Dr. Z's top 25 heavyweight prospects,Q2 2024

[Eff Pandas]

Fair enough re Jalolov, he is being moved slower than usual but I think that's because there's huge expectations to win on BOTH the amateur and pro circuit. However, with an Olympic Gold, 2 World Championship Golds, 2 Asian Championship Golds to his name, he's already 'been there done that' lol.

Thats what I don't even get. What is the reward in beating a bunch of amateurs at age 29 for a gold medal, with a gold medal already hanging in a display somewhere in his house & a pro career thats already gotten him belt ranked? To me its like if an NBA starter who'd won the NCAA tournament was on a team with championship potential but he wanted to go back to college ball for the NCAA tournament. It doesn't compute to me at all.

A part of me thinks he doesn't believe he can do in the pros what he did as an amateur & thats why his pro career has progressed so slowly & hes still fighting amateurs.

As for Torrez, it's difficult to gauge his ceiling as he's just 24yo but the reason I rate him highly is because he had a STRONG amateur career (Olympic Silver) and has only really come unstuck at the hands of Jalolov. However, I've seen other fights where he's beaten much taller opponents due to his fast hands+feet and sheer will to win. Therefore, all things considered, I think he can at least fight for a title at some point in his career.

I agree with this I just think its at bridgerweight.

Randomly I'm on some buy low, sell high sh^t with bridgerweight. I think this will become a legit division in the next few to several yrs (I'd put money on Jake Paul attempting his eventual title fight at this weight today if I could bet on it) & its ripe for a likeable dude, like Torrez, to exploit tomorrow. I do think they need to make it a legit weight tho & not make it a do you feel like a bridgerweight or heavyweight for guys 200+ but under 224.

[Dr. Z]

His Excellency,

On Jalolov he is not there yet ( 5 stars ), but he should be there in time. He is #2 on the list and has not beaten the same quality pros that Hrgovic or Kaybel has. His upside is great , although he does not have a diversified attack ( he cares not to in-fight and work the body much ). I think his chin and maybe fighting spirit is not as great as Hrgovic. But he is a grade A prospect. I am perfectly fine with 1a or 1b, or Jalolov being someone's else #1 prospect..

I think Torrez is too small, and not as quick with his hands or feet as Usky is nor does he have Usky's chin. As his stamina limits have not been tested.



Eff,


I think there is a need for the bridger weight division. 10 years ago there were few athletes this big or strong. But these days 75 % of the prospects a 6'5" and over and have a 79" reach or more. 220 Pound men are undersized.

Pro boxing should have the light heavyweight division at 175, the cruiserweight division at 200, the Bridge Weight division at 220, and the heavyweight division where there is no maximum limit. Anyone can fight in the heavyweight division, they just admit they are forgoing the weight classes.

The Olympics are a money machine these days. A gold medal winner makes more $$$ than 10 early pro fights will pay! This is why several young pro boxers are gaming the system. It is corrupt with judges that are on the take. Amateurs and pro's can mix in this tournament..

The World Amateur Championships today feature a deeper field and have better judging in my opinion than the Olympics.

[Eff Pandas]

The Olympics are a money machine these days. A gold medal winner makes more $$$ than 10 early pro fights will pay! This is why several young pro boxers are gaming the system.

Thats the thing tho. Jalolov already gots a gold medal. Idk that a second one is gonna do much for him.

Foreign guys (non-Mexican/PR) in the US are always gonna have issues drawing a crowd so this ain't gonna help him anymore than the 1st gold already did. And he could probably sell out a crowd in Uzbekistan BEFORE he won the 1st gold.

If he was some unranked, 3-0 pro, unsigned by a major promoter, fair play at going for a gold or even a 2nd one. But Jalolov is 14-0(14), ranked #15 by the WBO, is signed by Top Rank, one of the biggest promoters in the world & already won a gold medal.

[Ropss]

The prospect list is mix if Pro potential and Pro accomplishments with amateur credentials mixed in. Jalolov passes the eye test with flying colors but really has not fought what I call a good journeyman yet so he can't be 5 stars...he may be some day.



Hrgovic is that.

I think he will fight for the IBF world title in June 2024 and beat Dubois. He is capable of defending that belt , so the definition fits. Either way he is off the prospect list in Q4 2024!

I have no reason to underrate Torrez, he is one of the smartest guys on the list AND he is American. I like him. But it is his lack of physicality compared to the other prospects that is the problem. He is a 6'2" man with limited reach operating in a boxing world of 6'5" + 80" reach. 240+ pound men. And I do not see other attributes such as great power, great speed, a great chin to make up for that. His heart and conditioning have yet to be tested.

