Anthony Joshua above Wilder and Joyce in Ring Magazine rankings

Wilder announces boxing return following double defeat by Fury

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Anthony Joshua is placed above Deontay Wilder in the Ring Magazine’s updated heavyweight rankings list, as Oleksandr Uysk unsurprisingly leads the pack. Tyson Fury is a notable omission on the list despite being regarded by many as the best boxer in the heavyweight division.

WBC world champion Fury is absent from the list, after vacating the Ring Magazine belt when he claimed to have retired back in August. The belt was put on the line in Uysk’s rematch with Joshua and claimed by the Ukrainian, who is now unified with WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine titles. 

Fury has since backtracked on retirement after his plans to defend his WBC belt against Joshua in December collapsed – but he has not been re-ranked by Ring Magazine.

Instead, two-time WBA, IBF and WBO world champion Joshua is second only behind Usyk on Ring’s list despite losing in three of his last four bouts. 

Deontay Wilder comes in just behind Joshua as he prepares for his long-awaited return to the ring. The Bronze Bomber has not fought since losing the third bout of his trilogy with Fury in October 2021, but is finally set to make his return against colossus Robert Helenius.

The American, who now boasts a record of 42-2-1 (41 KOs), takes on Helenius in New York on October 15 in his comeback fight. 

And after that fight, Wilder is targeting a fourth battle against Fury, who undoubtedly has his number after two victories and a contentious draw in their trilogy. “I think that there’s definitely a chance of a fourth fight again,” Wilder told Sky Sports.

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“Boxing is a business. Many people call it a sport, but it’s not a sport. The heavyweight division is very small. I’m still a big fish in the business, especially here in America. As long as we’re all in the same division and all still currently fighting, why not? It only can lead to that. With all that being said, it’s definitely a possibility.”

Wilder sits just ahead of Joe Joyce in Ring Magazine’s updated list. Joyce defeated Joseph Parker in convincing fashion in Manchester, last month, becoming the first fighter to stop the New Zealander. He is now the mandatory challenger to fight the unified champion Usyk.

The defeated Parker has been placed seventh in the updated list, behind Andy Ruiz Jr and veteran Luiz Ortiz. Heavyweight contenders Filip Hrgovic, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang make up the rest of the Ring Magazine’s top ten.

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