BoxRec

it is more than decade without Klitschko brothers. Their era were described as boring and weak. I agree with that despite both of them were pretty good. Do you think HW scene became better since that? IMO yes. But 2015 - 2020 were even more pathetic, because best heavyweights blatantly avoided fighting each other (Wilder, Joshua). Eventually, we got Fury Wilder trilogy and Usyk - Joshua and Usyk - Fury fights. We got undisputed heavyweight champion. Some other solid contenders emerged too, and entertaining fights. Last 5 years were pretty enjoyable for HW boxing.

Yes, agreed. The Josh vs Wilder (or not) saga was a bit of a circus really. Things have improved in recent years with Saudi money and big fights regularly being made. Plenty of entertainment too with Fury's personality. Usyk has been great too with the way he shook things up.

Even though Joshua and Wilder didn't fight each other between 2015-20, you still got plenty of exciting/dramatic HW fights at that time (AJ/Wlad, Fury/Wilder 1+2, Whyte/Parker, AJ/Ruiz 1, Whyte/Chisora, Chisora/Takam, etc).

For a lot of the Klitschko era exciting HW fights were thin on the ground, whether involving the brothers or not. Especially during the time when the likes of Ruiz, Brewster, Byrd Liakhovich, Valuev, Chagaev, Ibragamov, etc passing the belts around.

They had over a 100 fights combined and produced what? 6-7 goiod fights total. Purrity, Brewster, Sanders, Joshua, Byrd, Lewis and that's about it.

I mean it wasn’t their fault that there was no one around that could beat them.

Some tried.. some just weren’t good enough.

I think the frustrating thing about the current era is that we all know it could've been better. If Fury didn't pop for steroids, if Wilder Vs Fury 3 didn't happen and we instead of Fury Vs Joshua. Various other scenarios happened which changed a possibly exciting narrative. However, I think from the point that Lewis retired, the top 20 heavyweights would mostly be from the current era. You also had the likes of Povetkin*, Whyte, Parker, Dubois, Chisora and others having competitive fights against each other whereas from memory the depth during that era outside the top weren't up to much.

It's certainly been a more competitive, and exciting division in their absence. Wladimir Klitschko is still the 2nd best Heavyweight Champion of this century after Lennox Lewis though. Usyk has had a better career overall if you count his achievements at Cruiserweight as well.

Cent0089 wrote: ↑18 Mar 2026, 05:01 it is more than decade without Klitschko brothers. Their era were described as boring and weak. I agree with that despite both of them were pretty good. Do you think HW scene became better since that? IMO yes. But 2015 - 2020 were even more pathetic, because best heavyweights blatantly avoided fighting each other (Wilder, Joshua). Eventually, we got Fury Wilder trilogy and Usyk - Joshua and Usyk - Fury fights. We got undisputed heavyweight champion. Some other solid contenders emerged too, and entertaining fights. Last 5 years were pretty enjoyable for HW boxing.

- What wuz U watching?

Deyonce the most protected US Heavy of this Century by his Uncle Haymon who's been in the news after l'l floydy lost much of his fortune right around the time Haymon was incapacitated by a stroke....hmmm...

When AJ made his ill fated US debut, Eddie first offered a record contract to Big Baby who failed the drug test, then Blubber who failed a drug test before his Wlad fight and ain't been right since save with Deyonce, then Deyonce, then to a few other ranked Heavies, all for naught. When it looked like Eddie and AJ were going to have to cut bait, Andy Ruiz stepped up and the rest history.

The Ks dominated the heavy division like no others, and still dominate today through Usyk who is promoted by them in spite of the last couple of decades of Russian aggression.

Their Force is beyond Epic as they emasculated the Western Boxing establishments beyond the capacity to measure.

Their only hope is for Usyk to lose, but he's right at retirement, and as we see often enough, a great is ushered off in defeat honest officiating or not.

The heavyweight kickboxers are out of boxing again for a decade now, so it's the actual boxers their turn again.
Let's all hope that Usyk can actually survive fighting a kickboxer by running around and get the referees in his advantage so the boxing world can act like they are something special again and the show can continue.
Having kickboxers dominating boxing all over again would be really bad for the boxing scene obviously.

Kickboxers have seldom had major success in Boxing. I have seen some big punchers that have done exceptionally well in Kickboxing though with their attack being primarily Boxing based.

881073 wrote: ↑21 Mar 2026, 08:28 The heavyweight kickboxers are out of boxing again for a decade now, so it's the actual boxers their turn again.
Let's all hope that Usyk can actually survive fighting a kickboxer by running around and get the referees in his advantage so the boxing world can act like they are something special again and the show can continue.
Having kickboxers dominating boxing all over again would be really bad for the boxing scene obviously.

