Heavyweight's on a Streak of Credible Opponents

[AlexCayWalt]

If it depends on who are you I choose Dominic Breazeale. But in common - Anthony Joshua. I'd choose Deontay Wilder if Ortiz doesn't fail drug test.

[candyslim]

I must take issue with the last line of Jamamb's post: Povetkin is just a contender so he fights who he wants. If he wants to take on a succession of fighters that nobody ever heard of that is his prerogative, that is between him and his ranking. Povetkin gets credit from fair minded fans because his level of opposition is consistently good ... for a fighter who is not a champion.

Wilder, Joshua, and Parker are champions. They should be fighting top tier opposition occasionally, and good opponents in the top 15 in the world at other times. To say "if you consider him a credible opponent for povetkin you should do the same for most wilder opponents over the last 4 years." is, with respect, bullshit.

[Lennox]

This is one of the most bizzare posts I have come across.....

To think that ANYONE has faced better opponents than Anthony Joshua is just incredible...objectively or subjectively. How anyone can think Brezealle has faced credible opponents is just laughable and shows zero boxing knowledge. He beat Eric Molina, that is his best opponent!!!! Yes the same ERIC MOLINA that Joshua beat and Deontay Wilder beat.

And as for Parker since Takam he has faced very poor opponents.

The man that has fought decent opposition is Povetkin.

Only one heavyweight has beaten an opponent in the geniune top 10 in the last year, the Heavyweights are shocking in most divisions you would find 5 or 6 fighters that have beaten another in the top 10.

[candyslim]

Yes but Breazeale fought Joshua. Name me one Joshua opponent that is a tougher fight than that!

Besides Breazeale also fought people like Mansour and Ugonoh who might not trouble Joshua too much, but at Breazeale's level are dangerous fights. As I've alluded to before, if you simply look at as a question of who has fought the best opponents then it's Joshua no question, but if you factor in the ability of the fighter, and look at who has taken the riskier fights - for them - then the question gets a whole lot more interesting.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Yes but Breazeale fought Joshua. Name me one Joshua opponent that is a tougher fight than that!

Besides Breazeale also fought people like Mansour and Ugonoh who might not trouble Joshua too much, but at Breazeale's level are dangerous fights. As I've alluded to before, if you simply look at as a question of who has fought the best opponents then it's Joshua no question, but if you factor in the ability of the fighter, and look at who has taken the riskier fights - for them - then the question gets a whole lot more interesting.

Definately a good way to look at it.. That's why people crap on Wilder, because we think based on his ability, he should be taking better fights.

[candyslim]

Exactly

[Lennox]

Yes but Breazeale fought Joshua. Name me one Joshua opponent that is a tougher fight than that!

Besides Breazeale also fought people like Mansour and Ugonoh who might not trouble Joshua too much, but at Breazeale's level are dangerous fights. As I've alluded to before, if you simply look at as a question of who has fought the best opponents then it's Joshua no question, but if you factor in the ability of the fighter, and look at who has taken the riskier fights - for them - then the question gets a whole lot more interesting.

But he lost. On the same basis you would have to put ERIC MOLINA as number 1, he fought Joshua, Brezealle and Wilder.

Joshua fought Wladimir who is better and I would say Dillian Whyte is slightly better than DB.

I can see your angle about fighting 50-50 opponents, but the poll is not suggesting that.

Joe Parker and Carlos Takam are kinda equal standard I think.

You might find this interesting, this goes back to Mike Tyson era and is the trail for all the world heavyweight title fights with the prefight ranking of the champion and challenger. In yesteryears it was very rare for a fight to contain a challenger from outside of the genuine top 10, with multiple titles it has got crazy, even the WBC have allowed challengers that are outside the top 80.

www.premierboxingorganisation.com/lineage-HEAVYWEIGHT

[candyslim]

Yes Lennox that's why I added the grin emoji. It was a little tongue-in-cheek. As you say Molina would be right up there by that reckoning. Having said that the thread title does say "on a streak of credible opponents", nothing about a win streak against credible opponents. It seems to me the point of the thread is about respect and to me a fighter taking on a dangerous opponent is worthy of respect even if he loses. I'm not talking about those who make a living from getting beaten by better fighters.

Another thing to consider is that Molina's fights were title fights and an eliminator. What I'm getting at is that anyone taking on such formidable opposition is deserving of respect, but it's a little different when it's a title shot or a fight decreed by the governing body, I mean the fighter can opt out if he wants to but it rather defeats the purpose of being a rated fighter to turn down opportunity.