Joe
The heavyweight boxing division is as electrifying as it’s been in years, with Matchroom CEO Eddie Hearn working closely with some of its biggest stars.
Fans have already witnessed history in 2024 with the first undisputed heavyweight championship bout in 25 years, where Oleksandr Usyk triumphed over Tyson Fury in May. The two champions are set for a highly anticipated rematch in December.
Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua has re-entered the spotlight, securing four consecutive wins following his back-to-back losses to Usyk. Joshua is now gearing up for a major showdown later this month at Wembley Stadium, where he will face fellow Brit and rising star Daniel Dubois. Dubois, also known as “DDD,” has been on a hot streak, recently stopping Filip Hrgovic and Jarrell Miller. He is now defending the IBF title, which he was awarded after Usyk vacated it ahead of his rematch with Fury.
In an interview with BoxNation, Hearn was asked to rank his top five heavyweights. Unsurprisingly, Joshua topped his list. The promoter also included Usyk, Fury, Joseph Parker, and Martin Bakole, who is currently fighting to break into the elite group alongside Dubois.
“AJ, obviously, Usyk, Fury, Parker, but Bakole could beat Parker. Parker is on a great run,” Hearn said.
Hearn also mentioned a potential blockbuster matchup between two of the division’s current form fighters, saying, “I tweeted it, Bakole-Zhang. I love it, two absolute colossal lumps. I think Bakole beats him.”
Bakole is coming off a major win against the highly touted American contender Jared Anderson in August, while Zhang has claimed victories against Joe Joyce, Parker, and Deontay Wilder in his last four bouts.
With such competitive matchups on the horizon, the heavyweight division is poised to deliver even more thrilling bouts, and the rankings could become clearer in the next year as the sport’s top names continue to battle for supremacy.
