Who had the best career: Joshua, Fury, or Wilder?

Fury.

 

If none of them ever fight again from now on (which is possible), Fury likely goes down as the greatest historically, as the only one of the trio to be lineal champion, win the Ring Magazine belt (twice), and hold every major belt - WBC / WBA / IBF / WBO - albeit never simultaneously. Most would agree he also has the single best win (Klitschko '15, superior to AJ's Klitschko '17 and Wilder's Ortiz 1).

Joshua might have had a say if he had beaten Dubois to become 3x champion but he blew it in a big way by not even being competitive against Dubois.

Otherwise, both Fury and AJ are 2x champions but not because Fury lost his belts in the ring, and both have 2x losses against Usyk, but AJ was also stopped by Ruiz and Dubois.

 

Fury.

Some conveniently forget careers are judged on wins AND losses.

 

In terms of greatness it's still debatable between Joshua and Fury. Wilder isn't in the conversation. He had the most title defenses but held the least belts and has a very poor resume. What makes it worse is that once he stepped up and did start fighting proven top 10 guys (Fury, Parker, Zhang) he lost to them badly. Ortiz was a top 10 guy but that was based largely off of the eye test. His best win to this day is Bryant Jennings.

Between AJ and Fury,
Joshua has the deeper resume and was the better champion (more title defenses, no farcical fights like Ngannou and Chisora 3 during his title reign) but also has another two DEVASTATING losses against Ruiz and Dubois, and never unified with Wilder.

Fury has the better top win, beat Joshua's main rival in Wilder and only has the two losses to Usyk, but he missed out on fighting most of the contenders in his era, only made like 3 title defenses, and most of his career defining wins came against Wilder who was/is largely unproven and overrated.

Who's career was greater depends on what you value. H2H ability and big wins and general reputation? Fury

Championship reign quality and resume? Joshua

Neither of them should be more than a few spaces apart from eachother in an all time ranking.

 

Probably Fury, although that's thanks partly to some careful stage-managing.

 

If you go by the metrics of who fought who, when and where, Deontay doesnt have the itinerary to measure up in this era.

With AJ and Fury left in the frame, their resumes are both impressive and flawed in terms of who they didn't fight. AJ's has more depth, but his legacy is hurt by not unifying with Wilder and the nature of his loss to DDD. Say what you want about the Ruiz defeat but history remembers him avenging that loss.

Fury doesnt have a signature damaging loss on his record, but his career was infinitely more stage managed.

In terms of signature wins; AJ has Klitchko, Parker and maybe Povetkin.

Fury has Klitchko and Wilder x2 plus a narrow draw against the latter after a long hiatus. His only losses being against Usyk. There is no shame in that.

For me Fury has the edge but AJ was more willing to take on all comers not named Wilder.

 

Fury. Though there's still time for the other two I guess?

 

Fury, and it's not even close.

Went into 10-year unbeaten Klitschko's back yard to defeat the champ and become effectively undisputed.

Went into undefeated Wilder's back yard 3x to defeat the champ.

Fury's Klitschko win is significantly better, and that's Joshua's best win by far. Add in destroying one of the Big Three from the 2015-2022 era, and it's clearly Fury.

Joshua's losses and the variety of ways in which he's lost are massive detractors. Doesn't have the landscape shattering wins to make up for so many L's.

 

It’s tough to call. But, I have to go with resume. That’s the be all and end all historically. So:

Joshua
Fury
Wilder

you gotta fight the guys, not hypothesize.

 

Fury edges Joshua.

Wilder shouldn't be in the discussion unless you were talking about the hardest puncher.

 

Fury all day long.

(though Joshua does have a solid resume)

 

I don't think there is time for Wilder. AJ yes.

 

Fury's career is the best since he has the best wins out of the three and ducking most of the competition made him only lose to Usyk. AJ tested himself more, has deeper resume, but lost along the way and never proved himself to be THE champion of the division. Wilder's career was a joke, so he's not even on the same level. The debate should be who had a better career: Wilder, Parker or Povetkin at this point. He couldn't carry AJ's or Fury's jockstraps.

 

Fury over Joshua but it is close.

Wilder is nowhere near than those two above. Only reason he will get in HOF (if he ever gets in) is because of popularity and him being American.