Johnny Nelson picks his top 10 world heavyweights

By Johnny Nelson, Boxing Expert & Columnist

The heavyweight scene is rocking right now so we asked Johnny Nelson to come up with his own top 10.

Of course Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder are in, but what about Anthony Joshua? Does David Haye make it?

It's not just a who's-who, but where do they rank? Nelson kicks off the latest heavyweight debate...

10: Charles Martin - 23-0-1-KO21

I don't think he is anything special. He was in a position of circumstance and watching him, even as a southpaw, he looked beatable. Nothing made the hairs stand on the back of my neck, which is why the new IBF champion is 10.

9: Bryant Jennings - 19-2-KO10

He has the experience and he has depth to his game and I would put him above Martin without a shadow of a doubt. He'd beat him no trouble at all.

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8: Bermane Stiverne - 25-2-1-KO21

A good fighter. He lost the title to Wilder but said he had health problems and other issues but his hand-speed is good and he reminded me of someone like Tony Tubbs. Now he's got to get back into the mix.

7: David Haye - 27-2-KO25

He is a former world champion and is now back on the scene. He's got the movement, the skill and the capability and even if I am doing him a favour because we've not seen much of him, he rightfully deserves to be in the top 10. No higher though.

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6: Kubrat Pulev - 22-1-KO12

He's only lost once, to Wladimir Klitschko, and we still haven't really seen his depth to the maximum. If he can come again, I am not sure, but to me he is a good world-rated fighter.

5: Alexander Povetkin - 30-1-KO22

Another one that has only lost one, to you-know-who. We expected a lot from him but Klitschko shut him out and has done that to most people. But he is still a force to be recognised.

4: Luis Ortiz - 24-0-KO21

This guy is unbeaten but untested - although he's just come through Jennings, so he is a genuine threat. Skill-wise he has everything but it worries me that he will get bored because people won't be taking a risk and facing him.

3: Deontay Wilder - 36-0-KO35

He's won all 36, knocked out 35 and regardless if he is top dog or not, you can't argue against an unbeaten world champion. Since winning that title it seems like they've tried to take that wildness off him and to me that was the secret of his success.

Deontay Wilder retained his WBC heavyweight title on Saturday with a knockout victory over Artur Szpilka

2: Wladimir Klitschko - 64-4-KO53

He dominated the division for so long only to lose to Tyson Fury - and in the rematch I think Fury beats him even more convincingly. He wants to prove that defeat was a fluke but it wasn't for me. He's started slipping down the rankings.

1: Tyson Fury - 25-0-KO18

It has to be him. He beat the King of Kings, who no one else could. We thought Pulev could, Povetkin could, but they didn't come close. You have to put him top of the pile and he will prove it again in the rematch.

And Anthony Joshua?

I wouldn't put him in the top 10 yet, right on the edge at 12 behind Ruslan Chagaev. I do think he beats Martin and Jennings but Stiverne is a good test and if he gets that, he will get through it and then he will start shooting up the rankings. We know he has the ability to knock 60 per cent of my top 10 out already but once he's in there, he's in with experienced and unpredictable fighters. Give him 18 months, then we'll see. 

Now, what do YOU think...

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