The Modern-Day Dark Horses of Heavyweight Boxing
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The heavyweight boxing division has always led the way. It boasts all-time greats like Muhammad Ali, Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, etc. Modern-day greats include Wladimir Klitschko, Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua. They have all been at the forefront of the fight game.
There is a turning of tides in boxing’s heavyweight division. This follows recent losses from Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, and Tyson Fury. As these former champions get older, less-proven fighters are more eager and seem determined to reach the top. Fighters like Martin Bakole, Agit Kabayel, Zhilei Zhang, and Joseph Parker are trending upwards. These boxers should be on the radar as they ascend the legends of the past decade.
Martin Bakole (21-1-0)
Martin Bakole, 33, is arguably the most overlooked star in the heavyweight division. The massive 6’6″ Congolese-French fighter flashes George Foreman-like short and devastating punches inside the ring. Combining raw strength and power with a staggering stature, Bakole is a nightmare for any opponent.
He had no amateur experience. He began his professional boxing journey back in March 2014 and successfully earned a second-round TKO victory over Cecil Smith. It would not be until November 2017 that Bakole finally faced level competition, taking on Ali Baghouz. Bakole went on to win this bout via first-round KO. On October 18, 2013, Bakole had an impressive undefeated record of 11-0-0. He faced the toughest test of his young career against the talented American, Michael Hunter. After injuring his shoulder in the eighth round, Bakole was hit by a flurry of punches from Hunter. This ultimately forced the referee to step in and call the fight.
Bakole’s Resurgence
This devastating TKO loss to Hunter only motivated Bakole more. He returned to action six months later in a victorious effort over Mariusz Wach. Since his lone defeat, Bakole has strung together a commendable 10-fight win streak. His two most recent wins come against formidable competitors like Jared Anderson and Carlos Takam. Bakole displayed underrated ring generalship. He used counter-offense effectively, battering the younger, more elusive Anderson and dropping him three times over five rounds. He then scored a fifth-round KO victory.
Agit Kabayel (25-0-0)
Germany’s face of heavyweight boxing, Agit Kabayel, 31, has produced a surge in the division. He won impressive stoppage over undefeated rising prospects Frank Sanchez and Arslanbek Makhmudov. Like fellow dark horse Martin Bakole, Kabayel likes to implement his game plan of calculated pressure. He mixes this with a thudding combination of punching to the body and head of opponents. Standing at 6’3″ and weighing typically around 240lbs., Kabayel breaks down larger opponents inside the ring.
The German boxer began his professional career in June 2011 with a fourth-round TKO over Yeton Abdullah. Over the next few years, Kabayel dismantled lesser competition. In January 2016, he faced stiffer competition in Lawrence Tauasa. Kabayel took out Tausa via third-round TKO. From this point on, Kabayel faced more challenging opponents. He ended up taking on Derek Chisora on November 4, 2017. The German rose to the occasion in this fight, narrowly edging out Chisora on the scorecards. The decision was a majority decision with scores of 115-114, 115-113, and 114-114.
Kabayel Cracks the Scene
Kabayel would remind the rest of the division of the threat he poses toward the end of 2023. He was tasked with facing the undefeated juggernaut, Arslanbek Makhmudov. Coming into the bout undefeated, with all wins coming via stoppage, not many fighters wanted to take him on. However, Kabayel seemed confident in this match-up. He weathered the early storm of the bigger Makhmudov. He used his superior ring generalship, prioritized the body, and effectively moved his head. Kabayel took the fight over in the third round. Makhmudov was showing signs of tiredness, which made him vulnerable to big punches. The smaller man attacked his midsection and dropped him to the canvas three times, resulting in a fourth-round TKO victory.
His recent surge did not stop there. Five months later, the German went on to face undefeated Cuban Frank Sanchez. Kabayel’s smothering pressure was overwhelming for the talented boxer. He drowned his opponent in deep waters. Showing visible effects of fatigue, Sanchez was sent to the canvas twice by punches to the body. Kabayel ultimately scored a seventh-round KO victory.
Kabayel is now scheduled to fight Zhilei Zhang for the WBC Interim World Heavyweight Championship on February 22, 2025.
Zhilei Zhang (27-2-1)
Zhilei Zhang, 41, is ranked in the top ten for heavyweight boxing. The southpaw is still actively pursuing a world title. The 2008 Olympic silver medalist came into his professional career as a highly-touted amateur.
