Boxing Rankings: Fans Debate Over Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua’s Positions in Heavyweight Division

On Friday night, Anthony Joshua did what no one in the heavyweight division of combat sports could, not even Tyson Fury. As soon as the fight had started, Joshua was on top of Francis Ngannou, showcasing his years of boxing brilliance by defeating ‘The Predator’ via second-round knockout. However, this outcome has opened doors for speculation. Who is the best heavyweight right now?

The same question was raised by talkSport online editor Michael Benson on social media today! However, it’s not just Anthony Joshua – who is potentially skipping his way to the top. On the same night, Joseph Parker defeated Zhilei Zhang via majority decision. It came after Parker defeated Deontay Wilder last year, so he also deserves a spot at the top of the list, right?

Top five boxing heavyweights of the world

Determining the best fighters in a division involves several different criteria! While some have achieved several titles without losing their zero, others have gotten them after a few stumbles. Then comes the quality of opponents, number of fights, and whatnot. Considering all of those, Oleksandr Usyk is undoubtedly at the top, compared to Fury, who nearly lost to Ngannou, who is but a newbie transitioning from UFC. The second spot for Joshua makes sense because of his four-fight win streak since his comeback from Usyk loss, three of which are from knockouts.

Also, Read: Anthony Joshua Ready to Fight Tyson Fury in His “Back Garden”, Eyes Filip Hrgovic Title Fight

Benson hopped on X (formerly Twitter) to understand what the boxing fans think, asking, “What is your ranking of the top five heavyweights in the world today?” And the public opinion wasn’t far from the numbers Usyk, Fury, Joshua, and Parker have produced in recent times. However, the question did give rise to a heated debate among the fans on who ranks where.

Oleksandr Usyk leads the charts!

Soon after the tweet went live, frantic users flocked in to express their thoughts. Even though people argued about Fury’s spot on the list, Usyk stayed the reigning champion in public opinion. Even former cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew chimed in, suggesting that Usyk, AJ, Fury, Parker, and Zhang are in the right order.

Another user thought Fury deserved the second spot while including Deontay Wilder in the list. It’s worth noting that Wilder lost to Parker last year, and his fate in boxing remains up in the air. Meanwhile, Fury has only fought twice since his retirement in 2022, in two consecutive years. 

The following user agreed with Bellew, suggesting an identical top-five heavyweight ranking. However, the user was doubtful about Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce in the fifth spot. Notably, Zhang defeated Joyce twice before losing to Parker on Friday night.

Someone else claimed Usyk/Fury is at the top, followed by Joshua, Parker, and Zhang. But the user suggested that Joshua may defeat Fury and Usyk after seeing his last performance. Even still, it’s vital to remember that Usyk has already defeated Joshua twice. 

Meanwhile, one user tried to mock all the heavyweights by claiming that once Jake Paul knocks out Mike Tyson in their upcoming fight, Paul will become the number one heavyweight.

With that said, Anthony Joshua has shaken the world by his last fight in Saudi Arabia, convincing people to reconsider who is in the top five heavyweight rankings. What is your top five heavyweight ranking right now? Let us know in the comments below!

Read More: Did Anthony Joshua Expose Francis Ngannou? Lennox Lewis Shares His Thoughts