Anthony Joshua Remains Top Heavyweight Contender Following Tyson Fury’s Loss
In the latest heavyweight rankings released by sanctioning bodies, Anthony Joshua remains the top contender ahead of Tyson Fury following Fury’s split-decision loss to Oleksandr Usyk on May 18.
The WBC’s Ranking
According to the WBC’s June rankings, Joshua is currently the number one contender, with former champion Fury following closely behind at second. Agit Kabayel, who defeated Frank Sanchez on the undercard of Fury-Usyk, maintains his position at third.
The WBA’s Ranking
The WBA, who did not previously rank Fury due to his WBC title, has now placed him at number four. This means that they consider fighters like Martin Bakole, Joshua, and Daniel Dubois, all ahead of Fury, as more deserving challengers. Bakole, with relatively lesser-known wins over Tony Yoka and Carlos Takam, is ranked at fourth.
The IBF’s Ranking
The IBF has Dubois as their interim champion, just two weeks after he defeated Filip Hrgovic following Usyk and Fury’s unification fight. In their rankings, Jared Anderson is placed at fifth, with Kabayel at fourth, and Joshua at third. Surprisingly, Bakole is ranked at 14th, with the top two positions being vacant.
Other notable fighters on the list include Cuba’s cruiserweight contender Mike Perez, who holds the sixth spot in the WBA rankings despite not competing in the heavyweight division since 2015.
The WBO’s rankings are yet to be released, but it will be interesting to see where they rank Fury following his latest defeat.
Kosport Magazine’s Take
It is clear that Anthony Joshua’s position as the top heavyweight contender remains unchanged, even after Tyson Fury’s defeat to Oleksandr Usyk. Fury’s loss has caused a major shuffle in the rankings, with some fighters being placed above him who have not faced the same level of competition.
It will be exciting to see what the future holds for the heavyweight division and if Fury can bounce back to reclaim his position as the top contender. Keep an eye on Kosport Magazine for the latest updates and news on the world of boxing.
