Think heavyweight boxing, and you’ll conjure up images of Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and Sonny Liston. You could even push your luck a little and throw Rocky Balboa into the hat. Sylvester Stallone’s puncher does hold a place in the sport’s Hall of Fame, after all. But times are changing, and the era of Americans dominating the top division of the noble art is long gone.
Deontay Wilder was the most recent fighter from the US to hold a recognized world heavyweight championship belt, but that’s no longer the case. The Bronze Bomber was twice knocked out by England’s Tyson Fury, both in devastating fashion, shocking traders at the Las Vegas sportsbooks. Despite being one of the hardest-hitting fighters that ever lived – certainly on the stats sheet – Wilder has fallen out of the title picture.
Where will the next American contender come? Do the states have a future in a game they once ruled with an iron fist? The Baddest Man on the Planet, the Greatest of all Time. Big George. Are these types of all-action, exciting champions battling under the stars and stripes little more than a section of the history books? These are questions boxing fans around the world demand answers to. Is this really the end of an era?
Hunter looks a long shot
Looking at the top five heavyweight boxers in the world, we note only one is American, and that’s Wilder, who has suffered back-to-back KO defeats. The next fighter from the US to feature on the list is Michael Hunter, down at number seven. Many close to the sport believe we’ve now seen the best of Wilder, and a new name must step up to the plate. Does Hunter have what it takes to fill that gap and catapult Team USA back to the pinnacle of boxing?
That remains to be seen, and the jury remains out on The Bounty after 22 fights. The Californian slugger has a 20-1-1 record, knocking out 14 of his previous opponents but losing on points to current world champion Oleksandr Usyk on points in 2017. That loss came down at cruiserweight against a Ukrainian who was undisputed champion in the division before moving up to take Anthony Joshua’s clutch of belts.
On route to that wide points verdict, the beaten man was sent to the canvas in round 12 and looked in over his head. Would things be any different if Hunter was to face Usyk for his heavyweight titles? There’s no reason to believe so. Hunter has since fought out a draw with Russian Alexander Povetkin, a man with just two wins in his last five. During that spell, Povetkin was knocked out by a pair of Englishmen in former world champion Joshua and fringe contender Dillian Whyte. Those stats make it difficult to build a strong case for Hunter being the future of the division.
Ruiz plotting a comeback
A more likely future champion is actually a former ruler of the world in Andy Ruiz. Another boxer based in the Golden State, Ruiz, secured his name in history by knocking out Joshua at Madison Square Garden, New York, in 2019. That will be remembered as one of the biggest upsets in boxing history as the supposed no-hoper climbed off the canvas in round three to drop AJ twice in the same round before stopping him four later. It was a bout for the ages, but American boxing fans have enough old stories to keep them entertained. They want a fighter of their own to get excited about in the future.
Does the Destroyer have a future in the game, and could he return to the top table? It doesn’t look likely. He holds a 34-2-0 record after dropping his title on points to Joshua in the rematch in Saudi Arabia six months after claiming it. He has appeared only once to beat Chris Arreola on points but was knocked down early in that fight. He’s a man that loves an upset, but would he beat Fury or Usyk? It’s unlikely, leaving the question of the next American heavyweight star unanswered.