By James Slater: There were two significant wins scored by heavyweights this past weekend, with the unbeaten duo that is Alexander Povetkin and Robert Helenius picking up notable victories. The two Klitschkos have nothing much to fear as regards losing their positions atop the division (although Tomasz Adamek fans say different, believing their hero will cause the upset when he faces WBC king Vitali on Sept. 10th), but both Povetkin and Helenius are deserving of going up a notch or two due to their recent wins.
The current heavyweight division is reasonably interesting, even if the two brothers dominating the landscape have no real danger fights set for the coming months (if not years). But how is the current top-ten looking?
Here I give my top-ten:
Champion: Wladimir Klitschko, 56-3(49) – Ring Magazine, WBA, IBF, WBO titleholder – last fight: WU12 David Haye.
1: Vitali Klitschko, 42-2(39) – WBC titleholder – last fight: WKO1 Odlanier Solis.
2: Alexander Povetkin, 22-0(15) – “regular” WBA titleholder – last fight: WU12 Ruslan Chagaev.
3: David Haye, 25-2(23) – last fight: LU12 Wladimir Klitschko.
4: Tomasz Adamek, 44-1(28) – last fight: WU12 Kevin McBride.
5: Eddie Chambers, 36-2(18) – last fight: WU12 Derric Rossy.
6: Tony Thompson, 36-2(24) – last fight: WTKO3 Maurice Harris.
7: Chris Arreola, 33-2(28) – last fight: WU10 Friday Ahunanya.
8: Ruslan Chagaev, 27-2-1(17) – last fight, LU12 Alexander Povetkin.
9: Robert Helenius, 16-0(11) – last fight: WTKO9 Siarhei Liakhovich.
10: Alexander Dimitrenko, 31-1(21) – last fight: WKO12 Albert Sosnowski.
Bubbling Under: Tyson Fury, 15-0(10) – last fight: WU12 Dereck Chisora.
Mike Perez, 16-0(12) – last fight: WTKO1 Tye Fields.
Kubrat Pulev, 13-0(6) – last fight:WU8 Maksym Pediura.
Bermane Stiverne, 21-1-1(20) – last fight: WTKO10 Ray Austin.
Denis Boytsov, 28-0(23) – last fight: WKO2 Mike Sheppard.