What Has Happened To American Heavyweights?

The IBO ratings only have three boxers out of their top twenty contenders in the heavyweight division. The highest-ranked is Michael ‘The Bounty’ Hunter, 24-1-2 with 17 stoppages at No. 9, out of Las Vegas, Nevada, whose only loss was to IBF, WBC, IBF World champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Next is Jared ‘The Real Big Baby’ Anderson, 18-1 with 15 stoppages at No. 16, out of Houston, Texas, whose only loss was to Martin Bakole. Finally, the one with the most talent, Richard Torrez, Jr., 13-0 with 11 stoppages at No. 20, 2021 Olympic Silver Medalist, losing in finals and earlier to Bakhodir ‘The Big Uzbek’ Jalolov, 15-0 with 14 stoppages, currently ranked No. 23. He was 109-15 in the amateurs out of Sanosiyo, Uzbekistan.

Torrez was 52-8 in the amateurs. He split with Cuban Dainier ‘The Fear’ Pero, 11-0 with 8 stoppages, out of Miami, Florida, whom in a rematch Torrez defeated in the Olympic quarter finals.

Former WBC world champion Deontay ‘The Bronze Bomber’ Wilder, 44-4-1 with 43 stoppages out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and an Olympic Bronze medalist in 2006. After a year of inactivity, he came back in June at the age of 39, stopping Tyrrell Anthony Herndon, 24-5.