Boxing Junkie Full Member

    8,825
    4,590
    Dec 5, 2010
    Joshua reached and exceeded his ceiling. There's no wasted potential there. He did far better than he would have in other eras without a billion dollar marketing effort behind him and clever matchmaking.

    Fury beat reigning champ Vladimir in Germany when no one thought he could. He got the win barely taking a punch.

    Fury beat reigning champ Wilder (twice), one of the major champions of the era, in America when no one thought he could.

    These are fights that make you great. Throw in 4-5 Chisora/Whyte level victories to prove you can dominate that level, and it gets you there.
     
    MorvidusStyle likes this.
  5. Finkel

    Finkel Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,083
    4,869
    Feb 10, 2020
    Do you think Joshua was one of the major champions of the era?
     
  6. MagnificentMatt

    MagnificentMatt Beterbiev literally kills Plant and McCumby 2v1 Full Member

    4,718
    2,407
    Nov 11, 2006
    Fury and AJ probably make it into the top 30 or so, maybe 20 for Fury, Usyk is a top 5 to 10…

    Some may say “30 isn’t ATG”, but boxing been around a long time, being in the top 30 still puts them in rare air. Fury could probably also rate much higher head to head with his combination of versatility, ring craft, toughness, and size.
     
  7. KO_King

    KO_King Horizontal Heavyweight Full Member

    766
    1,641
    Apr 16, 2023
    I suppose it depends somewhat on your subjective criteria. I would class ATG as the best of the best from an era, based on talent and resume. Therefore I would say yes only to Usyk, with Fury and Joshua falling slightly short.
     
  8. Mark Anthony

    Mark Anthony You must be 4 king joking! Full Member

    8,055
    3,759
    May 17, 2023
    AJ was never a good fighter.
     
    MarkusFlorez99 likes this.
  9. MarkusFlorez99

    MarkusFlorez99 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    15,320
    17,299
    Jan 13, 2021
    Exactly
     
  10. KernowWarrior

    KernowWarrior Bob Fitzsimmons much bigger brother. Full Member

    3,179
    3,533
    Jul 12, 2012
    Usyk 100%
    Fury coulda been ATG, but he failed to get there courtesy of his supposed 'mental elf' issue and a lack of dedication.
    AJ no.

    We await to see how Wardley and Itaumas careers pan out
     
  11. Barrf

    Barrf Boxing Addict Full Member

    6,068
    9,230
    Sep 19, 2021
    Usyk 100% is an ATG, no question, if he retires today.

    Ituama and Wardley are piles of raw talent, we'll see how it goes with them. Ituama more likely to end up an ATG due to his age. Wardley is already 30, although he's more proven than Ituama at this point in that we know about his chin (seems fine), his stamina (pretty good), how he reacts when he's hurt and when things aren't going his way.
     
  12. MagnificentMatt

    MagnificentMatt Beterbiev literally kills Plant and McCumby 2v1 Full Member

    4,718
    2,407
    Nov 11, 2006
    2 time world champion, top 3 for several years…

    “never a good fighter” to internet guys…

    Sheesh.
     
    Barrf, BCS8, catchwtboxing and 2 others like this.
  13. Kiwi_in_America

    Kiwi_in_America The Tuaminator Full Member

    5,625
    3,538
    Oct 19, 2006
    It is all about mobility and size in the HWs.

    But no-one will admit the 1970s guys would be very "small" today

    Stand a prime AJ or Fury beside Ali or Frazier. Today's SHWs are both HUGE and mobile

    Would be Very hard to beat in their primes - in any era
     
    BCS8 likes this.
  14. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    28,302
    38,038
    Jul 4, 2014
    Greatness is only about what a fighter accomplishes in his own era, thought. Yeah, absolutely, if you go by head to head your top 50 might very well be Ali, Holmes, Tyson, and 48 guys from the 90s and up.
     
  15. Barrf

    Barrf Boxing Addict Full Member

    6,068
    9,230
    Sep 19, 2021
    pretty sure Usyk put that whole argument to bed. Same physical dimensions as Ali.