Boxing’s marquee division is booming right now, and our heavyweights rankings are designed to help you navigate a complicated landscape.
Our fully updated rankings give you an idea of how the division currently shapes up as we head deeper into the boxing year.
The latest update comes ahead of two massive fights in the next three months, which are set to shake up the division further.
Heavyweights rankings: World top 10
Our rankings are based on achievement and analysis, and they ignore the current ratings of the sport’s alphabet sanctioning bodies. And they will be updated after all major fights affecting our top 10:
1 Oleksandr Usyk (22-0)
Usyk proved his unquestionable greatness once again by overcoming Fury in Riyadh to become the sport’s first undisputed heavyweight champion in a quarter of a century. The former undisputed cruiserweight king won all the marbles in a second weight class by turning round a fight he appeared to be losing conclusively after seven rounds. An incredible turnaround was highlighted by a brutal Round 9 in which Usyk scored the fight’s only knockdown. It was an epic performance and sets up a Fury rematch – again in Saudi Arabia – on December 21.
Next Fight: Usyk vs Tyson Fury 2 (December 21, 2024)
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2 Tyson Fury (34-1-1)
Fury is no longer a world heavyweight champion after that agonising loss to Usyk in Riyadh. It appeared to be plain sailing for ‘The Gypsy King’ as he boxed beautifully to build a clear lead through seven rounds. But then back came Usyk with incredible heart and cojones. Fury somehow survived the deep waters of Round 9, but the momentum was now with the main from Ukraine and he edged the closest of split decisions. Next up is the rematch – again in Riyadh – in December.
Next Fight: Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk 2 (December 21, 2024)
3 Anthony Joshua (28-3)
It is pretty safe to say now that Joshua is BACK after that incredible demolition job on Francis Ngannou in Riyadh on March 8. While Ngannou was having only his second pro boxing bout, his terrific debut showing against Tyson Fury last October made Joshua give him the greatest of respect. That respect lasted precisely two minutes though, before AJ planted him on the floor for the first time. Two more knockdowns would follow – the second a highlight-reel KO in Round 2 which had referee Richard Gonzalez waving off the fight before Ngannou hit the canvas. That is four wins on the bounce for Joshua – and two massively impressive ones under new trainer Ben Davison. Next he gets the chance to become a three-time world heavyweight champion when he challenges Daniel Dubois for the IBF strap on September 21 at a sold-out Wembley Stadium.
Next Fight: Joshua vs Daniel Dubois (September 21, 2024)
4 Joseph Parker (35-3)
Parker once again proved he is here to stay in the top five after recovering from two knockdowns to outpoint Zhilei Zhang, also on that Joshua vs Ngannou show in Saudi Arabia. Joseph showed great cojones as ever to recover from those two Zhang shots, and stuck to the gameplan to outwork and ultimately outsmart a giant but tiring opponent. Parker is now the WBO mandatory contender for the title currently held by Usyk, but he must wait for a contracted Zhang rematch. Parker meanwhile is calling out both Dillian Whyte and Joshua.
Next Fight: tbc
5 Agit Kabayel (25-0)
The German star is now the mandatory contender for the WBC heavyweight title held by Usyk following a brilliant beatdown of the previously unbeaten Cuban Frank Sanchez on the Fury vs Usyk undercard in Riyadh. Kabayel followed up his impressive demolition of the fearsome Arslanbek Makhmudov with an equally noteworthy performance to break down Sanchez inside seven rounds in the desert. Once again he was strategically brilliant, mixing powerful attacks to the body and head to break the will of the slick Sanchez.
Next Fight: tbc
6 Zhilei Zhang (27-2-1)
The Zhang hype train is well and truly back on the tracks after that demolition job on the fading force that is Deontay Wilder on that Hearn vs Warren 5 on 5 card in June. The giant Chinese star had been disappointing during his points defeat by the excellent Joseph Parker in March – but this was more like it as he used his huge size advantage to bully and bludgeon ‘The Bronze Bomber’ to a convincing loss.
Next Fight: tbc
7 Daniel Dubois (21-2)
Dubois is now cemented in our top 10 and now a world heavyweight champion after claiming the IBF title vacated by Usyk following his win over Fury in May. ‘Dynamite’ has really changed the perception of him in the last 12 months courtesy of two terrific wins. Firstly he stopped previously unbeaten American unit Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller last December. And then in June he destroyed another unbeaten fighter in the shape of much feared Croatian Filip Hrgovic. Dubois deserves to be ranked this highly, and now comes another major acid test with his first title defence vs Anthony Joshua at Wembley.
Next fight: Dubois vs Anthony Joshua (September 21, 2024)
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8 Martin Bakole (21-1)
The man from Congo who resides in Scotland looked like the second coming of one George Foreman as he burst the bubble of hot prospect Jared Anderson on that massive Riyadh Season card in Los Angeles in August. The performance was utterly conclusive, and now Bakole says he’s happy to go to China to fight Zhang. We’d love to see that slugfest.
Next fight: tbc
9 Bakhodir Jalolov (14-0)
‘The Big Uzbek’ could be the next big thing in heavyweight boxing – once he decides to go all in on the pro game. And that should be now after the man who has already built a 14-0 record in the paid ranks claimed a second Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024. We await his next assignment with much anticipation.
Next Fight: tbc
10 Andy Ruiz (35-2-1)
The former unified heavyweight king has fought only three times since losing his titles to Joshua in their Saudi rematch in late 2019. Inactivity has cost the Californian what was once a top-five spot in our rankings, but he is in the top 10 thanks to the exits of Wilder and Hrgovic following their damaging defeats on that Hearn vs Warren card in Riyadh in June. There are still questions to be answered by Ruiz though after he failed to impress in fighting out a draw with Jarrell Miller in Los Angeles in August. We may have to wait a while to see him again as well after he suffered a hand injury in that bout.
