Who is the best infighter right now in heavyweight?

[marvelous marv]

One of the reasons Kownacki gave for not accepting the Joshua fight on short notice was that he had been out of camp eating too many pierogies. How does a professional do that?

[candyslim]

usyk doesnt really strike me as a particularly good in fighter

Not especially but he's such a complete fighter I'd back him to outbox most at any range. One thing has always impressed me is his willingness to sit in the pocket within range of his opponent rarely getting hit. I suggest there is more to fighting close up that an ability to pound the other guy's midsection.

It's an area of his game that he may need to rely on more now he has decided he wants to play with the big boys.

Besides, It's all relative. You don't need to be a great infighter to rank among the better exponents in the modern heavyweight division. The questioner asks who's the best, the best isn't necessarily all that good, just better than the others.

[Ilya Muromets]

"I suggest there is more to fighting close up that an ability to pound the other guy's midsection."

How do you define the best infighter anyway? Could it be someone who has learned to use the rules to his advantage and ties up his adversary on the inside? And how much does the referee fit in the picture. A ref might be too quick to break the fighters apart and not let the fighter who wants to fight in close do so. An extreme example of that was bent ref Joe Cortez in Las Vegas (where else?) who dived in whenever Hatton got close to Mayweather.

A good fighter makes his own infighting. He steps in with his punches, like Ruiz did. But then an even better fighter, say Usyk or Lomachenko, he doesn't need a bent referee to help him, he's just not there anymore.

[ewenhay]

I don't think there's a single heavyweight fighter currently that I'd describe as a good in fighter.

[jamamb]

there seems to be a lack of guys who can actually do sustained infighting. even the better infighters of today like ruiz and pov will just throw a few and then get out.

fury actually showed good infighting early in his career when he was more aggressive. really busted up del in there.

[JohnReed]

Off the top of my head, I'd have to go with Andy Ruiz Jr., Povetkin, and possibly Big Baby Miller. Of the three, Miller gets infighting kudos for his massive strength and power, and not necessarily because of skills.