Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has surpassed Tyson Fury in the most recent WBC heavyweight rankings, as reported by PUNCH Sports Extra.
Fury relinquished his WBC heavyweight title after being defeated by Oleksandr Usyk in the undisputed showdown in Saudi Arabia in May.
Once holding the title, Fury has now descended in the ranks and is now positioned as the second-ranked heavyweight contender by the WBC.
The organization has positioned him below his long-standing British-Nigerian rival Joshua, who currently trails Usyk, the boxer he has been defeated by twice.
Joshua has secured consecutive impressive victories against Francis Ngannou and Otto Wallin, and is possibly set to vie for the vacant IBF title against Daniel Dubois in September.
Agit Kabayel secures the third spot following his remarkable underdog triumph over Frank Sanchez on the Fury vs. Usyk card in May.Zhilei Zhang is positioned fourth after his significant knockout victory over Deontay Wilder, while Nigerian heavyweight boxer Efe Ajagba rounds out the top five holding the WBC ‘silver’ belt.Jared Anderson occupies the sixth spot, with Martin Bakole and Kabayel’s rival Sanchez ranked seventh and eighth respectively. Joe Joyce retains his position in the top ten at ninth, while rising star Bakhodir Jalolov completes the list.
This development deals a significant blow to the ‘Gypsy King’, who had held the belt since defeating Wilder in 2020. He had successfully defended it against tough opponents like Derek Chisora, Dillian Whyte, and Francis Ngannou leading up to the undisputed battle.
Fortunately for the Briton, he will have the opportunity for immediate redemption on December 21 when he is slated to face Usyk in a rematch. It presents a chance for him to reclaim his coveted WBC belt and hand Usyk his first career loss, mirroring the defeat Usyk had inflicted upon him in their previous encounter.
Fury is already back in the gym, six months ahead of the rematch, and is determined to etch his name in the annals of boxing history.
