If all of the current heavyweight boxers retire suddenly, how would you rank their careers?

Currently it's;
1. Fury (Klitschko's first loss in ages/Wilder wins/Undefeated)
2. Usyk (Cruiserweight career/AJ wins/Undefeated)
3. AJ (Olympics/Klitschko knockout/more fights against top 10 than Fury)
4. Wilder (a crazy string of knockouts but not much else)

But the next set of fights could change a lot. If Usyk beats Fury he will be first undoubtedly. If that happens & AJ beats Ngannou then it will be a shootout between Fury-AJ for that no.2 spot. If AJ wins that it's arguable he's above Fury

However, if Fury beats Usyk then he's cemented no.1 for me, even a loss to AJ wouldn't change that

Hypothetically if Ngannou knocks out AJ, where do people rank him amongst the current set of heavyweights. Running Fury close & beating AJ would be very impressive

 

Incomplete

 

Usyk
Joshua
Fury
Parker
Ruiz/Wilder
Whyte

 

Joyce was only #3 in the world if you were the most ridiculous of hypejob sellers - which of Usyk, Joshua and Fury did you have him above FFS?

Having one fringe contenders number and getting beat by someone who's not even fighting gatekeepers is not a recipe for a top 5 resume... Especially when his next best win is an absolute nothing.

 

For just one, albeit long, sentence, that's a lot if malarkey.

Wilder faced Fury 3X. That's >>> than Joyce. You're overrating Zhang.
I've seen a few of your posts here. As a new member, maybe cool the hyperbole.

 

IF they retired tomorrow ...
1. Usyk
2. Joshua
3. Fury
With frustration around Fury because he did not do more.

 

P4P Usyk likely the best of the 3. But this isn't a P4P thread on current top HWs. Usyk's record at HW is high on quality, but not quantity.

AJ is 0-2 vs. Usyk, 1-1 vs. Ruiz. Aside from beating some well aged big name opponents like Wlad & Pov, who has he beat to be #2?? Some of his biggest name wins are Whyte (once a solid top 5, nothing more), Martin (a weak belt holder), Parker (a decent belt holder), Pulev (past it), and Wallin (a solid HW, but no more than lower top 10). A #2 HW should have wins over those names. AJ has good quantity and names on his record. But wins vs. top 5 HWs at or near their primes is only fair. Then there's the half decade farce w/ Wilder. Hasn't faced Fury. Aren't you frustrated with that? I generally like AJ but think he has more teflon coating than any top HW in this era.

Fury has been his own worst enemy. However he's taken an excessive amount of criticism due to 1) not having yet faced Usyk; 2) not performing to expectations vs. Francis N. Regarding #1 many here are solely blaming Fury with some bizarre conspiracy theories being given on the recent injury. I mean many of these people aren't joking that he either faked or deliberately caused the cut Regarding #2 the expectations game is what politicians do with poll results when they're running for office and companies do before and after earnings come out. It is real. I never thought it was going to be a walk in the park for Fury, yet I think he under performed too. It happens in sports all the time. Why such a big deal? Given all that, glad seeing many here listing him at #1 or 2.

Your top three is very reasonable - it's most posters top 3 but with different name orders. Gun to my head, I put Fury #1 and push the other two down one. Outcome of AJ-Ngannou and Usyk-Fury should add much clarity.

 

My list would look the same. Maybe swap Joyce for Zhang. Definitely if Zhang beats Parker.

 

Holding a single belt is essentially meaningless these days. You are literally not even as good as a #1 contender in another era, because with four belts, there could be three other guys of your status.

Based on WHO HE HAD BEATEN, Wilder could be seen as low as #8...

Usyk
Joshua
Fury
Povetkin
Parker
Ruiz
Whyte
Wilder

Yes, all seven listed above have beaten better guys than Ortiz and Stiverne.

 

I don't see anything special with Fury. He beat 40 year old Klitschko by close decision, then beat mediocre Wilder. He doesn't have any notable success.

 

Wilder faced Fury, Wilder did not win against Fury, by that logic Daniel Dubois is in hall of fame - faced Joyce and Usyk before 25, latter being better than Fury.

 

Joyce beat Parker he aint fringe contedner, that was proven when he outclassed Wilder.

 

Thanks for the considered response. You raise some interesting points.
I do stand by the list though ... even though AJs high quality wins are thin, he still has many recognisable names (even if some were past their best). A deeper resume IMO than Fury, even though he's lost. Usyk - you're right - has a thinner CV. But at a high quality level. Fury has more occasional highs than the other two ... But punctuated by too many lows. Respect your view though.

 

He beat the man in his back yard. If you can't respect that then maybe boxing isn't for you.

No one had beaten Wlad in years and he'd rarely been outboxed. It's an ugly fight but Fury as the away fighter, outboxed the long reigning champion who had the deck stacked in his favour/ Wlad was aging no doubt but he returned later and gave a prime AJ hell.

Fury wasted his prime year although the performances in Wilder 1 & 2 and Whyte were decent. Let's be honest Joshua wanted no part of Wilder at his best. If Fury ever steps in with Usyk and beats him then he's had a decent career marred by periods of inactivity and pull-outs.