The Panel
Boxers, trains & pundits
Britain’s overweight competitors are rising in the rankings towards the world title scene as they try to make their way into Anthony Joshua’s or Tyson Fury’s plans for the future
Last updated: 23/12/20 7:42 pm
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Fabio Wardley enhanced his reputation with explosive effects
Fabio Wardley enhanced his reputation with explosive effects
Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury hold every heavyweight title in the world, but which British competitors are the big opponents? The Panel has selected some controversies …
Britain are currently in control of the top division as Joshua recently retained the WBA, IBF and WBO belts with a ninth-round beating of Kubrat Pulev, while Fury became a WBC champion by stopping Deontay Wilder in February.
1:34 Anthony Joshua is ‘ready and eager’ for a big case against Tyson Fury
But what contestants could come out of the domestic division to challenge for a world title?
Carl Froch
I have to say Joe Joyce. I saw him push hundreds of laps at the England squad when I was there for the last four, five years of my career, and I’ve seen him in there with AJ.
Joe Joyce defeated Daniel Dubois to bid for the world title fight
He doesn’t look capable when he shapes up and lets his pictures go, but he’s more capable when he enters the ring with anyone. We saw that against Daniel Dubois, when everyone was picking up Dubois to win. He was nowhere near as he was, he put it up by injection.
I know he’s 35-years-old, but he’s fit and strong and full of self-belief.
Adam Smith
If you’re looking for a new name coming through in 2021, you have to say Joe Joyce. Yes, depression is younger like Fabio Wardley, but I think like Joe Joyce did, it has proven a lot of people wrong.
He has won the British, Commonwealth and European titles and whether he can win a world title, I am not 100 per cent sure. But what I do know is that he is going to be in really good fights and I think you can match him with the likes of Derek Chisora, Andy Ruiz Jr., Joseph Parker and Oleksandr Usyk.
There are big fights out there for Joe Joyce.
Johnny Nelson
Fabio Wardley. If you look at it, you would not give it the credit it deserves, but I have become a fan. It’s actually a lot better than I thought.
3:32 Fabio Wardley says KO beat Richard Lartey over his critics
He has great foot movement, skill and reflexes. It has actually slipped under the radar.
Mata Macklin
I think it’s still Dillian Whyte. I know it was knocked down by Alexander Povetkin, but up until that picture, it was pretty boxing. In the previous round, he had Povetkin down twice, and I thought he was on his way to getting a stopping chance. But that’s too heavy boxing.
1:16 Dillian Whyte says Joshua made a ‘weird’ show against Kubrat Pulev
Of course Joe Joyce comes on a good win over Daniel Dubois. Suddenly, he puts himself in that mix.
Derek Chisora is never going to be far away, even though losing to Oleksandr Usyk made him work hard there.
Dave Coldwell
I would say Fabio Wardley and David Adeleye, I like the look of those two. They have made good progress.
Wardley was very impressive in his last fight, especially in the end. His charisma and manliness, good style, inspiration and he looks heavy handed. He just needs to get that knowledge.
David Adeleye has been pushing with Joshua
I also like the style of Adeleye, a great puncher, and he seems to want to learn too. He’s been going around the gyms, improving.
Anndra Clarke
It must be Joe Joyce. He is someone who is going to be constantly weakened, no matter what he does. You look at it and it doesn’t look that special, but it will be very difficult for anyone to succeed.
Only the very highest weights will be able to hit it.
Yes, I think he could have won a world title, if they were to break in the future. I would love to see Dillian Whyte against Joe Joyce.