Heavyweight top ten

With all of the recent posturing, let's do another, but this time, let us put our rational for each spot.

1) Fury
He beat the man, so he is number one until proven otherwise. I think it is obvious that nothing is going to come of the doping accusations FROM 16 MONTHS AGO. However, if he does not get into the ring with Wlad in October, then he is going to drop.

2) Wlad
23 career title defenses and a rematch lined up, he is #2 until proven otherwise.

3) Povetkin
Cleared of charges, the WBC #1 contender with a record that puts the "champion" to shame.

4) Joshua
Breazele was not a "good" opponent, and I hope he is not heading down the Wilder road, but he gets the benefit of the doubt from me thus far. Beating a big, undefeated contender can be looked at as the cherry on top of the Martin victory for the moment, but he has to fight someone relevant next.

5) Pulev
Chisora is not a bad win to announce that he is back. He remains high with a lot of ratings organizations, and with his other important wins, his record is just plain better than either Joshua or Wilder, who are supposedly "champions" of some sort. I am giving Joshua a razor thin advantage at the moment because he has done more good work recently, but I think you could make the argument for Pulev being #4.

6) Ortiz
Good (though not spectacular wins) over Jenings and golden oldie Thompson earn him the spot. However, my money is against him, as he is 36 and fought at a career high weight against the Tiger. I am betting he is declining just as he is hitting his stride. However, the reason I only put him at 6 is that the wins just aren't that good. Thompson is shot and Jennings is a guy who is best defined by a loss.

7)Parker
Quietly put together a good record with the Takam win announcing his arrival. Meehan, Botha, TankWilliams, Tupou, Costa, Saglam, Nascimento and Pettaway were all good wins for a guy with only 19 fights. His record is comparable to the next guy on the list, allegedly some sort of champion...

8) Wilder
This guy ought to be #4, and wheras it is not his fault that the Povetkin controversy killed the fight, it is absolutely his fault that he ran to fighting a shot pot head like Arreola, and doubly his fight that he has said that he will not fight Povetkin ever before a ruling was made. This guy is a coward and a can crusher, and even a couple of his 5-6 fans are realizing it. Fight someone or get lost.

9) Teper
Like it or not, he is back with a credible comeback win. One wonders if he would have knocked Rossy out with the dope in his veins, since we don't know how much of the Price, Duhaupas and Outah wins were steroids, but regardless, they stand for the moment, and they are enough to get him to number 9 for now.

10) Haye
The recent wins aren't great, but he is signed to fight Briggs, another former champ on the bum of the month tour. I am maybe jumping the gun a bit, but props to them both for taking the fight, and I think Haye will slim down and outbox ancient Shannon.


HONORABLE MENTIONS

Lucas Browne
This is a tough one because I do hate a proven drug cheat, but with the result of the Chagaev fight standing and a September return date, he simply has a good record and prospects, and that is all.

Chagaev
If they would have overturned the Browne verdict, he would have the ten spot. I think it is apparent however that regardless, he is done. He just doesn't train anymore.

Takam
Good enough to be in the top ten, and I hope we see him there again, but he has to beat somebody.

Martin
Yeah, he got blown out, but I think he will have another day. 6'5" southpaw with some power and a former (legitimately earned) title, I think he will eventually pick up the pieces and move on.

Duhaupas
I thought about giving him the ten spot, becuause he really has come back. Nascimento is nothing special and Helenius is shotter than shot, but he is right in the game ratings wise. This guy does not have a lot, but a good jab and a good chin will take you far. Probably the best of the Bum squad fighters.

 

Not real familar but good luck to him. There are actually a number of good prospects, so the divison's future is bright.

 

I previously had him at 6, but I cannot condone his fighting Arreola. He is holding a belt hostage in the worst way, and it is disgraceful.

I think Parker's win against Takam and Pulev's win against Thompson are better than anything Wilder has done, so it is not at all out of the question.

At the end of the day. Lyakovich, Harrison, Scott, Stiverne, Duhaupas, Molina and Szplika is just not an impressive list for a guy in the sprot for ten years and supposedly four defenses into a title reign.

 

Both are true.

Wladdy has lost three steps. That being said, fury beat him with minmal effort and is clearly beetter than the other pretenders.