Which HW Prospect Finally makes some noise in 2020?

[DrDuke]

A bunch of them simply was mismanaged and had no chance to prove themselves / to get exposed.

[gregregegg]

Justis Huni has done better in his year pro than most of these top prospects have done in there 2 years since this thread was made.

[funso banjo baby]

Yoka is a drug cheat and Olympic fraud who didn't dare schedule more than six rounds against tough gatekeeper Jonathan rice.

Ejagba and Dubois have stepped up but were tarnished somewhat altho both remain exciting prospects.

dycho appears to be semi retired

None of the others have made any meaningful progress

Sirenko has entered the frame recently with a big Ko of the hulking Ustinov

[mcrow24]

Yeah, most on this list haven't improved their position much. Of course, I think things in 2020 & 2021 have moved a little slower than typical due to Covid.

[Enlightened-One]

Do we think any of the names listed in the poll will make any progress with their careers in the next twelve months?

Apart from Tony Yoka, it’s extremely challenging to think any of the others will based on their current trajectories.

Hrgovic might engage in an IBF final eliminator against an underwhelming opponent, but that’s the most optimistic I can be without being becoming delusional.

COVID-19 isn’t a good enough excuse for the lack of career progression of these guys.

[mcrow24]

Do we think any of the names listed in the poll will make any progress with their careers in the next twelve months?

Apart from Tony Yoka, it’s extremely challenging to think any of the others will based on their current trajectories.

Hrgovic might engage in an IBF final eliminator against an underwhelming opponent, but that’s the most optimistic I can be without being becoming delusional.

COVID-19 isn’t a good enough excuse for the lack of career progression of these guys.

Well, Covid is a valid reason for less activity, that was the point. For the better part of 9 months, no fights were going on, so that's probably 1-2 missed fights for fighters at this level. Now going forward where the schedule is back to nearly normal that's not valid anymore.

[oogiebe]

Do we think any of the names listed in the poll will make any progress with their careers in the next twelve months?

Apart from Tony Yoka, it’s extremely challenging to think any of the others will based on their current trajectories.

Hrgovic might engage in an IBF final eliminator against an underwhelming opponent, but that’s the most optimistic I can be without being becoming delusional.

COVID-19 isn’t a good enough excuse for the lack of career progression of these guys.

Given what we've seen and how some of their careers are being managed I figure Hrg has a big fight coming and Mak can make noise as big brutes always have a chance, but overall, not at the moment. I don't rate Yoka much. Efe plateaued over the last couple of years and Dubs, while still young, needs to have a B game.

[Lackeos]

Yoka is a drug cheat and Olympic fraud who didn't dare schedule more than six rounds against tough gatekeeper Jonathan rice.

Uh... in his second f*cking pro fight?? Do you realize how stupid this criticism is? In Joshua's second pro fight, he fought a 6-rounder with Paul Butlin. In Wilder's second pro fight, he fought a 4-rounder with Shannon Gray. In Usyk's second pro fight, he fought a 6-rounder with Epi Mendoza. In Fury's second pro fight, he fought a 6-rounder with Marcel Zeller. In Wlad's second pro fight, he fought a 4-rounder with Exum Speight. In... hell, Mike Tyson's second pro fight, he fought a 4-rounder with Trent Singleton. Floyd Mayweather Jr's second pro fight was a 4-founder against Reggie Sanders. My god, it's like you don't know sh*t about boxing or something. Like, are you completely new to this sport? Do you not know how prospects are normally managed?

[candyslim]

Justis Huni has done better in his year pro than most of these top prospects have done in there 2 years since this thread was made.

So has Jared Anderson. Unless he turns out to have a glass jaw (no sign of that so far) then I'd back him over most others on the list.

I must have missed this thread first time around else I'd have been recommending the inclusion of Zhan Kossobutskiy.

[gregregegg]

Justis Huni has done better in his year pro than most of these top prospects have done in there 2 years since this thread was made.

