UK Heavies: The 10 best heavyweights in Britain
1) Tyson Fury, 34-0-1 (24)
If we forget what happened in that bizarre spectacle against a mixed martial artist in October, Fury has been almost faultless of late. Prior wins against Dillian Whyte and Deontay Wilder suggested he was at the very top of his game and not only the best heavyweight in Britain but the best heavyweight in the world.
Tyson Fury (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
2) Anthony Joshua, 28-3 (25)
Joshua may never be able to beat Oleksandr Usyk in a boxing ring, but one suspects he has a good chance of beating any other heavyweight. His big win is still that stoppage of Wladimir Klitschko in 2017, yet there have been other decent ones, too, including wins against Joseph Parker, Alexander Povetkin, Dillian Whyte and Andy Ruiz.
Anthony Joshua lands a huge right hand on Francis Ngannou (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
3) Joe Joyce, 16-2 (15)
Although Joyce found his ceiling in the presence of the crafty Zhilei Zhang, he has still managed to beat the likes of Joseph Parker, Carlos Takam, Daniel Dubois, and Bryant Jennings. That’s a solid resume for any heavyweight contender, particularly when you consider Joyce has boxed just 18 times as a pro.
Joe Joyce (James Chance/Getty Images)
4) Dillian Whyte, 30-3 (20)
Back again after his latest drug issue, Whyte, on his day, remains one of the best heavyweights the UK has to offer. This view is backed up by wins against Joseph Parker, which looks better with time, Alexander Povetkin, and two against Derek Chisora.
Dillian Whyte (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
5) Daniel Dubois, 20-2 (19)
Now 26, Dubois is getting closer to his physical prime as a heavyweight and now also has the experience to aid his development. There have been defeats against Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk, but if his last win against Jarrell Miller is anything to go by, Dubois has his taken his lessons and is using them to improve.
Dubois is poised (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
6) Fabio Wardley, 17-0 (16)
Unbeaten in 17 fights, Wardley is a former white-collar boxer who currently holds the British heavyweight title. A late bloomer, his recent stoppage wins against Nathan Gorman and David Adeleye have really set him apart from the rest of the domestic pack.
Wardley attacks Adeleye (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
7) Frazer Clarke, 8-0 (6)
Just eight fights into his pro career, Clarke challenges Wardley for the British and Commonwealth title this weekend. So far the 32-year-old’s best wins have come against Dave Allen, Mariusz Wach, and Bogdan Dinu, which means Wardley will represent quite the step up in class.
Frazer Clarke (Getty Images)
8) Derek Chisora, 34-13 (23)
Forever a fan favourite, Chisora, at 40, is presumably either on his way out the door or already standing outside. Either way, on his 34-13 record you will find most of the relevant heavyweights of the past decade and some of them, like Kubrat Pulev, David Price, and Carlos Takam, he even managed to beat.
Dereck Chisora lands on Kubrat Pulev (Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
9) Solomon Dacres, 8-0 (2)
A new face on the domestic heavyweight scene, Dacres is the current English heavyweight champion and unbeaten in eight pro fights. He won the English belt with a stoppage of Robert Ismay last March and then successfully defended it against Michael Webster eight months later.
Solomon Dacres (Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
10) David Adeleye, 12-1 (11)
No doubt disappointed to have lost his grudge match against Wardley last October, Adeleye, at 27, still has plenty of time to grow and improve. Known as “Big D”, his York Hall stoppages of Emir Ahmatovic and Dmytro Bezus hinted at his potential.
David Adeleye and Dmytro Bezus
