Johnny Nelson Calls Tyson Fury Second-Best Heavyweight

Since 2021, sharper and busier heavyweights have passed him on current evidence

Johnny Nelson still places Tyson Fury near the top of the heavyweight division. The form shown inside the ring since 2021 tells a different story.

Since the Wilder trilogy closed in 2021, the division has moved. Oleksandr Usyk set the standard. Others have stayed busy. Fabio Wardley, Moses Itauma, Agit Kabayel, Joseph Parker, Anthony Joshua, Frank Sanchez, Richard Torrez Jr., Filip Hrgovic, Lawrence Okolie and Efe Ajagba have all shown sharper timing and steadier workrate in recent outings. Fury sits behind them on current evidence.

His win over Wladimir Klitschko belongs to 2015. The second Deontay Wilder fight, where he stepped forward behind a hard jab and straight right, was 2020. Those nights were clear. Since then, the picture has blurred.

In the third Wilder fight he rose off the deck and finished the job, though he was hurt and forced to rally. He stopped Dillian Whyte with a short right uppercut after a cautious build. He handled Dereck Chisora in a third meeting that felt like a sparring session under lights. Then came Francis Ngannou. Fury went down, spent long stretches backing up, and edged a split decision against a debutant who had never boxed twelve rounds. That performance shifted the conversation.

The eye test tells the same story. His feet are heavier across extended exchanges. He leans and ties up more, working in close and using his weight. The jab is still there, though it no longer dictates range with the same authority. He sets his feet less often and lets his combinations go in shorter spells. The fighter who once stepped in behind the jab and broke men down now spends more time managing pace.

April 11 brings Arslanbek Makhmudov. It is a comeback fight, not a title eliminator. Makhmudov is dangerous early, wide with his shots, vulnerable when backed up and made to punch in combination. If Fury controls range and keeps the fight long, he should take him apart. If he cannot, the questions grow louder.

There is talk of Fabio Wardley down the line. Wardley throws in volume, commits to the right hand, and keeps his workrate high. That type of pace forces answers. Fury would have to hold center ring, pump the jab, and resist falling into clinches that stall his own offense.

Rankings based on what is happening now place him outside the top tier. Usyk stands alone at the summit. Several others are pressing forward with sharper rounds and fresher legs. Fury’s past belts and big nights remain on the record. The present division asks a different question.

Five more heavyweights hover just outside the upper group who would present real problems on current form: Guido Vianello, Lenier Pero, Martin Bakole, Bakhodir Jalolov and Zhilei Zhang. Big men who punch straight, work behind the jab, and push a steady pace.

Fury can change that narrative. Heavyweights age unevenly. A focused camp, disciplined conditioning, and a return to setting the pace with the jab could steady him. If he sets his feet and lets the combinations rip from the floor up, the old authority might resurface.

If not, the division will continue moving past him while his reputation stays fixed in an earlier round.