The latest, and final Ring Magazine heavyweight rankings of the year, have been released, and it’s clear last Saturday’s “Day of Reckoning” card and its various shocks and upsets had a major impact on the heavyweight rankings from ‘The Bible of Boxing.’ Courtesy of his career-biggest win (so far) over Deontay Wilder, former WBO heavyweight champ Joseph Parker has been rewarded with a ranking as the #4 best heavyweight in the world today.
Wilder, who looked pretty darn awful over the course of those 12 at times hard to watch rounds, tumbles all the way down to the #9 position as a result of his embarrassing, one-sided defeat. A new face in the top 10 is Agit Kabayel, the unbeaten German making his appearance due to his own upset win of December 23, this over previously unbeaten Russian giant Arslanbek Makhmudov, who Kabayel stopped in the fourth round in Riyadh.
The new top 10 sees Oleksandr Usyk remain as champ, with Tyson Fury retaining his #1 ranking.
The new top 10 reads as follows:
Champ – Oleksandr Usyk: 21-0(14)
1: Tyson Fury: 34-0-1(24)
2: Anthony Joshua: 27-3(24)
3: Zhilei Zhang: 26-1-1(21)
4: Joseph Parker: 34-3(23)
5: Filip Hrgovic: 17-0(14)
6: Frank Sanchez: 24-0(17)
7: Jared Anderson: 16-0(15)
8: Joe Joyce: 15-2(14)
9: Deontay Wilder: 43-3-1(42)
10: Agit Kabayel: 24-0(16)
The big news here is the big drop Wilder has taken, and some fans may feel Wilder had been punished too severely. Should Joyce really be rated above Wilder? Is Zhang too highly ranked? Sanchez, the unbeaten Cuban, might be a little too high in the opinion of some fans, what with Sanchez’s biggest win being a decision win over Efe Ajagba. Still, plenty of fans may feel the new top 10 is solid, with it being tough to make too many arguments.
Now, looking to the future, we fans are wondering what Wilder will do, if he can bounce back, or if he may even retire. The next huge and important heavyweight fight is set for February 17, between Usyk and Fury. Whoever wins this fight will be universally viewed as the best big man on the planet (providing he wins the fight convincingly, with no debate or controversy).
Parker, Zhang, Sanchez, Hrgovic, and Kabayel look likely to each get a big fight next year, with all five heavyweights having had a good 2023.
It’s clear the biggest loser of 2023 as far as the heavyweights go, is Wilder. Some fans may feel Wilder should not be ranked in the new top 10 at all, as he has not won a fight in over 14 months. Again, can Wilder bounce back or is he done?