Summer Fights Set to Shape Heavyweight Division
|
Mar 25 2020, 8:03 AM
This summer could be one of the most exciting in professional boxing's heavyweight division - the sport's premier pay-per-view draw - for many a year.
While we are still waiting to see if Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder 3 is confirmed for July, there are a number of other bouts that fans of the squared circle can look forward to. Let's take a look at three fights in particular that are set to light up heavyweight boxing.
Oleksandr Usyk v Dereck Chisora
The hope is to have a unified division and undisputed champion come the end of this year, but London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Oleksandr Usyk is unbeaten since turning pro and has stepped up from winning all the belts at cruiserweight.
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QXftqZDzf7I" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Arguably the best boxer from Ukraine since Wladimir Klitschko, Usyk is regarded as a future contender for world heavyweight titles. In order to prove that, he'll need to justify his long odds-on price of 1/8 in the boxing betting on his next fight with Dereck Chisora.
That encounter is set to take place in London's O2 Arena on the night of Saturday, 23 May. Chisora has had a chequered career between the ropes with nine losses from 41 fights in the paid ranks.
Defeats by Vitali Klitschko, David Haye, Fury and Dillian Whyte suggest the Zimbabwe-born boxer is vulnerable to the younger Usyk who continues his upward curve. Chisora is a big outsider to cause an upset here.
Anthony Joshua v Kubrat Pulev
This is a bout we were supposed to see back in 2017, but three years late is better than never. Bulgarian boxer Kubrat Pulev suffered an injury in training, however, and missed out on fighting unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
AJ's career goal is simple: to be the undisputed champ, because that symbolises he is the best heavyweight of his era. Before any superfight like that with the winner of Fury v Wilder 3, however, he is to defend his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO titles against Pulev at Tottenham Hotspur's stadium on 20 June.
Both men have lost just once since turning professional but, having avenged his shock defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr, Joshua is a red-hot 1/12 favourite to make a successful defence of his belts. On a form line from Wladimir Klistchko, Pulev can only be the underdog in this one.
Daniel Dubois v Joe Joyce
The British, Commonwealth and vacant European heavyweight titles are all on the line as unbeaten pair Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce collide on July 11 at the O2. Dubois is the next big thing in British boxing and, aged just 22, still has his whole career in front of him.
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cz0njEauFyg" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Joyce, who won Commonwealth Games gold as an amateur at Glasgow 2014, is no slouch either but significantly older than his opponent. Although an 11/4 outsider, he has previously beaten Bermane Stiverne whose only previous losses were to Wilder.
We will see if Dubois, the 1/4 favourite, can live up to the hype surrounding him. This all-British bout comes at a time when so many big names in the division hail from the country, and it could well be a great advert for the sport.
This summer could be one of the most exciting in professional boxing's heavyweight division - the sport's premier pay-per-view draw - for many a year.
While we are still waiting to see if Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder 3 is confirmed for July, there are a number of other bouts that fans of the squared circle can look forward to. Let's take a look at three fights in particular that are set to light up heavyweight boxing.
Oleksandr Usyk v Dereck Chisora
The hope is to have a unified division and undisputed champion come the end of this year, but London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Oleksandr Usyk is unbeaten since turning pro and has stepped up from winning all the belts at cruiserweight.
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QXftqZDzf7I" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Arguably the best boxer from Ukraine since Wladimir Klitschko, Usyk is regarded as a future contender for world heavyweight titles. In order to prove that, he'll need to justify his long odds-on price of 1/8 in the boxing betting on his next fight with Dereck Chisora.
That encounter is set to take place in London's O2 Arena on the night of Saturday, 23 May. Chisora has had a chequered career between the ropes with nine losses from 41 fights in the paid ranks.
Defeats by Vitali Klitschko, David Haye, Fury and Dillian Whyte suggest the Zimbabwe-born boxer is vulnerable to the younger Usyk who continues his upward curve. Chisora is a big outsider to cause an upset here.
Anthony Joshua v Kubrat Pulev
This is a bout we were supposed to see back in 2017, but three years late is better than never. Bulgarian boxer Kubrat Pulev suffered an injury in training, however, and missed out on fighting unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
AJ's career goal is simple: to be the undisputed champ, because that symbolises he is the best heavyweight of his era. Before any superfight like that with the winner of Fury v Wilder 3, however, he is to defend his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO titles against Pulev at Tottenham Hotspur's stadium on 20 June.
Both men have lost just once since turning professional but, having avenged his shock defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr, Joshua is a red-hot 1/12 favourite to make a successful defence of his belts. On a form line from Wladimir Klistchko, Pulev can only be the underdog in this one.
Daniel Dubois v Joe Joyce
The British, Commonwealth and vacant European heavyweight titles are all on the line as unbeaten pair Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce collide on July 11 at the O2. Dubois is the next big thing in British boxing and, aged just 22, still has his whole career in front of him.
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cz0njEauFyg" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Joyce, who won Commonwealth Games gold as an amateur at Glasgow 2014, is no slouch either but significantly older than his opponent. Although an 11/4 outsider, he has previously beaten Bermane Stiverne whose only previous losses were to Wilder.
We will see if Dubois, the 1/4 favourite, can live up to the hype surrounding him. This all-British bout comes at a time when so many big names in the division hail from the country, and it could well be a great advert for the sport.
Comments
Sign in to comment with your TypePad, Twitter, Facebook, Google, Yahoo or OpenID.