All prospects on the list can do up or down with there " star rating " depending on how they do in the ring.

stop the size myth its HW weight and height there matters less and if you are skilled and 200+ lbs you can do well at HW

Usyk exposed this myth

[Eff Pandas]

stop the size myth its HW weight and height there matters less and if you are skilled and 200+ lbs you can do well at HW

Usyk exposed this myth

Usyk is a first ballot HOF talent. Hes not a random smaller HW.

[Dr. Z]

stop the size myth its HW weight and height there matters less and if you are skilled and 200+ lbs you can do well at HW

Usyk exposed this myth

What 190 -210 Lb heavyweight has beaten anyone of note in the last 20 years? Usky is a 6'3" 220+ man ( with no fat on him ) man with a 78" reach. Those numbers historically are big for the division.

[Dr. Z]

jasontreks

I might have have to place Artem Suslenkov on the list. He appears to be the victim and IBA and Box Rec Pi$$^n@ match.

[A.B Counterhooks]

Don_Jah , James Dailey,

Eff Pandas,@Joseph





To qualify for the list of prospects, you must be under the age of 34 and have not fought for a WBC/IBF/WBA/WBO title.

You must also be undefeated. Okay, everyone got it? I have seen each person at least once. My rankings are a mix of results to date pro potential and accomplishments. Almost everyone is a super heavyweight, some with good skills. The game has changed to big out fighters with long reaches and a lot of power. The pool of prospects is as big as I've seen it. It's more like a small lake. Never have I seen this many undefeated prospects at heavyweight.


For a slight change I will rating the prospects more on their pro pottentail and a bit less on the professional accomphents. Who will overachieve their rank and who will not? Time will tell.


1 ) Philp Hrgovic ***** ( Rated inside the top ten by ring ****zine ). Age 31 17-0 14 KO's He's big. 6'6'' and has a great reach 82" and weighs about 245 lbs. He can take a punch. In fact, he took some real zingers from guys who can hit in the amateurs and pro and didn't even have to clinch. Chins are best tested when they are hit by punchers, and how you react to it when it tells you a lot. Good skills, good hand speed, and very good power. Good heart for battle too. Very accurate punching. A good body puncher. He can in-fight and likes it. Fresh off his victory over Zhang, who would beat most on this list. He was off in that fight. Very likely to be the next champion. Recently beat Mekean, this is his 6th undefeated fighter's scalp! I think he'll beat Fury and would TKO a declining Wilder in short order. A world title belt awaits. We shall see if Usyk meets him for the IBF title! Hunter, Ruiz, and Parker already passed on him Hmmm.... Blew away Di Mori in his last fight in one round. He is ready to graduate from this list and fights Dubois next month for the IBF title. Either way he graduates from this list.



2 ) Bahkhodir Jalolov **** 1/2 Age 28. 6'7" tall with an 81" reach. 250 pounds 14-0, 13 Ko's.. Oh what potential! Jarolov is a big southpaw who uses a punishing left. His straight left is the best in the game. Top end power is perhaps the second
best on the list, which says something. Good hand speed. He moves extremely well on legs of steel and keeps his range. Not an in-fighter, though. But with his length, power, speed and skills he doesn't have to be. The type of fighter who uses his legs, height and reach for offense and defense. The gold medal winner of the recent Tokyo Olympics is a grade A prospect, which is a reason why he is high on the list. In a year, or less he can be the #1 prospect. Man is he talented!


3) Agit Kabayel. **** 1/2 Rated by Ring ****zine )Age 31, 6'3" 240 pounds. 25-0 17 KO's. Kaybel can box, move, and hits pretty hard. He is very solid, but lacks the elite traits of the top top prospects to rate higher even though he did beat some good competition, most notably Chisora and Makumudov and Sanchez! He has nice combinations.
Kabayel was ducked by Fury last year! Fury pulled out of a scheduled fight in December 2022. He is on the rise. A very underrated guy,




4 ) Aleski Dronov. **** 6'5" tall. Estimated reach 78" 22 years old just went pro in March 2024 and is already 2-0. He fights again in June. He is physically maturing 6'5" 245-250 pound man. Owner of fast hands and very good accuracy he is a rare big man with an inside game. His body attack is already as good as anyones in the division. He also has a good uppercut. Dronov has average length arms for his height, but has thick arms ( good for defense and covering his body ) so this style will suit him. He bends well at the waist and moves his head well. Winner of the the world jr championships under 19 he wasn't quite old enough to break through the senior amateurs at his age of 19-21, but that is amateur heavyweight boxing. An 18-21 year old kid sedlom beats the best physically mature older men. His power level is MUCH better now as opposed to the amateurs. He switched his game of piling up points in the amateurs for forceful punching in the pros. He relocated near me. He is the Russ ain Golden boy. Needs to develop his jab a bit. I am still not sure about his power which can range from good to very good. Due to his style, he is going to be in the fight zone and risk being hit often.


