Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has leapfrogged Tyson Fury to claim the top spot in the latest WBC heavyweight rankings, with Fury now positioned second, according to Glide News.
Fury lost his WBC heavyweight title when Oleksandr Usyk defeated him in their highly anticipated undisputed clash in Saudi Arabia this past May. Previously ranked as the champion, Fury has now dropped to the challenger ranks, occupying the second spot among heavyweight contenders by the WBC.
Joshua, who has lost twice to Usyk, now finds himself ranked just behind the Ukrainian champion. This rise in rankings follows Joshua's back-to-back impressive victories over Francis Ngannou and Otto Wallin. Looking ahead, Joshua may compete for the vacant IBF title against Daniel Dubois in September.
Agit Kabayel rounds out the top three after his impressive underdog win over Frank Sanchez on the Fury vs Usyk bill in May. Zhilei Zhang holds fourth place following his spectacular knockout victory over Deontay Wilder, while Nigerian heavyweight boxer Efe Ajagba completes the top five, holding the WBC 'silver' belt. Jared Anderson is ranked sixth, with Martin Bakole and Kabayel’s rival Sanchez in seventh and eighth respectively. Joe Joyce remains in the top ten at ninth, and rising star Bakhodir Jalolov rounds out the list.
This development marks another setback for the 'Gypsy King,' who had held the WBC belt since defeating Wilder in 2020. During his reign, Fury made notable defenses against Derek Chisora, Dillian Whyte, and Francis Ngannou, leading up to his undisputed clash with Usyk.
Fortunately for Fury, he will have a shot at immediate redemption on December 21 when he faces Usyk in a rematch. This fight offers Fury the opportunity to reclaim his WBC belt and potentially hand Usyk his first career defeat, seeking to avenge his previous loss to the Ukrainian.
With six months to go before the clash, Fury is back in the gym and has vowed to rewrite his name in the history books.
For more updates, stay tuned to Glide News.
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