Not much has changed regarding the World Boxing Council heavyweight rankings since September as the new list emerged from the 57th Annual Convention in Cancun, Mexico.
Dillian Whyte remains top of the list despite an ongoing investigation into an adverse finding in a drug test last summer.
Tyson Fury is second and Luis Ortiz is third. Fourth place sits Alexander Povetkin, whilst Adam Kownacki is fifth.
One big talking point from the Convention was the decision to give another fighter WBC Franchise status.
In what was thought to be a one-off, Canelo gained the honor earlier this year. Now, Vasyl Lomachenko has been added to the Franchise list.
This then begs the question, ‘what needs to be done to be elevated to the newly-formed role?’
Top division ruler Deontay Wilder makes the TENTH defense of his green and gold strap next month. This makes him the ideal candidate to become the next Franchise champ.
That means the long-suffering Dillian Whyte, who is approaching 700 days at the number one, could fight for the vacant title in the coming months.
With Tyson Fury tied to Wilder for a rematch and Ortiz getting his shot on November 23, that leaves Povetkin or Kownacki in the frame.
Povetkin is due to fight on the Andy Ruiz Jr. vs Anthony Joshua rematch bill in Saudi Arabia on December 7, whilst Whyte will surely need a warm-up if he’s cleared.
The pair could effectively collide in the spring of 2020 for the vacant ‘regular’ title, should Wilder indeed by pushed on by the WBC.
WBC TOP 40 – HEAVYWEIGHT
WBC CHAMPION – Deontay Wilder
1/ Dillian Whyte Jamaica/GB
2/ Tyson Fury GB
3/ Luis Ortiz Cuba
4/ Alexander Povetkin Russia
5/ Adam Kownacki US
6/ Joseph Parker New Zealand
7/ Kubrat Pulev Bulgaria
8/ Oscar Rivas Colombia/Canada NABF
9/ Dereck Chisora GB
10/ Filip Hrgovic Croatia INTL
11/ Agit Kabayel Germany
12/ Joe Joyce GB
13/ Dominic Breazeale US
14/ Michael Hunter US * CBP/P
15/ Charles Martin US
VOLUNTARY CUT-OFF
16/ Carlos Takam – Cameroon
17/ Daniel Dubois – GB YOUTH/BBB C
18/ Efe Ajagba – Nigeria/US
19/ Evgeny Romanov – Russia
20/ Sergey Kuzmin – Russia
21/ Marco Huck – GB
22/ Tyrone Spong – Surinam LATINO
23/ Hughie Fury – GB
24/ Gerald Washington – US
25/ Bryant Jennings – US
26/ Arslanbek Makhmudov – Russia/Canada AMERICA
27/ Kyotaro Fujimoto – Japan
28/ Otto Wallin – Sweden
29/ Martin Bakole – Congo/GB
30/ Nathan Gorman – GB
31/ Jermaine Franklin – US
32/ David Price – GB
33/ Tony Yoka – France
34/ Petar Milas – Croatia MEDITERRANEAN
35/ Oleksandr Teslenko – Ukraine/Canada
36/ Junior Fa – New Zealand
37/ Lukasz Rozanski – Poland
38/ Tshibuabua Kalonga – Congo/Germany
39/ Bakhodir Jalolov – Uzbekistan/US NABF Jr.
40/ Simon Kean – Canada