Zhang made his professional debut in August 2014 against Curtis Lee Tate. He wasted no time in making his presence felt, scoring a first-round TKO victory. He followed up his successful debut with five straight wins in 2015. Finally, on August 20, 2022, the talented Chinese boxer faced elite opposition. Unfortunately, he lost a controversial unanimous decision to undefeated Croatian, Filip Hrgovic, (112-115 2x, 113-114).
Zhang’s Rollercoaster of a Career
Contrary to the official scorecards and the result of the fight with Hrgovic, Zhang was rewarded for his efforts. He got the chance to face 2016 Olympic silver medalist and undefeated, Joe Joyce. They competed for the WBO Interim World Heavyweight Championship. The first meeting between the two happened on April 15, 2023. The bout showcased Zhang landing his left hand effortlessly on Joyce over six rounds. The eye of Joyce ended up swelling shut, and the referee was forced to call the action. A rematch happened five months later. The results did not differ as Zhang left no room for error for Joyce. Zhang ended this rematch in show-stopping fashion. He landed a massive and perfectly timed right hook to Joyce’s chin. This resulted in a third-round KO.
The toughest test of Zhang’s career came after this highlight reel KO victory. He was tasked with facing the experienced and crafty New Zealand native, Joseph Parker. Their bout occurred on March 8, 2024, with Zhang’s interim title on the line. Zhang came into this fight weighing over forty pounds heavier than Parker. The silver medalist got off to a good start by finding his jab and controlling the distance. He scored two knockdowns on Parker over twelve rounds. The first knockdown was in the third round. The second was in the eighth round. Zhang would slow down, despite two knockdowns, and start losing rounds to the more active Parker. After twelve hard-fought rounds, the judges scorecards read a majority decision (113-113, 112-114, 111-115) in favor of Parker.
Staying Resilient
Zhang did not let this loss disparage him, which is extremely important in heavyweight boxing. He knows his time in this sport is limited due to his age. Instead, the former WBO Interim Heavyweight Champion decided to take on Deontay Wilder. Wilder is a long-time formidable knockout artist and former WBC World Heavyweight Champion. Having suffered three defeats in his last four fights, many pundits deemed Wilder a shell of himself. Zhang displayed utter dominance in their fight as the much heavier man, delivering a fifth-round TKO.
Zhang is now scheduled to face Germany’s undefeated, Agit Kabayel, on February 22, 2025. They will compete for the WBC Interim World Heavyweight Championship.
Joseph Parker (35-3-0)
New Zealand’s Joseph Parker is the most experienced and battle-tested of the four dark horses of Heavyweight boxing. He holds the WBO Interim World Heavyweight title. Parker, 32, has had a career schedule similar to throwback fighters. He stays active inside the ring, and takes on the most brutal fights possible.
Before turning professional, Parker accumulated 29 fights during his amateur career, going 19-10-0. Having never qualified for the Olympics, Parker decided to turn pro. He made his debut on July 5, 2012, against Dean Garmonsway. He went on to win this debut via second-round TKO. Parker quickly achieved an impressive record of 18-0-0 in just under four years. Then he took on his first legit test as a professional. This test came from the more experienced and more prominent fighter, Carlos Takam. Parker would show resilience in this hard-fought bout as he edged out Takam via unanimous decision, (116-112 2x, 115-113).
Parker’s Elite Resume
Parker fought five times in 2016. He capped off the year with a great win over Andy Ruiz for the WBO World Heavyweight Championship. This victory was via a majority decision (115 2x, 114-114), on December 10. Following his win over Ruiz, Parker defended this title twice. Then he ran into a title unification bout against Anthony Joshua. Joshua was seen as the king of heavyweight boxing at the time.
Following his loss to Joshua, he would go on to lose to Dillian Whyte via unanimous decision (111-114, 110-115, 112-113). This placed Parker in an unfamiliar position during his professional career. He quickly transitioned from undefeated world champion to a non-champion on a two-fight skid.
Since that defeat to Whyte, Parker has won 11 of his last twelve fights. He looks to capture heavyweight gold again. During these previous twelve appearances, Parker secured victories over marquee names. These include Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang, and Derek Chisora. The lone loss over this period was to Joe Joyce in September 2022. In the 11th round, Joyce delivered a fight-ending left hook to a vision-impaired Parker.
Parker is now scheduled to fight London’s Daniel Dubois for the IBF World Heavyweight title on February 22, 2025.
What are your thoughts on the modern-day horsemen of heavyweight boxing? Let us know in the comments below.
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