You're an idiot. No more needs to be said.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑21 Mar 2026, 14:19 Kickboxers have seldom had major success in Boxing. I have seen some big punchers that have done exceptionally well in Kickboxing though with their attack being primarily Boxing based.

Ricky Hatton, Povetkin, Klitschko, Lucia Rijker, Caleb Plant, Marco Huck, Jarrel Miller, Dillian Whyte, Chantelle Cameron, Chris Algieri, Lauren Price, Eric Esch (Butterbean), Marcus Davis, Holly Holm, Jerome Le Banner, Alexander Ustinov.
The list go's on and allmost no boxer performed any decent in kickboxing.

It's just a completely different world.

The other way around? Boxers who became kickboxers?
I know Ray Mercer has done it and has done a great job for a boxer.


You can see Ray Mercer here trying kickboxing ^.

Could you perhaps name a few others?

881073 wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 06:15

gilgamesh wrote: ↑21 Mar 2026, 14:19 Kickboxers have seldom had major success in Boxing. I have seen some big punchers that have done exceptionally well in Kickboxing though with their attack being primarily Boxing based.

Ricky Hatton, Povetkin, Klitschko, Lucia Rijker, Caleb Plant, Marco Huck, Jarrel Miller, Dillian Whyte, Chantelle Cameron, Chris Algieri, Lauren Price, Eric Esch (Butterbean), Marcus Davis, Holly Holm, Jerome Le Banner, Alexander Ustinov.
The list go's on and allmost no boxer performed any decent in kickboxing.

It's just a completely different world.

The other way around? Boxers who became kickboxers?
I know Ray Mercer has done it and has done a great job for a boxer.


You can see Ray Mercer here trying kickboxing ^.

Could you perhaps name a few others?

Buttterbean and Frans Botha. Riddick Bowe tried one fight and got destroyed

881073 wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 06:15

gilgamesh wrote: ↑21 Mar 2026, 14:19 Kickboxers have seldom had major success in Boxing. I have seen some big punchers that have done exceptionally well in Kickboxing though with their attack being primarily Boxing based.

Ricky Hatton, Povetkin, Klitschko, Lucia Rijker, Caleb Plant, Marco Huck, Jarrel Miller, Dillian Whyte, Chantelle Cameron, Chris Algieri, Lauren Price, Eric Esch (Butterbean), Marcus Davis, Holly Holm, Jerome Le Banner, Alexander Ustinov.
The list go's on and allmost no boxer performed any decent in kickboxing.

It's just a completely different world.

The other way around? Boxers who became kickboxers?
I know Ray Mercer has done it and has done a great job for a boxer.


You can see Ray Mercer here trying kickboxing ^.

Could you perhaps name a few others?

You've named boxers who had amateur careers longer than most. Some who have won Olympic gold medals as amateurs. Just because they kickboxed a bit when they were younger doesn't make them kickboxers who transition to boxing. Which of them had long professional careers in kickboxing before boxing full time?

joshj909 wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 09:14

881073 wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 06:15

gilgamesh wrote: ↑21 Mar 2026, 14:19 Kickboxers have seldom had major success in Boxing. I have seen some big punchers that have done exceptionally well in Kickboxing though with their attack being primarily Boxing based.

Ricky Hatton, Povetkin, Klitschko, Lucia Rijker, Caleb Plant, Marco Huck, Jarrel Miller, Dillian Whyte, Chantelle Cameron, Chris Algieri, Lauren Price, Eric Esch (Butterbean), Marcus Davis, Holly Holm, Jerome Le Banner, Alexander Ustinov.
The list go's on and allmost no boxer performed any decent in kickboxing.

It's just a completely different world.

The other way around? Boxers who became kickboxers?
I know Ray Mercer has done it and has done a great job for a boxer.


You can see Ray Mercer here trying kickboxing ^.

Could you perhaps name a few others?

You've named boxers who had amateur careers longer than most. Some who have won Olympic gold medals as amateurs. Just because they kickboxed a bit when they were younger doesn't make them kickboxers who transition to boxing. Which of them had long professional careers in kickboxing before boxing full time?

Chris Algieri was pro kick-boxer before he turned to boxing. Troy Dorsey is another.

JamesPhilips wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 09:20

joshj909 wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 09:14

881073 wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 06:15

Ricky Hatton, Povetkin, Klitschko, Lucia Rijker, Caleb Plant, Marco Huck, Jarrel Miller, Dillian Whyte, Chantelle Cameron, Chris Algieri, Lauren Price, Eric Esch (Butterbean), Marcus Davis, Holly Holm, Jerome Le Banner, Alexander Ustinov.
The list go's on and allmost no boxer performed any decent in kickboxing.

It's just a completely different world.

The other way around? Boxers who became kickboxers?
I know Ray Mercer has done it and has done a great job for a boxer.


You can see Ray Mercer here trying kickboxing ^.

