Ring Magazine, in their most recent rankings update, declared Tyson Fury to be the number one heavyweight in the world. But who cares what that fart stain of a publication has to say about anything, right? 99 cents and a number one ranking from Ring Magazine will get you a Junior Whopper from Burger King.
But the self-proclaimed ?Bible of Boxing? does tap into an interesting point of debate when it comes to the shaken, stirred, and rocked heavyweight division in the post-Andy Ruiz upset world.
Who, exactly, deserves that number one ranking among big men now that automatic, penciled-in number one Anthony Joshua is back home in the UK, beltless and giving way-too-chipper videos about having lost? A case really can be made for three men with a legitimate claim to top dog status?Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, and Andy Ruiz Jr.
Here?s my argument for each of the top 3 candidates and then my final, personal number one proclamation. You can make your own cases in the comment section underneath this article. Or you can simply read this and, like several weirdos out there, dig up some creepy old grudge against me and hurl insults via bogus user names.
Tyson Fury
It can be argued that the most impressive win from any of the top three number one candidates is Fury?s unanimous decision victory over Wladimir Klitschko to capture three alphabet belts back in November of 2015. But that was BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2015. Since that r?sum?-topper, the Gypsy King has spent more time battling demons and titillating giddy British boxing writers with his bawdy wit than fighting in the ring. Comeback, tune-up bouts with Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeta meant next to nothing in the big picture and a draw with WBC champ Deontay Wilder in December of 2018 was just a draw?not a denied win, unless we really want to start scaling that slippery slope of counting or discounting official decisions with which we personally disagree. Still, there is a case to be made for Fury at number one. The Klitschko win carries a hefty weight as does the Wilder draw. A victory over unknown, unheralded Tom Schwarz this Saturday won?t help his case any, but an impressive, dominant performance could win some stragglers and fence-sitters over to his side.
Deontay Wilder
The WBC heavyweight champ has passed the last year or so winning over some of the critics who shellacked him early on in his title reign as a one-hit bottom-feeding wonder with power and nothing else. To be honest, the assessment of his skills has not changed all that much?he?s still all power and not much else?but his hard-fought March 2018 win over Luis Ortiz showed that he had championship heart in battling back from adversity and his December 2018 draw with Tyson Fury showcased an unflappable, bell-to-bell belief in himself and his fight-changing power. His recent one-round blowout of Dominic Breazeale did nothing to further the argument for a number one ranking, but it did spotlight his greatest assets?face-rattling power and a one-track mind when it comes to hurting opposition. A second victory over Ortiz in a schedule rematch might could secure a number one ranking.
Andy Ruiz Jr.
There?s always a case to be made that the man who beats the man becomes the man. And Ruiz has the three belts won from Anthony Joshua to make that case for him. The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (TBRB) has Ruiz ranked number one, ahead of Fury and Wilder, but their word carries even less weight than weak tea Ring Magazine (99 cents and a number one ranking from the TBRB won?t even get you that Junior Whopper from Burger King. You?d probably have to pay $1.49 and remove that TBRB stamp to get your burger). But, still, Ruiz?s win over Joshua was especially impressive and his body of work before the big upset is actually on par with Wilder?s and Fury?s work before their big career wins.
Magno?s Take
I?m a ?what have you done for me lately? guy and I tend to disregard accomplishments from four years ago when stacked up against accomplishments from last year. But, in the case of Fury, his win over Klitschko from 2015 carries over to the present tense, trumping Wilder?s win against Ortiz. The draw between Fury and Wilder works to Fury?s benefit, allowing for the Klitschko win to be the tie-breaker when it comes to who gets the top ranking. As much as I?d like to put Andy Ruiz on top, his case for number one gets hurt somewhat, at least in my mind, because of the fact that Anthony Joshua was never all that far ahead of Wilder and Fury in my rankings.
So, one-two-three at heavyweight, for me, is as follows: Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder, Andy Ruiz. But it?s VERY close?and that?s good for boxing.
P.S. Pray for me, I just agreed with Ring Magazine
