The next three months will be pivotal for the future of boxing’s heavyweight rankings, so what do the latest lists look like heading into this crucial phase?
We get two absolutely enormous fights which will shape the top of boxing’s marquee weight class for a long time to come. First it’s Daniel Dubois vs Anthony Joshua for the IBF title on September 21, and exactly three months after that – on December 21 – it’s Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury 2 for every other belt that matters.
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As ever, the heavyweight boxing scene is complicated, with four official sanctioning bodies to factor in. Plus the widely acclaimed Ring magazine title and the moniker of lineal king. So let’s explain how it works, and who is ranked where ahead of that upcoming ‘Day of Reckoning’ show.
Heavyweight Rankings
So, let’s go through all of the bodies with recognised titles and see who is ranked where:
WBC: World Boxing Council
- Champion: Oleksandr Uysk (UKR)
- 1. Tyson Fury (GBR)
- 2. Agit Kabayel (GER)
- 3. Martin Bakole (DRC)
- 4. Zhilei Zhang (CHN)
- 5. Efe Ajagba (NGA)
- 6. Bakhodir Jalolov (UZB)
- 7. Frank Sanchez (CUB)
- 8. Fabio Wardley (GBR)
- 9. Arslanbek Makhmudov (RUS)
- 10. Filip Hrgovic (CRO)
- 11. Luis Ortiz (CUB)
- 12. Otto Wallin (SWE)
- 13. Deontay Wilder (USA)
- 14. Andy Ruiz (USA)
- 15. Jared Anderson (USA)
WBA: World Boxing Association
- Super Champion: Oleksandr Usyk (UKR)
- Regular Champion: Manuel Charr (GER)
- 1. Martin Bakole (DRC)
- 2. Tyson Fury (GBR)
- 3. Michael Hunter (USA)
- 4. Lenier Pero (CUB)
- 5. Mike Perez (CUB)
- 6. Agit Kabayel (GER)
- 7. Zhilei Zhang (CHN)
- 8. Kubrat Pulev (BUL)
- 9. Fabio Wardley (GBR)
- 10. Cassius Chaney (USA)
- 11. Luis Ortiz (CUB)
- 12. Dereck Chisora (GBR)
- 13. Jarrell Miller (USA)
- 14. Jonathan Guidry (USA)
- 15. Ivan Dychko (KAZ)
IBF: International Boxing Federation
- Champion: Daniel Dubois (GBR)
- 1. Not Rated
- 2. Not Rated
- 3. Anthony Joshua (GBR)
- 4. Agit Kabayel (GER)
- 5. Martin Bakole (DRC)
- 6. Zhilei Zhang (CHN)
- 7. Frank Sanchez (CUB)
- 8. Efe Ajagba (NGA)
- 9. Filip Hrgovic (CRO)
- 10. Dereck Chisora (GBR)
- 11. Otto Wallin (SWE)
- 12. Fabio Wardley (GBR)
- 13. Jared Anderson (USA)
- 14. Justis Huni (AUS)
- 15. Arslanbek Makhmudov (RUS)
WBO: World Boxing Organization
- Champion: Oleksandr Usyk (UKR)
- Interim Champion: Joseph Parker (NZL)
- 1. Anthony Joshua (GBR)
- 2. Tyson Fury (GBR)
- 3. Zhilei Zhang (CHN)
- 4. Martin Bakole (DRC)
- 5. Agit Kabayel (GER)
- 6. Justis Huni (AUS)
- 7. Moses Itauma (GBR)
- 8. Fabio Wardley (GBR)
- 9. Efe Ajagba (NGA)
- 10. Filip Hrgovic (CRO)
- 11. Jared Anderson (USA)
- 12. Nelson Hysa (ALB)
- 13. Jermaine Franklin (USA)
- 14. Dereck Chisora (GBR)
- 15. Bakhodir Jalolov (UZB)
Ring Magazine
- Champion: Oleksandr Usyk
- 1. Tyson Fury (GBR)
- 2. Anthony Joshua (GBR)
- 3. Joseph Parker (NZL)
- 4. Zhilei Zhang (CHN)
- 5. Agit Kabayel (GER)
- 6. Daniel Dubois (GBR)
- 7. Martin Bakole (DRC)
- 8. Filip Hrgovic (CRO)
- 9. Efe Ajagba (NG)
- 10. Justis Huni (AUS)
Lineal Heavyweight Champion
The lineal heavyweight champion, to put it simply, is the title given to ‘the man who beat the man’. Right now that is Oleksandr Usyk, who ascended to the throne with that epic victory over Tyson Fury in May.
Undisputed Heavyweight Champion
Right now there is no undisputed heavyweight boxing champion. Usyk did reign for a little while with all of the belts following his win over Fury, but then had to vacate the IBF strap now held by Dubois.
Next Big Heavyweight Fights
Of course, we have big fights coming up, as detailed:
- September 21: Daniel Dubois vs Anthony Joshua
- December 21: Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury 2