So has Jared Anderson. Unless he turns out to have a glass jaw (no sign of that so far) then I'd back him over most others on the list.

I must have missed this thread first time around else I'd have been recommending the inclusion of Zhan Kossobutskiy.

Zhan is a tricky one. I rate him but 32, best win is joey dwek, southpaw, no real rankings, non english speaking (i think)... i hope he gets the fights he needs, Just dont feel like he will get the fights he needs to become a player in the division. love to see him face kuzman or bakoli next.

[candyslim]

They would be good fights. Kuzmin is durable, Bakole would be more of a threat. I was really impressed by Zhan since I saw a video of him beating Majodov as an amateur. I might have made a case for his inclusion too but he got dropped heavily by Fedosov very early in his pro career and badly injured himself in the fall. At his age that might be the last we see of him. Sad that - he was a hell of an amateur.

Huni looks like he might be the best heavyweight to come out of Oz since ... since ... come on Greg, help me out here.

[Enlightened-One]

Why is nobody interested in Bakhodir Jalolov?

[margaret thatcher]

maybe cuz he seems more interested in the ams than the pros

[Enlightened-One]

maybe cuz he seems more interested in the ams than the pros

That’s a valid point!

Hopefully that’ll change going forward.

[Perkin Warbeck]

Arslanbek Makhmudov has a lot of talent, but he may have just ruined his career by refusing to take the Covid-19 vaccine. He can't afford to waste more time at his age.

https://www.BS.com/estephan-wo ... ma--161496

[jamesmcdonnell]

I don't think Dubois is going anywhere personally, he has zero fighting IQ.

He will bowl over a few more average fighters, and lose again the minute he fights a top level fighter.

[candyslim]

Why is nobody interested in Bakhodir Jalolov?

I'm very interested in him and I'm expecting big things from him in the future. So far his noteworthy achievements have been as an amateur so it's very much watch and wait at the moment.

[candyslim]

I don't think Dubois is going anywhere personally, he has zero fighting IQ.

He will bowl over a few more average fighters, and lose again the minute he fights a top level fighter.

If you're basing that on his inability to figure out a way past Joyce's jab, that might be a little harsh. It was a massive step up against a man who was very experienced and well used to facing world class opposition even if that was as an amateur.

You may turn out to be right but I'd be inclined to give him more time before making up my mind about that, in heavyweight terms he's still a toddler.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I don't think Dubois is going anywhere personally, he has zero fighting IQ.

He will bowl over a few more average fighters, and lose again the minute he fights a top level fighter.

If you're basing that on his inability to figure out a way past Joyce's jab, that might be a little harsh. It was a massive step up against a man who was very experienced and well used to facing world class opposition even if that was as an amateur.

You may turn out to be right but I'd be inclined to give him more time before making up my mind about that, in heavyweight terms he's still a toddler.

I take your point, but I'm going on what I saw, and the way he reacted.

Joyce is a good fighter, but it's not like his jab is a rapier. Joyce was able to circle away from Dubois' power all night, and Dubois never adjusted his tactics.

Could I be wrong - data suggests yes, I've been wrong more times than I care to remember.

[Enlightened-One]

Joyce is a good fighter, but it's not like his jab is a rapier. Joyce was able to circle away from Dubois' power all night, and Dubois never adjusted his tactics.

I think Daniel Dubois got his tactics wrong and couldn’t adapt when they were failing, because he was inexperienced and didn’t have a plan B.

I personally believe Dubois became over reliant on his power. But didn’t know what to do when it wasn’t troubling his opponent.

Dubois is a young guy and has plenty of time to recover and learn from the Joyce loss, but the two horrendous mismatches he’s competed in since that defeat aren’t going to help his cause.

Albert Einstein once said that the definition of 'insanity' was 'Doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting to achieve different results'.

