Is Povetkin the best fighter in the division?

Yes, he is the best 'fighter' because he always comes to 'fight' whilst generally taking more risks than the other top heavyweights.

He is a very versatile boxer as it seems like he could do a bit of everything.

 

Anthony Joshua is bigger in size + less skilled + powerful

Alexander Povetkin is smaller in size + more skilled + nearly as powerful.

So it's close between the two! Though at the moment, Joshua younger + more active = he has to be assumed to be on better form though.

 

I agree with all of this bar the 'nearly as powerful' as I'm not convinced he is, or at least this current version of Povetkin that I watched in his last fight vs Hammer. Even so, he'll be a very tough test for AJ as technically he looks like a very skilled boxer and he has experience to go along with that.

 

No, he is not. If we are talking only about skills he might be Top 3 with Fury and AJ, if we are talking about the current situation in HWD its like Fury/AJ, Wilder, Ortiz/Povetkin/Parker.

 

He is by far the most skillful, unfortunately he got robbed vs Klitschko, how Wlad was not DQed for clinching and hugging, literally for 12 rds he threw his one-two combo and clinched straigh after

 

Fair enough! I guess he makes up for his inferior raw punching power compared to Anthony Joshua with greater offensive skills. E.G. Accuracy, timing, punch variation, punch selection and economy.

Maybe he never was as powerful as Anthony Joshua to begin with. But he seems to land better punches more accurately and more frequently on his opponents when at his best. And punch accuracy + timing > raw punching power.

 

And a smaller fighter usually needs to be more 'skilled' than the bigger ones to be at the top. Otherwise, how could they even be at the top in the first place?

The likes of Joshua and Fury can weight bully their opponents using their size advantage. Smaller fighters don't have that luxury so they need skills to compensate for that limitation.

 

For sure Povetkin is very skilled. He has great amateur and pro background. The only thing that lacks in his arsenal is the size. If he was bigger, he would be the perfect fighter. Fights pretty good on the inside and risks. His chin is amazingly good. If Takam can cause trouble to Joshua, Povetkin can do it too. The thing is: Joshua vs Povetkin is a non profit fight for Hearn and it doesn't worth the risk. Joshua can easily lose this fight. The fight with Wilder would be way easier and will bring much more money.

 

lol, Povetkin lost ALL rounds vs Wlad...not a single chance and not only because of "clinching and hugging"...how many times he was down? Four times?

 

hes still in the top 10, that for sure.
but he was neer the best in the division, although theirs anargument for him making it with a DQ win over wlad (it'd be a bit of a crud win to be fair)

 

I like him a lot... But then I pull up his fight against Marko Huck, and think, God Damn, this guy isn't very good if he has to go life and death with Huck lol. but yeah he's strong and he's got that iron will to win.

 

yeah Povetkin lost but Klitschko can fight really nasty sometimes. Klitschko knew what troubles Povetkin can do and made sure to have an easy night.

 

I agree, Wlad was a nasty boxer with some really awful strategies like clinching all out when the opponents comes in but still he knocked Povetkin down four times, three times in one round. Povetkin get hammered there like there was no tomorrow.

 

it was bizarre how wlad was wrestling throwing him around without being DQ, with 2 of the "floorings" being blatant DQs. I've never seen the like of it. That was the end of "clean cut wlad", his media image that his team has worked so hard for to protect was spent.

Pov was champion really, but by crap DQ.

However fury or joshua would have beaten him in a few months so even that wouldnt have lasted.