Any chance former heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko had of remaining in the WBN Pound for Pound rankings faded away with his announcement this week.
The 40-year-old cited a slight injury for pulling out of a world heavyweight title fight with Anthony Joshua or his date in Hamburg, while manager Bernd Boente stated Klitschko would have been able to fight on December 10.
A contract against any opponent wasn’t forthcoming, leaving Klitschko to take the rest of the year off – with a return to action set for spring 2017.
Klitschko out of P4P Rankings
Due to WBN policy, Klitschko will now drop out of the ratings as there is no intention for the Ukrainian to fight or line up a return before the end of November.
That would mark one year since ‘Dr. Steelhammer’s last fight meanundoubtedlyko drops out of the WBN Pound for Pound rankings for the first time since their inception.
Had the WBN ratings been around in 2002, Klitschko would certainly have made the Top 50 back then, thus ending what would have been a 14-year stay in the world’s elite.
A world title victory next year would no doubt mean a place back in the Top 20, at the very least, as Klitschko was sitting at number 19 following his defeat to Tyson Fury.
Before that, Klitschko had been rated in the Top 5 from the first day the system was posted online.
P4P criteria
WBN’s pound-for-pound rankings are based on world title wins, multi-weight titles, the caliber of opponents, manner of victories, longevity, and activity in a calendar year.
Star ratings are based on achievement in the sport.
*Fighters who fail to arrange an upcoming fight for twelve months will forfeit their ranking.
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