Cruiserweight and Heavyweight thread.

He does!

 

Wait until you see my list of top 15 heavyweight prospects, it won't disappoint. Coming soon!

 

Hey, you've been gone awhile, right? Welcome back!

 

Here is is. Ya want heavyweight prospects? I plan on updating the list quarterly.

1 ) Philp Hrgovic ( Rated inside the top ten by ring magazine ). Age 30

He's big. 6'6'' has great reach 82" and weighs about 245 lbs. He can take a punch. In fact, he took some real zingers from guys who can hit in the amateurs and pro and didn't even have to clinch. Chins are best tested when they are hit by punchers, and how you react to it when it tells you a lot. Good skills, good hand speed, and very good power. Good heart for battle too. Very accurate punching. A good body puncher too. He can in-fight and likes it. Fresh off his victory over Zhang, who would beat most on this list. He was off in that fight. He is ready to graduate from this list as he's now the IBF mandatory. Very likely to be the next Champion. I think he's beat Fury within a year and would TKO Wilder in short order, who has beaten nobody decent and fights a 38-year-old fighter next. A world title belt awaits. He needs to work on a few things though he is not a finished product yet.

2 ) Bahkhodir Jalolov Age 28. 6'7" tall with an 81" reach. 250 pounds. Oh what potential! Jarolov is a big southpaw who uses a punishing left . His straight left is the best in the game. Top end power is perhaps the second best on the list, which says something. He moves extremely well on legs of steel and keeps his range. Not an in-fighter, though. But with his length, power, speed and skills he doesn't have to be. The type of fighter who uses his legs, height and reach for offense and defense. The gold medal winner of the recent Toyko Olympics is a grade A prospect, which is why I rate him 2nd. In a year, he can be the top prospect sometime in 2023.

3 ) Sanchez ( Rated inside the top ten by ring magazine ) Age 30

He's fast-handed and can fight well. He is not a knock-out artist, though, his power is average. 6'4" with a 78" reach he's good enough these days, but the so-so chined Pero beat him three times in the amateurs so he's not an elite level boxer, rather he's is good one. Good on defense, which is semi-rare for a heavyweight these days. I don't view his potential as a pro as good as the two fighters below him, but I'm listing him here for now because he was fought some competition.

4) Arslanbeck Makhmudov Age 33. 6'5" 1/2 " 80" reach 260 pounds. Makmudov is a scary-looking dude and a rare puncher. When he hits guys they are immediately hurt, and unable to clinch or move out the way for the most part. Such are the marks of a true puncher regardless of who he is facing. He's has the best power in the game. And he's intimidating. Skills are only okay. He owns a sick uppercut. His power is so great that he has more than just a puncher's chance. He 33 now, so he should be moved quickly.


5 ) Jarrell Miller. Age 34. 300+ pounds. The first American on the list is already 34 and a two-time PED abuser. He's a big man, fat but can move, and has stamina. His power is only good. A rare in-fighter who can take it. A finished product, with suspensions hanging over him, he must watch his weight!

6 ) Gurgen Hovannisyan Age 23 6'7" 270 poinds 81" reach. 4-0, 4 KO's.

Who's very big, looks like a bouncer, has natural charisma outside the ring , uncanny accuracy in the ring, and fast hand's. Oh he can hit hard too. And in-fight or outfight. And his stamia is good, and man can this guy move well for his size. No, I'm not talking about Grossberger from the movie Stir Crazy. The answer is Gurgen Hovannisyan. A former fat boy who achieved a fair amount in a short time in the amateurs, he has transformed his body and really opened my eyes. You just don't see guys string together combinations fluidly as he does at heavyweight. Deceptively flexible. He has been moved quickly and earns my high ranked based on how he has looked. Get to know him!


7 ) Agit Kabyle. Age 29. 6'3" tall, 235 pounds. Not that big ( by today's standards ) not the fastest, and not that strong, he's your perfect opponent for a title match because he a low risk type. His upside rated lower than most on the list on potential, but he was more accomplished than most. Hence he ranks 7th for now. Other guys below him have more professional upside.


8 ) Zhan Kossobutskiy 19-0 6'3" tall, 235 pounds estimated reach 77". Age 33. Not that big, fast and just a solid hitter, Kossobutiy has beaten some good amatuer and professional competition. On wins he should rate higher, but on pro potential I'm placing him here.


9 ) Jared Anderson Age 22 6'4" 1/2 " 78 1/2" reach/ 245 pounds The best American young Heavyweight in years. He's big, skilled, and can punch. Being moved fairly quickly. The promoters are salivating over him. Unless I miss my guess, he's going somewhere. Lacks big time amatuertuer sucess. Reminds me a bit of Riddick Bowe. I think he's the best American prospect in a long time. Look for him to move up the prospect list in a year.

10 ) Justis Huni 6'4" 245 estimated reach 77" 245 pounds. Age 23 The World Olympic junior champion. This kid is not your typical limited Samon slugger. He is in fact, a good boxer with better-than-average power. He is quick and young. Skilled he can box. He is not likely to go beyond the top 4 due to his power level.


11 ) Vlad Sirenko Age 27 6'3 1/2" estimated reach 79". This good looking by a fighter's standard has both fast hands and power. He stepped his competition lately and did just fine. In the amateurs, he was stopped twice, and he does not have a good chin. However, he can get favorable marketing based on his offense and good looks.


