World Boxing News charts the top ten active oldest heavyweight boxers following the recent exploits of Mike Tyson’s conqueror, Danny Williams.
Last month, Williams lost for the 33rd time in his professional career, having continued competing into his fifties.
This startling fact urged WBN to look at other boxers who currently ply their trade over the half-century of years. It turns out there are nine others in Williams’ shoes.
The oldest currently active heavyweight is Jeff Holcomb of the United States. America has four of the top ten, including two of the top three.
Holcomb returned from a fifteen-year layoff in 2022 only to be knocked out in the first round by Onoriode Ehwarieme.
Undeterred, Holcomb returned to the ring in May of this year for the same treatment. Having retired at the end of the first round against Ehwarieme, the glutton for punishment lasted only 98 seconds against Keith Mayes.
Second place sees 53-year-old Serbian Martin Rovcanin on the list. Rovcanin is one of two fighters who carry undefeated records in their twilight run at pugilism.
Rovcanin is 8-0 with three stoppages to his name. However, he’s fought the same opponent twice and spread his career over a decade.
At three is Florida-based Puerto Rican Moises Droz. The 52-year-old is on a three-bout winning streak and last fought in December.
Coming in at number four is the most hapless of the ten. Kenyan James Obui enjoyed a less-than-impressive 0-1o run in the paid ranks between 2010 and 2015.
Returning this year, it was the same story for Obiu as he went zero for eleven against debutant Louis Olivier in January.
Danny Williams
The fifth position sees journeyman Jeremiah Williams enter the fold. Williams, 51, has 33 pro fights and has shared the ring with Notorious Deontay Wilder opponent Dustin Nichols.
Williams stopped Nichols in three rounds. In his last bout, he drew with Cruz Sarmiento in Tijuana, Mexico.
At six is Engin Solmaz. Unlike his name, the Turk, 51, runs out of steam in the ring, losing sixty of his 71 contests.
Seventh is Peter Sipos. The 50-year-old Hungarian competes on the European circuit and is surprisingly undefeated in eleven years. His last win came in August when he stopped Radovan Nedovic.
Taking eighth place is the second unbeaten fighter on the countdown. American James Tanksley, also 50, is in the midst of a 6-0 run in the top division.
Tanksley initially turned pro in 2014 at 41, winning his first outing. However, he returned in 2022 and has since stopped four out of five.
The penultimate position in the top ten goes to Bernard Adie. The 50-year-old is 16-8 with eleven stoppages and has fought in several countries.
However, Kenya’s “Viper Of East Africa” has a deceptive record. Three of his wins have come when beating up on poor old James Obui.
At ten, the most notorious on the list is Danny Williams. He knocked out the great Mike Tyson in 2002 before facing Vitali Klitschko a few months later.
The Tyson win has become a curse for “The Brixton Bomber,” as European promoters won’t leave him alone. In addition, paycheck after paycheck gets accepted by Williams.
Louison Loizou inflicted a 33rd defeat in 88 contests on Williams in a drab affair on Estonian soil.
Top 10 oldest heavyweight boxers in 2023
1 Jeff Holcomb – United States – 55 years [11-7-2, 5 KOs]
2 Martin Rovcanin – Serbia – 53 years [8-0, 3 Kos]
3 Moises Droz – United States – 52 years [16-10, 12 KOs]
4 James Obui – Kenya – 51 years [0-11, KO’d four times]
5 Jeremiah Williams – United States – 51 years [17-14-2, 12 KOs]
6 Engin Solmaz – Turkey – 51 years [8-60-3, KO’d 38 times]
7 Peter Sipos – Hungary – 50 years [17-3, 9 KOs]
8 James Tanksley – United States – 50 years [6-0, 4 KOs]
9 Bernard Adie – Kenya – 50 years [16-8, 11 KOs]
10 Danny Williams – United Kingdom – 50 years [55-33, 42 KOs]
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer.