5 ) Gurgen Hovannisyan **** Age 23 6'7" 270 pounds 81" reach. 5-0, 5 KO's. Who's very big, looks like a bouncer, has natural charisma outside the ring , uncanny accuracy in the ring, and fast hand's. Oh he can hit hard too. And in-fight or outfight. And his stamina is good, and man can this guy move well for his size. No, I'm not talking about Grossberger from the movie Stir Crazy. The answer is Gurgen Hovannisyan. A former fat boy who achieved a fair amount in a short time in the amateurs, he has transformed his body and really opened my eyes. You just don't see guys string together combinations fluidly as he does at heavyweight. Deceptively flexible. He has been moved quickly and earns my high ranking based on how he has looked. Get to know him! Fights again in early January 2024.




6 ) Jared Anderson *** 1/2 Age 22 6'4" 1/2 " 78 1/2" reach/ 245 pounds. 17-0 15 Ko's. ( Rated inside ring ****zine's top 10. ) The best American young Heavyweight in years. He's big, skilled, and can punch. Being moved fairly quickly. The promoters are salivating over him. Unless I miss my guess, he's going somewhere. Lacks big time amatuertuer sucess. Reminds me a bit of Rid**** Bowe. I think he's the best American prospect in a long time. Look for him to move up the prospect list in a year. Lack of defense needs improvement. Expect him to receive a title shot befoer he earns it. Legal issues in a recent DUI and gun charge could derail his future.


7 ) Mark Petrovski *** 1/2 ( hard to predict ) Age 23. 6'1 estimated to reach 76". 215 pounds. The young Petroski recently went pro ( 7-0 5 ko's ) after winning the world super heavyweight amatuer championship. He's a little small for a heavyweight, about 6'1" and 220 pounds, but he can fight and punch. And he's got a good chin and heart. He has a moving/unloading style when he gets inside. He's got quick and accurate hands. Not one to take a step back. He has the right style for his size, but I wonder about his upper potential as a pro vs. the best big men who are all skilled super heavyweights that feature natural height, range, and power these days. Appears to be fast tracked with good match making, a sign he is going somewhere.


8 ) Zakhogir Zokirov. *** 1-2 ( hard to project due to his young age ) 2-0, 2 KO. 6'7 1/2 + tall, 263 lbs/. Just 20 years old. Estimated reach 83". This 20 year old former world jr champion is a unicorn. He has a crushing type of power and moves his man early every time he lands flush. He is huge! A Southpaw. And his father and trainer is a former fighter himself. He sparred with Hrgovic and made him look small in the photo. Huge arms, hands, legs. And he is a great body puncher and in fighter which is rare for a man his size. Oh what potential. He is from Uzbekistan, a current hot bed of heavyweight talent . He should move up on the list. He is not fast , but not slow either. Not well rounded, due to his age.


9 ) Moses Itauma. *** 1/2 Height 6'6" 240 pounds, reach estimated 81 Age 19. ( hard to project due to his young age) He has very good speed. Power appears at the top end. Accuracy is good. There is a lot to like, but I suspect a bit of a glass jaw, as he has not been hit yet, and he hails from the Isle of glass jaws. We shall see. Itauma will be very hyped and he deserves to be. He is very offensive minded. Did I mention he was hyped?



10 ) Justis Huni 6'4" *** 245 estimated reach of 77" 245 pounds. 8-0, 4 Ko's. Age 23 The World Olympic junior champion. This kid is not your typical limited Samon slugger. He is, in fact, a good boxer with average power. He is quick and young. Skilled, he can box. He is not likely to go beyond the top 6 due to his power level.


11 ) Richard Torrez jr. *** 6-0 6 Ko's. 6'2" 220 pounds. The silver medalists in the Tokyo Olympic games flashed quick hands and good power as a professional. A high IQ fighter for sure and one with an aggressive style. There is something there. Fairly impressive.


12 ) Fabio Wardley. *** Age 29. 17-0-1 16 KO's. 6'5" 240 lbs. Estimated reach 80". Wardley is big, being moved quickly and producing a lot of KO's. But is he a good boxer and how is his chin?


13 ) Basir Abalrov.*** ( the hardest man to project ) 11-0, 9 Ko's. Another 6'5" 247 lbs guy. 32 years old. Estimated reach is about 79". The well muscled Abarlov has quick hands, a body type where a shell defense / guard works due his big arms and high guard. He has a lot of power. He goes to the bodywell. And he moves his feet well. He is impressive. Did next to nothing before he was pro. A talent to mold. He could rate higher


14 ) Frazier Clake *** 8-0-1 6 Ko's 6'6 " 80" reach 270 pounds. 31 years old. He beat quality competition as an amateur. He was only stopped once in 93 fights and that one was by Jalolov


15 ) Andriii Novitsky *** 8-0 8 KO. 6'6" 245 lbs, estimated reach 80 " Novystyi is a newcomer to pro boxing in 2023. He has been very active. He can hit! I think he can fight a bit too. He has a high guard, a quick step back and can to the body well. He looks advanced for a newcomer countering and making this man miss. He very much outclassed his 13-4 opponent in the first fight I saw. He most certainly can rate much higher on the list. Limited amatuer experience. They call him rampage.

