Who will take the reins from Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to become British boxing's next big heavyweight star?

08/07/2024 12:59

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are nearing the end of their respective careers.

The pair have carried the torch for British heavyweight boxing over the last decade, but as both fighters enter their mid-thirties a new crop of big men are vying to take their places as household names in the glamour division.

Several highly thought-of prospects are rising through the ranks from the British Isles at the moment.

And here, talkSPORT.com takes a look at five of the best under the age of 30.

Moses Itauma

Teenage sensation Moses Itauma (9-0, 7 KOs) could be the most exciting up-and-comer on this list.

The Chatham-based boxer has been dubbed the ‘future of the heavyweight division’ by Fury.

His explosive all-action style has even led to comparisons with the great Mike Tyson.

When Itauma turned over as a pro last year, he set his sights on breaking ‘Iron Mike’s’ record as the youngest heavyweight world champion of all time (20 years, 4 months, and 22 days old).

However, he is being moved at a far more conservative pace by promoter Frank Warren, which should prove to serve him well in the long run.

His next outing will come on the Joe Joyce vs Derek Chisora undercard on July 27 against former world title challenger Mariusz Wach.

An impressive win against the Polish veteran will open to the door to fringe world-level foes.

Daniel Dubois

Daniel Dubois (21-2, 2 KOs) was written off as an heir to the British heavyweight throne following stoppage defeats to Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk.

‘Triple D’ was branded a ‘quitter’ by several members of the boxing fraternity after seeing out both counts on one knee.

But a pair of gusty wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic in his last two outings have gone a long way in shifting his public perception.

His victory over the latter saw him become IBF heavyweight champion after he was upgraded from ‘interim’ to full champion when Usyk vacated the red and gold strap last month.

He is now set to defend the belt against Joshua on September 21 at Wembley Stadium in a fight that will reveal a lot about how high the 26-year-old’s ceiling is.

Delicious Orie

Delicious Orie is Britain’s most promising super-heavyweight amateur.

The 27-year-old will travel to Paris with Team GB this month in the hopes of adding an Olympic medal to his impressive collection which already includes golds at the English National Championships, Commonwealth Games and European Games.

For those who have never seen Orie box before, he is an athletic fighter with educated feet, excellent boxing IQ and fast hands.

He tends to fight on the front foot, using in-and-out footwork to evade and counter.

In the French capital, Orie has a big task on his hands in toppling defending Olympic champion Bakhodir Jalolov, who many believe will reign supreme over the next generation of heavyweights.

But if he can, then the highly-rated Brit will have a pick of the promoters when he eventually turns over.

Johnny Fisher

Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs) is one of Britain’s most destructive heavyweights.

‘The Romford Bull’ has blown away almost every foe he has faced so far in his fledgling career with his one-punch knockout power proving to be too much for domestic-level opposition.

His last fight against Alen Babic was supposed to be a tough test on paper.

However, Fisher dispatched the Croatian brawler in 36 seconds to prove he is ready to take another step up in class.

Fisher only had a brief 10-fight amateur career but is developing well in the paid ranks.

Last year, the 26-year-old scooped the coveted Boxing Writers' Club's Young Fighter of the Year award after winning his first senior title – the Southern Area heavyweight strap in August 2023 against Harry Armstong.

He is now expected to push on for the British heavyweight belt.

Fabio Wardley

The man in possession of the Lonsdale belt, Fabio Wardley (17-0-1, 16 KOs), is the final boxer on our list.

Like Fisher, his pre-professional experience is limited with only four white-collar fights to his name.

Despite this, he has grown into a solid boxer although his skill set isn’t the main reason he is such a dangerous prospect.

Rather, it is Wardley’s concussive punching power, natural finishing instincts and toughness that define him.

He is somewhat of an overachiever considering his credentials but with the progression he has shown on a fight-by-fight basis, there is a good chance that the 29-year-old could continue to defy the odds.