Former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has made a major leap in the WBC rankings without throwing a single punch in five months. The 40-year-old ‘Bronze Bomber’ jumped four spots from No. 8 to No. 4, leaving him behind only Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Frank Sanchez.
The sudden rise is the result of four major shifts above him:
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Moses Itauma: The 21-year-old gassed out and was stopped in the 9th round by Filip Hrgovic on August 29 for the vacant IBF title, dropping to No. 5.
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Filip Hrgovic: After capturing the IBF crown, Hrgovic was removed from the WBC ratings.
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Lawrence Okolie: The Brit was finally removed from the WBC rankings in September following an investigation into an April failed drug test.
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Fabio Wardley: Exited the WBC list as he prepares to challenge Daniel Dubois for the WBO title in their October 17 rematch in London.
Having rebuilt his career with wins over Tyrrell Herndon and Derek Chisora following setbacks against Fury and Zhilei Zhang, Wilder unexpectedly finds himself back on the doorstep of another world title opportunity.
