Boxing rankings - heavyweight: Is Anthony Joshua still the best fighter in the world?

10. Hughie Fury (was unranked)

Tyson’s cousin, as he is invariably known, is definitely on the comeback trail. After being unbeaten in his first 20 professional fights, Fury was beaten by Joseph Parker last year in a fight he and his camp still claim he won.

But he is back to winning ways, demonstrating power previously unseen to knock out Sam Sexton for the British title. He was then seen ringside watching Joe Joyce earlier this month, ramping up speculation that those two could meet for the Commonwealth and British straps. If made, the winner of that fight could find themselves sneaking up another place or two in these rankings.

9. Kubrat Pulev (7)

If there’s one thing fight fans, and the Express Sport panel, hate, it’s boxers ducking fights. Pulev legitimately pulled out of the Anthony Joshua bout with an injury but after a purse bid for the IBF final eliminator against Dillian Whyte was won by Epic Sports & Entertainment, the Bulgarian pulled out again. He may well be a fighter worthy of higher ranking, but we have no evidence for it.

8. Tony Bellew (9)

Bellew’s presence in a heavyweight rankings might seem a little hasty, but after two wins over David Haye, even an ageing and struggling one, it would be unfair to put him anywhere else. Clearly, the 35-year-old could not compete with the bigger, heavier men of the division but with one or maybe two fights left in his career, don’t rule out his knocking over a very decent smaller heavyweight.

7. Carlos Takam (8)

Universally popular in the UK after his spirited defeat to Joshua last year, Takam now has the chance to prove his worth in a winning cause. On the Whyte vs Parker undercard, the French-Cameroonian will take on Dereck Chisora, who will likely give him rounds but should not pull off the upset if Takam has actual designs on another shot at a world title.

6. Dillian Whyte (unchanged)

Wilder said no. Pulev said no. The WBC said he was the mandatory and then ordered another final eliminator.

Safe to say, Dillian Whyte is getting a lot of luck in his quest for a world title. So he has taken a tough fight against Joseph Parker in which he will make his pay-per-view debut.

The winner will move to No 4 and very deservedly so.

5. Luis Ortiz (4)

It’s hard to know where “King Kong” can go with his career at this point but the obvious choice is to force his way into a mandatory challenger’s position again. That could be easier said than done after losing that status because of a failed drugs test. Add to that the fact that he is a powerful, awkward southpaw who genuinely rocked Deontay Wilder, and no-one is queuing up to fight him.

His most recent interview saw him call out Tyson Fury, which is a fight anyone would likely pay to see.

4. Joseph Parker (5)

The New Zealander could win more British fans in July when he faces Dillian Whyte and taking the fight at all shows the supreme confidence his camp have in him.

He is still young enough that defeat is not the end of the world while victory will put him right near the front of the pack chasing Joshua and Wilder.

3. Alexander Povetkin (unchanged)

The Russian WILL fight Joshua, that’s what Eddie Hearn has said. The only question is whether that comes before or after he faces Wilder.

Personally, we'd like to see Joshua face Povetkin at Wembley at the end of the summer, although logistics appear to have made that impossible.

Instead the threat of the Russian getting into the ring has been used to chivvy Wilder’s camp along.

2. Deontay Wilder (unchanged)

We feel we can’t actually demote fighters on the grounds of messing around on social media and generally being idiots, but if we thought we could, we would.

Wilder’s insistence on conducting his business out in public will win him no fans inside or outside boxing and only strengthens Joshua’s side of the fight.

It’s time for the talking to stop, Deontay. We want to see you fight the big guy.

1. Anthony Joshua (unchanged)

All AJ can really do is wait, which isn’t actually in his nature, whatever the PR surrounding him might point to. He is, and we’ve occasionally seen it in the ring, excitable and even hot-headed - and he will hate the uncertainty of his future at present.

The one thing he has established with Hearn is that he needs a 14-week camp after the deal is agreed and nothing will be compromised for that.

In the meantime, the king can only sit on his throne.