While Joseph Parker prepares for the biggest fight of his career, the heavyweight division rolls on with a real resurgence. Anthony Joshua takes on Charles Martin this weekend as the contenders get ready to match each other. Jack Salter breaks down the champions and a fistfull of contenders.
THE CHAMPIONS
Tyson Fury
Height/reach: 2.06 m, 216cm.
Style: Orthodox.
Record: 25 wins, 0 losses, 18 ko.
The IBO, WBO and WBA super champion is the man who beat the man no-one could for what seemed like an eternity.
A huge man with a freakish long reach, Fury mentally wore down Wladimir Klitschko before last year's bout and then proceeded to outbox him.
The Irish Brit is not the prettiest to watch and his chin has been questioned in the past, but Fury (27) utilises his size and reach well and is in career best form.
Deontay Wilder
Height/reach: 2.01m, 211cm.
Style: Orthodox.
Record: 36-0 35ko.
The aptly named ‘‘Bronze Bomber'' has settled into his WBC reign with three solid defences after the American claimed a definitive title win against Bermane Stiverne last year.
Wilder (30) has power in both hands and he has shown in three defences he has the ability to go into late rounds, but can still finish fights.
In his toughest test to date, Wilder will face mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin on May 21.
Charles Martin
Height/reach: 1.96m, 203cm.
Style: Southpaw
Record: 23-0-1 draw 21ko.
Martin is one of the few champions to win a title without doing much when he beat Vyacheslav Glazkov for the vacant IBF crown after Fury was senselessly stripped of it because of a Klitschko rematch clause.
Without looking outstanding, the bigger Martin (29) landed the heavier shots, before Glazkov ruptured a knee ligament and retired in the third round.
Martin is just the sixth southpaw to hold a world heavyweight title and while the American possesses size and obvious knockout power, his movement is minimal.
He will gamely face British prodigy Anthony Joshua this weekend.
THE CONTENDERS
Wladimir Klitschko
Height/reach: 1.98m, 206cm
Style: Orthodox.
Record: 64-4, 53ko.
With hard jabs and solid straight rights, the once indestructible Dr Steelhammer held various world titles for nearly 10 years.
From 2008 onwards, Klitschko (39) at minimum held three world titles and remained undefeated in total for about 11 years.
Criticised at times for being boring or ducking the occasional threat, for the most part the Ukrainian was smart and made good boxers look average, until Fury made him look ordinary.
A rematch looms later this year.
Alexander Povetkin
Height/reach: 1.88m, 191cm
Style: Orthodox.
Record: 31-1 22ko.
Povetkin is a genuine force with his only loss being a unanimous decision to Klitschko in 2013.
Povetkin (36) lacks height and reach, but the Russian has a good work rate, a solid chin, he frequently rips the body and he has one of the best right hands in the division.
With three knockout wins against credible opponents over the past two years, including Joseph Parker's next foe Carlos Takem in 2014, Povetkin is a real deal contender.
Luis Ortiz
Height/reach: 1.93m, 213cm.
Style: Southpaw.
Record: 25-0 22ko.
Known as ‘‘King Kong'' and built like it also, Ortiz (36) is fast staking a claim as the best heavyweight southpaw.
With two fine knockout wins against Tony Thompson and Bryant Jennings recently, the big Cuban is building a handy resume thanks largely due to his frightening left hand.
The WBA Interim champion and the IBO No4 is a man to look out for in 2016.
Anthony Joshua
Height/reach: 1.98m, 208cm.
Style: Orthodox.
Record: 15-0 15ko.
Through some smart handling, Joshua has made every post a winner since turning professional in 2013.
Without taking massive risks Joshua (26) has gradually increased his calibre of opponent with a couple of worthy stoppages against American Kevin Johnson followed by Brit Dillian Whyte last December.
The Briton is an accurate puncher with a strong skill set. He is seen by many as a man on a collision course with Joseph Parker.
Joseph Parker
Height/reach: 1.94m, 193cm
Style: Orthodox.
Record: 18-0 16ko.
Once termed "Baby Joseph'' by Francois Botha in 2013 before Parker knocked him out, Parker is far from a baby heavyweight anymore.
He has dispatched all of his opponents with relative ease and has shown unmatched hand speed and a ruthless finishing instinct.
Parker is in a handy position with all the governing bodies.
He will face his first genuine threat when he takes on the highly ranked slugger Carlos Takem in a much anticipated IBF title eliminator on May 21.
