Top ten heavyweights in boxing February 2025 ahead of Joseph Parker vs Daniel Dubois and Zhilei Zhang vs Agit Kabayel

Over the last few months, the heavyweight division has seen some major changes – several top fighters have seen their stock rise, while others have fallen beyond recognition.

Previously, the likes of Deontay Wilder and Joe Joyce would have been a lock for a list of this ilk – now, they are mere honourable mentions. But who makes the cut in February of 2025? Let’s take a look.

Please note – this list was created before the February 22 Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev 2 card. Four of the fighters on this list (spoilers) will feature on our list; as such, it may look very different in just a few short days. 

10. Dereck Chisora

The old war horse Dereck Chisora may be on his way out after his next fight, but he still remains one of the most dangerous heavyweights on the scene. 

While he is no longer a threat to the elite talents in the division (truthfully, he never was), he is one of the strongest gatekeepers it has ever seen. He draws comparisons to some past gatekeepers, such as Bert Cooper and Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb. 

Unsurprisingly, we here at Journeyman love a good journeyman! Chisora has embodied what it means to be a top level journeyman in the latter stages of his career – so much so that he has become the marquee attraction on many cards.

9. Andy Ruiz Jr.

Andy Ruiz’s career will serve as little more than a cautionary tale if it continues to follow its current trajectory. Once the fan favourite of the division, he is little more than a wistful afterthought at this stage. 

His emphatic, Buster Douglas-esque win over Anthony Joshua will be remembered forever, but the Mexican-American has done little since then – and that was nearly six years ago. 

Wins over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz in 2021 and 2022 did little to inspire audiences. Last year, he took on Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller, putting forth a turgid display that saw him scrape a draw. Ruiz needs a big win and fast – he is in this top ten on his past achievements alone. 

8. Martin Bakole

Arguably the current heavyweight bogeyman, Martin Bakole has a strong set of attributes that would make him a stern test for anyone (in theory).

Sadly, we have yet to see Bakole be given a test worthy of his boasts. He has lost to Michael Hunter previously, but this was pre-Covid – he was also thought to be struggling with a shoulder injury at the time. 

Despite this, his granite chin and monstrous power cannot be overlooked. He is a bit of a throwback heavyweight, always marching forwards and looking to engage – his destruction of Jared Anderson was an emphatic display of his capabilities. 

7. Agit Kabayel

Agit Kabayel has risen to prominence over the last year with impressive stoppage wins over Arslanbek Makhmudov and Frank Sanchez – but he will face the biggest test of his career on Saturday when he takes on Zhilei Zhang. 

A formidable body puncher with a strong engine, both of his recent victories came through extensive work to the torso. It is rare – and refreshing – to see a heavyweight target the body so much. 

His performance against Zhang will tell us a lot about where he currently stands. Beating Makhmudov and Sanchez caught the eye, but they were also largely unproven – the same cannot be said for the next entry in our list. 

6. Zhilei Zhang

Probably the hardest puncher in boxing today, Zhilei Zhang has become infamous for his power that he carries in both hands. We’ve seen some devastating knockouts courtesy of him – the most notable of which came when he cracked Joe Joyce’s iron chin. 

However, at 41 years of age and with an incredibly limited amount of stamina, he lacks the necessary tools to worry anyone at the top of the heavyweight pile. This was exemplified during his fight against Joseph Parker, where he knocked the Kiwi down twice, but failed to capitalise and lost a decision. 

As mentioned earlier, his fight against Kabayel will be very interesting – they each present a fascinating clash of styles that should make for an exciting contest. 

5. Anthony Joshua

Once the golden boy of the heavyweight landscape, Anthony Joshua is currently in a position where he must pick up the pieces. He was not only bullied by Daniel Dubois in their 2024 clash – he was also outclassed. 

Nevertheless, don’t write AJ off just yet. He is still a formidable puncher with an underrated boxing acumen and is a serious challenge for anyone in the division on his day. 

Contrary to popular opinion, Joshua may benefit from adopting a more conservative approach. He possesses a strong jab, backed up by a ferocious cross, but often falls apart when engaging in a brawl. As things stand, it remains to be seen what his next move will be.

4. Joseph Parker

Finally, after many frustrating years, it all seems to be coming together for Joseph Parker. Written off by many after being knocked out by Joe Joyce, he bounced back with excellent wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. 

Under the tutelage of Andy Lee, Parker looks like a completely different fighter. He is no longer the gun shy ‘nearly’ fighter he was once was – instead, he is far more aggressive and is keen to press the issue wherever possible. 

Like several fighters on this list, opinions of Parker could alter dramatically after the weekend. He faces Daniel Dubois on Saturday – let’s get to him now.

3. Daniel Dubois

Daniel Dubois shocked the world when he dominated and knocked out Anthony Joshua back in September – it was a savage display that put the entire division on notice. 

Like Parker, many had written Dubois off after high-profile losses. The last year or so has been a real bout of resurgence for him – he is arguably the best heavyweight the UK has to offer. 

His greatest attribute is his piston-like jab, which he used to perfection against Joshua. Not only is it powerful, it is also very accurate and deceptively long. Should he defeat Parker in their upcoming bout, a massive rematch against Oleksandr Usyk could be on the cards.

2. Tyson Fury

We know, we know – Tyson Fury is ‘retired’. He even said so himself! Of course, if you believe that, we’ve got some cut-price snake oil to sell you. 

That aside, Fury spent several years as the indisputable king of the division – until a Ukrainian middleweight ripped up the script. 

We all know what makes Fury great – his movement, hand speed, intelligence and ability to adapt on the fly are all truly elite. Hopefully, we will see the Gypsy King finally square off against Joshua before they each hang up the gloves for good. 

1. Oleksandr Usyk

Who else? Oleksandr Usyk isn’t just the best heavyweight on the scene – he is the best fighter on the planet today. 

With an unrivalled engine, combined with supreme ring IQ and footwork, Usyk is practically unbeatable at the moment. He has virtually no weaknesses – some may point out his lack of power at heavyweight, but he was still able to hurt Joshua and drop Fury. 

It remains to be seen who he will fight next. He has nothing left to prove, having cleared out the division (except Parker), but has stated he wants to fight twice more before he calls it a day.