Could you perhaps name a few others?

You've named boxers who had amateur careers longer than most. Some who have won Olympic gold medals as amateurs. Just because they kickboxed a bit when they were younger doesn't make them kickboxers who transition to boxing. Which of them had long professional careers in kickboxing before boxing full time?

Chris Algieri was pro kick-boxer before he turned to boxing. Troy Dorsey is another.

Those are two legitimate examples. A majority of the others were not.

Lucia Rijker had tremendous success as a Kickboxer. I know most Boxers who had a Kickboxing match just dabbled in it toward the end of their career when the opportunities in Boxing had kinda dried up which is the case with Mercer in that video.

Shannon Briggs had a Kickboxing match against MMA fighter Tom Erikson who was known for his grappling.

joshj909 wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 09:29

JamesPhilips wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 09:20

joshj909 wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 09:14

You've named boxers who had amateur careers longer than most. Some who have won Olympic gold medals as amateurs. Just because they kickboxed a bit when they were younger doesn't make them kickboxers who transition to boxing. Which of them had long professional careers in kickboxing before boxing full time?

Chris Algieri was pro kick-boxer before he turned to boxing. Troy Dorsey is another.

Those are two legitimate examples. A majority of the others were not.

There must also be loads of Thais who moved to boxing after being pros in Muay Thai.
James Warring won world titles in both. Also Tex Cobb (who I think Warring fought in kick).
John Wayne Parr and Paul Briggs.

JamesPhilips wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 11:15

joshj909 wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 09:29

JamesPhilips wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 09:20

Chris Algieri was pro kick-boxer before he turned to boxing. Troy Dorsey is another.

Those are two legitimate examples. A majority of the others were not.

There must also be loads of Thais who moved to boxing after being pros in Muay Thai.
James Warring won world titles in both. Also Tex Cobb (who I think Warring fought in kick).
John Wayne Parr and Paul Briggs.

Yeah I'd think almost any famous Boxer from Thailand we've ever heard of surely tried his hand at Muay Thai first. It would just be the natural thing to do there.

I'm sure in many cases the fighters who make the transition to Boxing from Muay Thai probably do so under the advice of their trainers who tell them their punching is the best part of their game.

The past decade could have been a lot better, if promoters were not so reluctant to have boxers fight each other.

We never saw:

Joshua-Wilder
Joshua-Fury
Povetkin-Wilder

It's still happening and hurting the division - for example, Kabayel is being avoided by the top contenders at heavyweight, as well as by the champ Usyk.

Boxing has so few true mega matchups that would get people talking. It's foolish to pass up on any of them in my opinion. It's a tough thing to get arranged though sometimes with all the people involved you have to convince to get the thing on.

Both fighters. Both fighters promoters. Both fighters managers. That's potentially 6 people that all gotta agree they want this fight. At minimum 6. Probably more considering the Entourage's people have with 'em a lot of the time.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 13:07 Boxing has so few true mega matchups that would get people talking. It's foolish to pass up on any of them in my opinion. It's a tough thing to get arranged though sometimes with all the people involved you have to convince to get the thing on.

Both fighters. Both fighters promoters. Both fighters managers. That's potentially 6 people that all gotta agree they want this fight. At minimum 6. Probably more considering the Entourage's people have with 'em a lot of the time.

I would love to see a Joshua-Fury fight.

Casablanca wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 15:57

gilgamesh wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 13:07 Boxing has so few true mega matchups that would get people talking. It's foolish to pass up on any of them in my opinion. It's a tough thing to get arranged though sometimes with all the people involved you have to convince to get the thing on.

Both fighters. Both fighters promoters. Both fighters managers. That's potentially 6 people that all gotta agree they want this fight. At minimum 6. Probably more considering the Entourage's people have with 'em a lot of the time.

I would love to see a Joshua-Fury fight.

It'll still happen I think. People will complain that it didn't happen when it should, and they'll be right, but it'll still happen at least I think.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 16:27

Casablanca wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 15:57

gilgamesh wrote: ↑22 Mar 2026, 13:07 Boxing has so few true mega matchups that would get people talking. It's foolish to pass up on any of them in my opinion. It's a tough thing to get arranged though sometimes with all the people involved you have to convince to get the thing on.

Both fighters. Both fighters promoters. Both fighters managers. That's potentially 6 people that all gotta agree they want this fight. At minimum 6. Probably more considering the Entourage's people have with 'em a lot of the time.

I would love to see a Joshua-Fury fight.

It'll still happen I think. People will complain that it didn't happen when it should, and they'll be right, but it'll still happen at least I think.

Tyson Fury recently put out a video in which he said that it was off, but you know Fury, that could swing back again.

Thank God wladimir klitschko was some of the most difficult boxing to ever watch. He was like watch John Ruiz or something just awkward & uninteresting.