The Heavyweights: Ranking the best big men in boxing today

Here furyjoshua.com assesses the landscape and ranks the best big men around.

Boxing’s heavyweight division is red-hot as we head deeper into 2024, with Oleksandr Usyk now standing alone as the first undisputed champion in 25 long years.

The Ukrainian genius was sensational again as he handed Tyson Fury a first career defeat in an epic showdown in Saudi Arabia. Everything boxing fans desired, and then some.

So let’s look at how that, and the other weekend fights, impacted our heavyweight rankings.

Our heavyweight rankings

Such is the influence of the sanctioning bodies in the sport, which sadly often defy logic to push their own agendas, it has never been an easy task to impartially rank the heavyweights. Our list ignores the so-called ‘alphabet’ ratings in favour of a non-partisan system which ranks fighters based purely on their skillset, ring achievements, title victories and potential.

1. Oleksandr Usyk (22-0)

The brilliant Ukrainian proved that nothing is beyond his incomparable skills as he outpointed Fury in a thrilling fight to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Usyk now holds all of the world titles after turning round a fight that he appeared to be losing conclusively seven rounds in. The 37-year-old showed incredible skill and cojones to score the fight’s only knockdown in Round 9 as he held sway over the second half of the bout. Next up should be an immediate rematch, with the likely date October 2024, again in Riyadh.

Next fight: tbc

2. Tyson Fury (34-1-1)

Fury suffered the first defeat of his storied professional career in that brilliant fight against Usyk, but he lost little in defeat. ‘The Gypsy King’ boxed brilliantly for the first half of the bout, and then showed his trademark powers of recovery to somehow survive that traumatic beatdown, and knockdown, in Round 9. Next up should be the rematch with Usyk in October, and it’s a fight we cannot wait to see again.

Next fight: tbc

3. Anthony Joshua (28-3)

Joshua made it four wins from four fights since those back-to-back Usyk losses as he blasted out the aforementioned Ngannou inside two rounds in Riyadh. AJ, having his second fight with Ben Davison heading up his corner, was back to the devastating finisher we saw earlier in his career as he put the former UFC star on the deck three times inside two rounds. The finish was a highlight-reel right hand which had referee Richard Gonzalez waving the fight off before Ngannou hit the canvas, and it signalled that Joshua is once again for real. AJ is expected to be out again at Wembley in September - and that could be with the IBF title on the line.

Next fight: tbc

4. Joseph Parker (35-3)

The former WBO champion continued his renaissance by recovering from two knockdowns to outpoint the giant Chinese star Zhilei Zhang on that Joshua vs Ngannou show in Riyadh. Parker was again smart and sharp as he boxed to the plan laid down by trainer Andy Lee, and he duly followed up that win over Deontay Wilder with another upset victory. There is a rematch clause, so Parker will need to beat Zhang for a second time to retain the title of mandatory contender for the WBO world heavyweight title. He’ll need to wait though with Wilder now set to lock horns with Zhang on June 1.

Next fight: tbc

5. Deontay Wilder (43-3-1)

Wilder’s plans for that March 9 superfight with Joshua were destroyed in 36 uninspiring minutes as he lost pretty much every round to Parker in a one-sided defeat in December 2023. Deontay looked like a 38-year-old fighter who had been out of the ring for 14 months as he struggled to pull the trigger against an inspired opponent. Wilder’s post-fight interview left some doubt as to whether he would continue his career, but he is back to face Zhilei Zhang in a terrific matchup on that Eddie Hearn vs Frank Warren card in Riyadh on June 1.

Next fight: Wilder vs Zhilei Zhang (June 1, 2024)

6. Zhilei Zhang (26-2-1)

A lot of the good work Zhang did in battering Joe Joyce (twice) in 2023, was undone in Riyadh as he dropped a decision to Parker on the Joshua vs Ngannou card. ‘Big Bang’ did have Parker on the floor twice, but outside of that his workrate and punch output were woefully inadequate. Zhang appeared content just to rely on his punching power, and also appeared keen to conserve his stamina - a perceived weakness in the past. He will get another chance thanks to that rematch clause, but first he will take on Wilder in an explosive showdown in June in Saudi.

Next fight: Zhang vs Deontay Wilder (June 1, 2024)

7. Agit Kabayel (25-0)

Kabayel has been the division’s biggest revelation in the last six months - claiming upset wins in Saudi over giant Russian Arslanbek Makhmudov and now Cuban slickster Frank Sanchez. His brilliant knockout of Sanchez on the Fury vs Usyk undercard earned the spot as mandatory contender for the WBC heavyweight title, and it was richly deserved. In both of those terrific wins Kabayel has been punch-perfect, executing the ideal gameplan on both occasions. He is tough and technically sound, and adept at mixing attacks to body and head beautifully.

