By Oscar Pick
THE cruiserweight division is wide open, awaiting its next bona fide star to fill the void left by Oleksandr Usyk.
Since the Ukrainian stepped up to further cement his greatness in the land of the giants, four formidable champions have seized the jewellery that fragmented following his undisputed reign.
And yet, while several mouthwatering unifications have been mooted, one suspects that the coronation of a new, definitive king remains a fair distance away.
With this in mind, there is seemingly an opportunity for someone, hovering just beneath the title-holders, to catapult themselves towards a shot at world honours โ that is until, after successfully toppling a champion, they can then lay claim to the cruiserweight throne.
One fighter who strongly insists that he has already taken a notable scalp in his division is Brandon โBulletproofโ Glanton, a 200 lbs contender ranked number three with the WBA.
โI beat [WBC champion Noel Mikaelian] to a pulp in sparring,โ the 32-year-old revealed. โIโm the reason why his fight [with Ryan Rozicki] didnโt happen on June 7.
โI cut him, and it was an ugly cut, but my fists were like magnets to his face; I couldnโt miss.
โIโve got Noelโs balls in my pocket so, if he wants them back, he knows where to find them.
โBut whatโs the point in mentioning people who I know are afraid of me? He would be an idiot to fight me, but boxing has a lot of idiots, so maybe we can make it happen. Itโs probably not beneficial for his health to fight me, though.โ
While maintaining a degree of belligerence when discussing potential showdowns with his cruiserweight rivals, Glanton reveals a different side of his character too, one that epitomises his pure intentions and genuine desire to help others.
Throughout his spell as a collegiate American football player, Glanton struggled to control his weight during the off-season, yet the realisation that he needed to make some drastic lifestyle changes only came once he was introduced to boxing.
Soon, he began to build a presence on social media, where his content is designed to not only elevate his profile โ through tightly edited clips that are engaging and often humorous โ but also inspire people to avoid the mistakes that he made, offering them nutritional and training-related advice.
โI just like giving people a piece of what Iโve done,โ he said. โI was 327 lbs [before I started boxing]. If people can give me a moment, and hear what I have to say, then Iโm more than happy to save somebodyโs life if theyโve got health problems.
โYou see the scales, but you donโt really know youโre that big. Itโs only when you start throwing punches, and start getting tired, you realise you need to make some changes.โ
Having responded to two controversial defeats that, in his view, should have never blemished his record, Glanton now enters a pivotal stage in his career, hoping that his fan-friendly style and captivating personality will see him secure the big fights.
With 20 professional wins under his belt, the California-based pugilist has established himself as a ferocious puncher, amassing 17 stoppages and ending his last outing โ against Aleksei Egorov in Russia โ with a devastating 11th-round body shot.
But it could be said that his explosive style has largely worked against him, as while he, in theory, sits on the cusp of challenging Gilberto Ramirez, the WBA world champion has expressed no interest in fighting him.
โYou give a fat light-heavyweight a world title, and then he holds it hostage,โ Glanton said. โIt looks like [Ramirez] is going to fight [Yuniel] Dorticos, and then he wants to unify, but Iโd love to step on his dreams.
โHeโs only in this division because heโs lazy โ he doesnโt want to make [light-heavyweight]. Iโm 230 lbs right now, and I donโt struggle to make the weight. That guy doesnโt belong in this division.โ
With Ramirez representing an elusive target, Glanton has begun to consider alternative options.
Last year, he made the trip over to Bournemouth, where Chris Billam-Smith claimed the WBO strap after outpointing his former stablemate, Lawrence Okolie, at the Vitality Stadium.
And Glanton, enthralled by the event, now wishes to face the Brit in his hometown.
โ[The atmosphere] was electric; I loved it,โ he said. โThe people were amazing; the stadium was amazing. Those events in the UK are something special. I wish we had that kind of support over here.
โBring me to Bournemouth and [Billam-Smith] wonโt make it out. Iโll leave with his belt and, quite possibly, even his wife. If I make it to Bournemouth, donโt blink!โ
Of course, it would be impossible to discuss the worldโs most elite cruiserweights without mentioning IBF champion Jai Opetaia, arguably the divisionโs most accomplished operator.
But while Glanton remains confident in his ability, he knows that, in a clash with the versatile Australian, there would need to be a vastly different approach.
โThat guy had a broken jaw and still outboxed Mairis Briedis over 12 rounds,โ he said. โDo you know what type of man it takes to be able to do that?โ
โFor a guy like that, you need to have very specific sparring. I wouldnโt know where to find someone to emulate his style โ his agility, his hand-speed, his grit.โ
In truth, a clash with any of the four champions is not yet within Glantonโs grasp, which is why, until the moment to prove himself arrives, he remains determined to continue banging the drum for what would be his first world title shot.
โAt this point, I think Iโll just have to go round to their houses and slap them,โ he said. โI am what boxing wants and needs, yet these guys donโt want to fight me. Champions look to make the most money for the easiest fights these days.
โFrom their perspective, fighting me is the stupidest thing they could do.โ