16 ) Lenier Pero. *** Age 31. 6'4 1/2 ", 79 " reach which are mere standard numbers these days! 10-0, 7 KO's. Pero is a Cuban who can box.. He is a well school amateur, and rather quick handed.




17 ) Oleksandr Zakhozhy. ** 1/2 Age 29, 6'9" 18-0 14 ko's. The big man has rolled over some of the usual suspects, either knocking them out or easily out-pointing his opponents. So I rate him here based on his size, power, and experience for now.

18 ) Arslan Yallyev. ** 1/2 14-0, 9 Ko's. 6'5'' 245 lbs with an estimated reach of 80" This young Russian big man has been making some noise lately. There must be a factory for these big eastern europeans somewhere. Not a true power hitter though

19 ) Lazibek Mullojnov ** 1/2. 6'3 1/ " 235 lbs, estimated reach 78". 24 year old. 4-0 4 KOs. Another Uzbekistan fighter His amateur career was excellent. I'm not sure how far he go on the list but he will move up. Another southpaw. He is an all around type of talent.


20 ) Ivan Dycko ** 1/2 6'9" 13-0 12 KO's. Estimated reach 83". 33 years old. He had potential back in 2017, but wasted it fighting no one as a pro despite a successful amateur career. He has a keepway style and likes to use his reach. I think he will be KO'd if he ever steps up. He needs to roll the dice soon. Power is slightly better than averages.


21 Viktor Jurk. ** 6'8 1/2 " 252 libs. Estimated reach 84" Age 23. 6-0 5 Ko's. This man has not filled out yet , and he's huge. But he has some boxing ability ( really snaps his punches ) and can move. Fights like a modern day big man, giving his short opponents ( under 6'3" ) little chance to out box him. He is a bit stiff. And of course he can punch.




23 ) Alex Barriere. * 1/2 stars 6'4" pounds, estimated reach 79". Age 28. He is not that big, not that fast, and not that skilled. Just a guy, who 10 years ago would rate a little higher as a prospect but due to depth at heavyweight in the pro's I am placing him here.


23.) Solomon Adebayo. * 1/2 13-0, 12 KO. Tale of the tape, a guess as he has none. 6'6" 230 labs, 84 + reach. Age 27. Well this Nigerian prospect is certainly big but he does not know how to fight. Defense is leaky. Besides, it would be cool to list a prospect from Africa in such an international sport.

24 ) Kem Ljungquist * 1/ 2 6'6" estimated reach 81" 245 Lbs ** Kem has a very padded record for a 33year old man. He is not a pucher, and really does nothing well. He fills the quota for white bald heavyweight

25) Sonny Conto. * 1/2 12-0, 9 KO, 6'4" 220 pounds, age 28. Well at this point I might as well have a bit of fun. He is Italian, from Philly and being American might give some flashbacks to Rocky... Balboa. I should list Dietz, Sirenko, Aliev before him, but hey this is my thread.Sonny does market himself after Rocky. Word is you can buy his merchandise already.


Rating scale :

5 stars: Not only a future world champion but a man capable of defending a world title belt. A name worthy mention for the hall of fame! A prospect can rate no higher than that.

4 1/2 stars/ Possible belt holder and likely title challenger

4 stars: A current or future top 10 rated guy ( ring ****zine or box rec ratings ) who may fight for a title.

3 1/2 stars A good bet to make the top 25 at box rec

3 stars: Prospect is good bet to make the top 75 in the " box rec " ratings

2 1/2 stars A hyped guy who has reasons to make you think he upet better, but that is as far as he will go.

2 stars: A solid regional type of heavyweight. Top 100 " box rec " ratings "

1 1/2 Stars Just another run in the mill heavyweight who for now is undefeated.

1 star: A prospect that could go bust soon, or retire early.



The quarterly prospects will be taking a break returning after the Olympics in quarter 4, 2024.


Got a favorite? Any predictions on how far he will go?

Imo, out all heavies listed, I see real world championship contending potential in the likes of Kabayel, Jolovov and Torrez jr , i would rate them with a 4.

[Inoue Body Shot]

Teddy Atlas thought Hrgovic lost to Zhang as did many observers. Atlas doesn't think much of Hrgovic.

[Eff Pandas]

Imo, out all heavies listed, I see real world championship contending potential in the likes of Kabayel, Jolovov and Torrez jr , i would rate them with a 4.

What are you impressed with with Torrez? He seems above avg skill-wise, but idk that I see championship HW contending fights in his future.