12 ) Mark Petrovski Age 23 6'0 estimated to reach 76". 215 pounds. The young Petroski recently went pro ( 1-0 ) after winning the world super heavyweight amatuer championship. He's a little small for a heavyweight, about 6'1" and 215 pounds, but he can fight. And he's got a good chin and heart. He's a has moving/unloading style when he gets inside. He's got quick and accurate hands. Not one to take a step back. He has the right style for his size, but I wonder about his upper potential as a pro vs. the best big men who are all skilled super heavyweights that feature natural height, range, and power these days.

13 ) Ivan Dyhcko Age 32 6'9" 245 pounds estimated reach 84" The very tall and mobile came in 2nd in the world amateurs before turning pro. Can really move and jab, losing in the Olympics via margin to Joshua and losing while ahead in the finals of the world amatuer championships to puncher Maijdov, who was a puncher and a multiple world amateur champion that flamed out via TKO loss in the pros. Dyhcko doesn't have a bad chin since it was the only time he was stopped b a top puncher. Not a big puncher though, he can move, and he has the reach, as he is tough to outbox. Somewhat comparable to Fury due to his 6'9" height and estimated 84" reach and mobility. Has promotional problems getting the fights he needs.

14 ) Viktor Vykhryst Age 6'6" 235 pounds 81" reach. Age 30. Vkyhryst is a big technical fighter who does everything well but lacks a dominating trait. Good Counter puncher. He was the European heavyweight Champion as an amateur. Another super heavyweight who is skilled. Down recently in a fight, so he doesn't have a good chin.


15 ) Farzier Clake 4-0 KO 6'6 " 270 pounds. Estimated reach 80 " 31 year old.

He beat quality competition as an amateur. He was only stopped once in 93 fights and that one was by Jalolov. He's big, he can box and he can take a punch. This man is going places.





Final thoughts:

The style of the smaller heavy Heavyweight, without top-level power, has been forced out of professional heavyweight boxing. There just aren't any more 6'2" and under boxer types without at least good power as heavyweight prospects. Otherwise, you'd see them. I find just one Joe Frazier type, a swarming in-fighter with good footwork and movement, plus the stamina, chin, and heart necessary for the style, and he's very young. I listed him in the top 15 heavyweight prospects. The rest of the prospects, well most of them are super heavyweights over 6'3" tall and 225 pounds. Boxing sees a need for a new division, the Brider Weight. It's above the cruiserweight division ( 201 lbs ) and ends at 220 pounds. My natural reaction was negative, but the way things are going, it is needed and there might be a lot of good 201-220 pound fights. You certainly will not find many fighters between this range competing at this range in the modern heavyweight division. Otherwise they go for the fame and money given to a world title belt holder's heavyweight.

 

@Mendoza Dychko is too low bro, and Sanchez & Hovannisyan too high imo

What about Mourad Aliev? and Murat Gassiev if you class him as a prospect at hw.

 

Russia has numerous good heavyweights coming up.. Murat Gassiev, Arslanbek Makhmudov, Mark Petrovsky, Vladimir Ivanov, Basir Abkarov, Maxim Babanin

 

The Bid Googs really impressed me in his last fight and is being moved quickly as a pro! I think he has the goods. Goosen is his trainer.

Dychko has cooled off a bit and needs better management and some quality stepping stone fights. I know who he is, and his career to date is disappointing.

This list is full talent from top to bottom, that why Aliev does not rate. The 6'7" Mourad Aliev lost a lot in the amateurs. As a pro he close to rating as a prospect though. Never saw him as a pro. Gassiev is new to heavyweight. Like Aliev he doest rate now as a pro heavyweight. If I extended the list to feature top 20 heavyweight prospects they would rate.

Petrovski made the cut!

This era is better then what is was five years ago. MUCH deeper.

Thanks.

 

hmm I don't rate him as high as you..I think he's quite good but wouldn't make my top 10 right now. He is young though ( looks older lol), and Joe Goosen is a good trainer. So I'd have him down as a very long term prospect who with improvement could be the goods, same as Oleksandr Zakhozhyi and Johnny Fisher, who aren't overly impressive now but I think in the long term they could do something.

 

+ Evgeny Romanov, Arslan Iallyev, Andrey Mangushev, Artem Suslenkov, Abdulkerim Edilov and other.

 

Is the world going to let them develop in Russia or they might be forced to train in other countries? My point is - all those talents might be unlucky due to the russia situation

 

To fight each other.

 

yeah. Russia possibly has the most strength in depth at heavyweight than any country (maybe apart from the Uk), when you think theres estabished guys like Kuzmin and Fedosov too. But they just don't get the opportunities and enough activity.

Suslenkov has some nice highlight reel KOs. What order would you put the best prospects in from there out of interest?

 

Well Hrgovic is a full-fledged contender, now, right? They are ordering the Uysk fight.

 

Yep, he is set to graduate and win a wolrd title, from Fury or Usyk if the dare meet him, or if Usyk drops the IBF belt someone else. I'll update the list quarterly. Well see if he has graduated by the end of q1 2023.

 

This is an interesting read. Welcome back.

Just a question. Do you know if Dychko has any problems going 10-12 rounds? I read some time back he had signed with Probellum, and I think he was being promoted by a Kazakhstani promoter with connection to Hearn last year. He must be making money sparring because it's just strange he's so inactive. Is it just the management factor or is there something else?