Next Fight: tbc

8. Filip Hrgovic (17-0)

Hrgovic is the top-ranked contender for the IBF belt currently held by Usyk, and he is gradually moving up our list as he closes in on that title shot. The Croat’s latest win was hardly big news in isolation - he was a 1/66 shot to beat Mark De Mori, a man who had taught himself how to box by watching YouTube videos. De Mori was duly blasted out inside a round. It did not tell us much that we did not already know about the ‘El Animal’, who will be a big threat again to all in 2024. Next up is an intriguing showdown with Daniel Dubois on the Hearn vs Warren show on June 1. A bout which could yet end up being for the IBF heavyweight title if, as expected, Usyk vacates after his win over Fury.

Next Fight: Hrgovic vs Daniel Dubois (June 1, 2024)

9. Jared Anderson (17-0)

Anderson might be the most exciting young heavyweight on the planet, and he could be the division’s next big thing - if he can stay out of trouble. ‘The Real Big Baby’ has experienced some much-publicised legal issues in recent weeks, but inside the ropes he’s quite something. He returned to action in early April to easily outpoint former cruiserweight king Ryad Merhy in dominant fashion in Texas. It was an underwhelming spectacle, but the 24-year-old Anderson did what he had to do against an opponent who virtually refused to fight. Only two men have thrown less punches than Merhy in a 10-round fight since Compubox started logging statistics 39 years ago. Turki Alalshikh has mooted Anderson facing Deontay Wilder in August - if ‘The Bronze Bomber’ comes through against Zhang. Wouldn’t that be something…

Next fight: tbc

10. Daniel Dubois (20-2)

Dubois silenced a lot of doubters last December when he came through deep waters to stop the giant that is Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller in the final round of their Saudi slugfest. It was a brutal battle and one that showed ‘Dynamite’ has guts and heart as well as that famed punching power. His reward for that is another big fight against Hrgovic on June 1, and as stated it could soon be confirmed as a world title shot.

Next fight: Dubois vs Filip Hrgovic (June 1, 2024)

Latest official heavyweight boxing rankings

Here below are the rankings for each organisation - and you can find out how it all works by clicking here.

WBC Heavyweight Rankings

Champion: Oleksandr Usyk

1. Anthony Joshua
2. Frank Sanchez
3. Agit Kabayel
4. Efe Ajagba
5. Jared Anderson
6. Daniel Dubois
7. Deontay Wilder
8. Filip Hrgovic
9. Zhilei Zhang
10. Martin Bakole
11. Joe Joyce
12. Bakhodir Jalolov
13. Fabio Wardley
14. Arslanbek Makhmudov
15. Luis Ortiz

IBF Heavyweight Rankings

Champion: Oleksandr Usyk

1. Filip Hrgovic
2. Not Rated
3. Anthony Joshua
4. Daniel Dubois
5. Jared Anderson
6. Frank Sanchez
7. Agit Kabayel
8. Zhilei Zhang
9. Joe Joyce
10. Efe Ajagba
11. Otto Wallin
12. Arslanbek Makhmudov
13. Fabio Wardley
14. Martin Bakole
15. Justis Huni

WBA Heavyweight Rankings

Champion: Oleksandr Usyk

1. Martin Bakole
2. Anthony Joshua
3. Daniel Dubois
4. Frank Sanchez
5. Lenier Pero
6. Mike Perez
7. Cassius Chaney
8. Michael Hunter
9. Agit Kabayel
10. Deontay Wilder
11. Kubrat Pulev
12. Fabio Wardley
13. Jared Anderson
14. Jonathan Guidry
15. Ivan Dychko

WBO Heavyweight Rankings

Champion: Oleksandr Usyk

Interim Champion: Joseph Parker

1. Anthony Joshua
2. Zhilei Zhang
3. Frank Sanchez
4. Jared Anderson
5. Filip Hrgovic
6. Fabio Wardley
7. Daniel Dubois
8. Agit Kabayel
9. Justis Huni
10. Efe Ajagba
11. Martin Bakole
12. Jermaine Franklin
13. Deontay Wilder
14. Ryad Merhy
15. Bakhodir Jalolov

Boxing: Related content

• Ranking the heavyweights
• Fury v Usyk: All you need to know
• Fury's greatest performances
• Big fight TV schedule
• British boxing classics