Apparently, Daniel Dubois’ handlers disagree with Albert Einstein!

[candyslim]

I don't think Dubois is going anywhere personally, he has zero fighting IQ.

He will bowl over a few more average fighters, and lose again the minute he fights a top level fighter.

If you're basing that on his inability to figure out a way past Joyce's jab, that might be a little harsh. It was a massive step up against a man who was very experienced and well used to facing world class opposition even if that was as an amateur.

You may turn out to be right but I'd be inclined to give him more time before making up my mind about that, in heavyweight terms he's still a toddler.

I take your point, but I'm going on what I saw, and the way he reacted.

Joyce is a good fighter, but it's not like his jab is a rapier. Joyce was able to circle away from Dubois' power all night, and Dubois never adjusted his tactics.

Could I be wrong - data suggests yes, I've been wrong more times than I care to remember.

Haven't we all, James? I'd wager Daniel won't be the last to struggle with Joyce. He looks crude and ungainly but you've only got to look at his record. The bloke has to be doing something right.

[jamesmcdonnell]

If you're basing that on his inability to figure out a way past Joyce's jab, that might be a little harsh. It was a massive step up against a man who was very experienced and well used to facing world class opposition even if that was as an amateur.

You may turn out to be right but I'd be inclined to give him more time before making up my mind about that, in heavyweight terms he's still a toddler.

I take your point, but I'm going on what I saw, and the way he reacted.

Joyce is a good fighter, but it's not like his jab is a rapier. Joyce was able to circle away from Dubois' power all night, and Dubois never adjusted his tactics.

Could I be wrong - data suggests yes, I've been wrong more times than I care to remember.

Haven't we all, James? I'd wager Daniel won't be the last to struggle with Joyce. He looks crude and ungainly but you've only got to look at his record. The bloke has to be doing something right.

I agree, Joyce looks as slow as shite through a funnel, but he's very effective, cuts off the ring well, and is a relentless fighter who is constantly in your face.

Reminds me a lot of Foreman, although without that mind numbing power.

Incidentally, watched the Holyfield v Foreman fight the other night, don't think I'd actually watched it before, cracking bout that, Foreman took some really big shots, at one point I think Holyfield hits him with a 10 shot combination, and he barely even blinks. Foreman also landed some really big shots on Evander and was definitely in the fight throughout, though he was outworked.

[candyslim]

Yes I've made that Foreman comparison before. He might not hit as hard as George but I wouldn't want to be on the end of one.

My favourite Foreman fight still has to be the slugfest with the late Ron Lyle. Still one of my all-time favourite fights.

[Enlightened-One]

Yes I've made that Foreman comparison before. He might not hit as hard as George but I wouldn't want to be on the end of one.

My favourite Foreman fight still has to be the slugfest with the late Ron Lyle. Still one of my all-time favourite fights.

The similarities between Joyce and Foreman are only superficial.

There are a few undeniable high-level physical and stylistic similarities, but that’s just about it.

On a pound-for-pound basis, George Foreman was a much bigger puncher than Joe. He also had a superior punch variety and also a much stronger ramrod jab.

Big George’s defensive skills were also far superior than Joe’s. He used a long -guard position to control the distance (keeping his opponents’ at arms length) and was great at closing the punching lanes and also parrying blows.

And if you watch the Frazier bout, he kept smoking Joe at bay by placing his gloves on his opponents shoulder and then kept pivoting to the side, which resulted in his smaller opponent being off-balance.

Every time Joe threw a straight right hand, George remained light on his toes and did a side-step counter.

Joe Joyce does neither of those things.

[candyslim]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that Joyce is Foreman's equal, but superficially or otherwise, most people who have any comment to make about Joe's style tend to cite Big George as being the obvious comparison.

George has attained legendary status now, but when he was a mere mortal he was made to look extremely ordinary not to say crude and clumsy by Greg Peralta and later by Jimmy young. He got a lot better though.