Boxing Rankings: Deontay Wilder Oust From Top 10, Joshua and Fury Remain Ring Magazine’s Top Heavyweight Contenders

Deontay Wilder faced Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang on June 1st, in the Queensberry vs Matchroom battle. Wilder was the clear favorite to win this fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Yet his performance made it clear that he is no longer the fighter he once was. It ultimately resulted in him losing the fight by knockout.

As a result, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ has been dropped from Ring Magazine’s rankings. Before this, Wilder ranked ninth on the list. However, if he beat Zhang, the expectation was that he would rise higher on the list. A new name has been added, and the ranks have been updated, as Wilder has been removed from the list. Look at the current situation to see who’s standing where.

Titans who have earned their spots

Sitting on the top spot, Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk enjoys the title of the undisputed world heavyweight champion and the Ring Magazine title holder following his spectacular victory over Tyson Fury. ‘The Gypsy King’ on the other hand sits just below, securing the #1 spot among the heavyweight contenders. 

British fighter Anthony Joshua takes the #2 spot, followed by Joseph Parker at #3 and, thanks to his recent victory, Zhilei Zhang at #4. The Ring Magazine placed German boxer Agit Kabayel at #5. Interestingly, Daniel Dubois is on #6, but he was previously ranked #10. His recent triumph over the Croatian fighter, Filip Hrgovic, has certainly turned the tables for him. Talking about Hrgovic, his unbeaten winning streak came to an end, and he is ranked #9 now.

Moving on, Ohio native Jared Anderson stands at the #7 spot, while British boxer Joe Joyce is ranked #8. The last name on the list, the no 10 is secured by a new addition – Nigerian fighter Efe Ajagba. Wilder has been on the list for quite some years now. Fans were sad to see their favorite boxer lose like that as he is on the verge of ending his career. See what veteran promoter Frank Warren has to say. 

Frank Warren feels Deontay Wilder should not have entered this fight

The Tuscaloosa native lost 4 fights out of his last 5 encounters. He has already contributed a lot to the sport and there have been suggestions previously that he should have retired sooner. The former WBC champion had stated before his clash with Zhang that if he loses, it would be the last fight of his professional career. However, nothing about his retirement has been announced officially yet.

British boxing promoter Frank Warren was in conversation with talkSPORT, and he stated that fighters are usually the first to realize that their retirement time has come and the power in their hands is waning. Eventually, they become the last to admit the fact. “That’s the problem,” he added, “And you’ve got people around who will keep saying, ‘Yeah, just have one more, have one more.’”

Warren further explained that Wilder should not have entered this fight, and should have retired after his trilogy clash with Fury. The promoter said, “He should have hung up his gloves I believe after he fought Tyson. Because those fights took a lot out of him.”

Sports instills in you a lot of things. You are at the top of the world today, and the next day it is time to retire with all your fame gone. We hope ‘The Bronze Bomber’ has the best possible life ahead of him. What are your thoughts on Ring Magazine’s top 10 rankings in the interim? Please share your ideas in the comments section below.