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Home » Joe Fournier KEEPS WBA Rating despite BAN, NO TITLE and NO FIGHT

Joe Fournier KEEPS WBA Rating despite BAN, NO TITLE and NO FIGHT

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Entrepreneur Joe Fournier remains rated in the World Boxing Association rankings as of the newly released October list.

The ratings, made public this week, show Fournier remains at number eleven among the light-heavyweights.

A former basketball player, Fournier continues to astound with his presence alongside the likes of Umar Salamov, Jean Pascal and Badou Jack.

Still being in with a chance of fighting for a world title is one of the most bizarre cases in the sport today.

Fournier has dropped just one place from tenth despite not fighting since December 2017. The Briton was also suspended by NADO, a body linked to the World Anti-Doping Agency until June. Any forthcoming outing is still yet to be confirmed five months on.


The 35 year-old was originally and belatedly banned until 2020 for failing a June 2016 drug test in Belgium. Fournier later won an appeal to reduce the sentence.

At the time of the ruling, Fournier was calling out Callum Smith. A world champion who is now the number one super-middleweight on the planet.

Taking up the sport in 2015, Fournier is a friend of promoter and ex-world champion David Haye. He also fought under the Hayemaker banner until his punishment.

The term was reduced to 18 months, with Fournier – who has a 100% KO ratio, now allowed to fight – if he so chooses to do so.

One question which needs addressing is how Fournier kept the WBA International title until fairly recently. Josh Buatsi, rated one place above Fournier, claimed the vacant strap.

Also, only the WBA can explain why Fournier has not been removed despite almost two years out of action.

RATING

Why was multi-millionaire Fournier was rated in the first place? A Top 15 position being granted despite only fighting two opponents with a winning record.

A ranking is something which should be fully earned in the ring, which Fournier did curiously against 22-9 Wilmer Meija.

The Meija win has since been wiped from Fournier’s record. Therefore, Fournier, due to the reason of common sense, should certainly be removed.

The fact is, he hasn’t. Furthermore, the highly peculiar move gets stranger with each passing month.



Joe Fournier Record

December 2017 – Wilmer Meija (Record 22 wins 9 losses) REMOVED FROM RECORD

December 2016 – Antonio Sanchez (Record 1 win 11 losses) TKO5

August 2016 – Francisco Suero (0 wins 13 losses) TKO1

August 2016 – Johnny Ascencio (1 win 11 losses) TKO1

July 2016 – Jose Santos (0 wins 5 losses) TKO4

June 2016 – Mustapha Stini (11 wins 41 losses 1 draw) NC (drug test failed)

May 2016 – Bela Juhasz (14 wins 8 losses) TKO2

February 2016 – Pedro Sencion (0 wins 3 losses) TKO2

November 2015 – Manuel Regalado (debut) TKO1

October 2015 – Jorge Burgos (2 wins 24 losses) TKO1

As a result of Fournier’s continued rating, WBN has reached out to Gilberto Mendoza for comment.

Phil Jay is Editor of World Boxing News. Follow on Twitter @PhilDJay