Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, Boxing, Wladimir Klitschko, Deontay Wilder, Andy Ruiz Jr
Nasir Jabbar
Topics: Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, Boxing, Wladimir Klitschko, Deontay Wilder, Andy Ruiz Jr
SPORTbible has ranked the top 10 heavyweight boxers of the last 20 years following Tyson Fury's shock retirement.
Fury stunned the world of boxing after announcing his retirement in the wake of his second consecutive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk last month.
But where does the self-proclaimed 'Gypsy King' rank among the best heavyweight boxers of the last 20 years?
Well, we've had a go ranking the best heavyweight boxers since 2005.
Wilder went 43 fights unbeaten before his first professional career defeat and beat Bermane Stiverne, Eric Molina and Luis Ortiz, defending his WBC title 10 times including a defence over Fury.
Ruiz Jr ranks above Wilder as he owns the best win between their two pro records. His stunning knockout victory over Anthony Joshua is by far and away more impressive than anything Wilder achieved during his career.
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The Mexican-American also boasts wins over Chris Arreola and Oritz.
Povetkin was seen as the bogeyman of the division, often avoided as he made his name in Germany before running into Wladimir Klitschko.
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He went on another impressive run after his first pro career defeat, beating Manuel Charr and Carlos Takam. The Russian also flattened Dillian Whyte when he was flying high.
Dubois showed early promise before being derailed by Joe Joyce. But he has completely turned his career around with huge wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Joshua as he targets a rematch with Usyk.
Former world champion Parker is still going strong, having burst onto the scene at a young age. He's enjoying a second wind under the tutelage of Andy Lee and has the chance to become a two-time world heavyweight champion when he faces Dubois next month.
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He beat Carlos Takam and Ruiz Jr on his way up the heavyweight ladder and owns recent victories over the likes of Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.
The older Klitschko brother reigned over the world scene alongside his younger brother, Wladimir, as he was in possession of the WBC belt. Viewed as the more exciting Klitschko brother, he defeated the likes of Arreola, Kevin Johnson, Tomasz Adamek and Manuel Charr.
Klitschko resurrected his career under famed trainer Emanuel Steward, who passed away in 2012, and went on a destructive run from 2004 to 2015, collecting the WBA (super), IBF and WBO world titles, beating the likes of Povetkin, who was unbeaten at the time, Ruslan Chagaev, who was also unbeaten when they fought, David Haye and Kubrat Pulev.
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Joshua is a two-time world heavyweight champion and enjoyed a blistering streak before his upset defeat to Ruiz Jr.
He beat the likes of Wladimir Klitschko, Parker and Povetkin on his way to unifying the division.
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He also avenged his first professional defeat to Ruiz Jr before beating the likes of Pulev and Otto Wallin.
Fury will go down as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers, having dethroned not one but two long-standing champions in Wladimir Klitschko and Wilder.
He shocked Klitschko, who hadn't been beaten for 11 years, to claim the unified world heavyweight titles before snatching the WBC belt away from Wilder in February 2020.
Usyk tops the list, having enjoyed a remarkable spell in the heavyweight division after moving up from the cruiserweight division.
He has effortlessly transferred his varied skillset to the heavyweight division, outclassing Joshua and Fury on not one but two different occasions.
His body of work in the heavyweight division ranks him among the all-time great heavyweight fighters.