Scroll to the bottom to select your own top five
Thursday 22 March 2018 19:08, UK
We asked some big names to select their top five British heavyweights - and you can pick your own.
The heavyweight division is booming with Dillian Whyte on the verge of facing Lucas Browne, live on Sky Sports on Saturday, before Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker's world title unifier next week, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
So, who's the top dog in Britain?
Anthony Joshua should be No 1. He's got the titles at the minute. I should be No 2. I'm the highest ranked heavyweight across the board, outside the world champions. I've been actively fighting. I've fought everyone there is for me to fight in Britain. I've never turned down a fight. My world ranking should be higher as well. I'm ranked across the board - IBF, WBO, WBC, WBA.
Tyson Fury is a former world champion, but the reason why I rank him at No 3, he hasn't been active. He hasn't fought for two years.
Tony Bellew has only had one heavyweight fight. He beat David Haye but he's still not a proper heavyweight. Haye just lost to Tony Bellew and has been fairly inactive as well. He has to prove himself again against Bellew on May 5.
Joshua is active and performing. He's got three of the belts, so he's top of the tree. Fury, just because of who he is. He's been inactive, which is why he's not No 1. He's 6'9'' and has a hell of a reach.
Haye is a hard one because you just don't know anymore. But he's shown, and proved he can perform. He couldn't do much with an injured Achilles.
Chisora is crafty. He does little things that you might not notice, from outside the ring. He knows what he's doing. He's been there and done it.
I'll put Whyte at No 5 to give me more credibility! He's got good stamina but, unfortunately, he's under pressure to perform [against me] so he might take chances - I look forward to that.
Joshua is the unified champion and has ticked all the boxes. Fury is the lineal champion - if he was active he'd have a shot at being No 1.
Bellew has beaten Haye. He's an ex-world champion. To be a force you have to step in with [the biggest] heavyweight so the ball is in his court. Bellew is better than he's given credit for.
Age may have caught up with Haye. His body type and athleticism suits being a young man. He has peaked.
Whyte is a really good, and much improved, heavyweight. He fights anyone. It would have been easier for Whyte to tread water [than fight Browne].
Joshua is the best heavyweight in the world, and I don't count Fury because he hasn't boxed for so long. I'll beat Joshua in three years' time at the Keepmoat Stadium.
I'm not ranking Haye because he's had two wins in six years - and they were against bin men. Bellew is not a heavyweight so he's not there. Daniel Dubois is a kid and hasn't boxed anybody.
Whyte has good wins. Chisora has fought everybody, and he's really good, and if I don't put him in my top five, he'll come for me.
Hughie Fury has boxed for a world title and we'll see shades of Ali against Sam Sexton. I'm No 5 because the rest are kids, and I've got a few wins, and I'm the White Rhino. Say what you want but I've got better wins than anybody except the top names.
Joshua is the man in form - he's beaten everyone in front of him. The Wladimir Klitschko fight secured his place in British boxing history.
Fury did the impossible when he beat Klitschko. The reason he isn't No 1 is because he's been out of the ring for so long. He's the hardest out of everyone to beat, if I personally fought them.
Whyte had a relatively novice amateur career but has put himself in a great position. He has become an athlete. I admire how he took himself away from home to train in Loughborough. His boxing improves in every fight.
Joe Joyce - people will say I'm mad because he's had three fights. I've boxed him four times and haven't had a victory. He's one of the fittest heavyweights I've ever known - great engine, great strength. Possibly the most solid chin in boxing. He will add spice to the division.
Everything has come very soon for Hughie Fury, he's young. He's got one loss, to Joseph Parker. Good skill-set, good amateur pedigree. But it's wide open - people could burst into this top five in the next six or eight months.
