Tonight Tyson Fury attempts to defend the Heavyweight World Championship for the 6th time against America’s dynamite fisted Deontay Wilder.
As with many eagerly anticipated prize fights, in the days leading up to the bout, the intense hype around the promotion, often means the wider picture becomes a little blurred.
BT Sport, ESPN, the TBRB and The Ring, among other, have beaten the drum that Fury and Wilder are the clear top 2 in the division.
It seems Anthony Joshua is old news.
...until you check the bigger picture.
As of February 22nd, 2020, the morning of Fury/Wilder 2, the independent ratings among the following respected boxing websites are as follows:
Boxing News
#1 Joshua
#2 Fury
#3 Wilder
The Ring
#1 Fury
#2 Wilder
#3 Joshua
Boxing Monthly
#1 Joshua
#2 Fury
#3 Wilder
TBRB
#1 Wilder
#2 Fury
#3 Joshua
ESPN
#1 Wilder
#2 Joshua
#3 Fury
Joshua is currently rated #1 with two organisations. Wilder is also rated #1 with two. Fury is rated #1 with one. If 10 points are allocated for each #1 position, 9 points for #2, and 8 points for #3, Fury, Wilder and Joshua would all be tied at 45 points.
There is no clear top 2.
Interestingly at the time of Joshua/Ruiz 2 in December 2019, Andy Ruiz Jr was rated at #1 by the TBRB. Joshua dominated Ruiz Jr, winning by as wide as 119/109 on one official card. Two weeks earlier Wilder had KO’d #6 rated Ortiz. Joshua moved up one place, to #3 with the TBRB, while Wilder jumped two places, from #3 to #1, following this victory over Ortiz (he had also previously defeated him in 2018).
Incidentally, for those who keep an eye on computer based ratings, BoxRec have the Heavyweights ranked as follows:
#1 Joshua
#2 Wilder
#3 Usyk
#4 Fury
For the minority who believe the Lineal Championship is vacant, and desire a clear “#1 Vs #2” match-up to crown a new Champion, well, Fury/Wilder 2 is not the fight.
For the majority, tonight’s fight is defence No.6 of the Lineal Championship for Fury.
