Former WBC heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder, has revealed his top five active fighters after the numerous blockbuster events of 2023 causing a reshuffle in the sport’s famed pound-for-pound lists.
Unlike many of boxing’s most high-profile superstars, Wilder is one of the few who seems like he will sit out the year.
After his last fight in October of 2022, there has been continuous links to an Anthony Joshua clash in early 2024. Talks to face Andy Ruiz Jr in the meantime have fallen apart, and the time is ticking down quickly.
He’s kept an eye on the sport in general though, and in an interview with ES News he highlighted his top five with a clear support for his American countrymen and women.
“Top five, we will go with Crawford, with Terence. We can go for Gervonta [Davis], Boots [Jaron Ennis], and I like Shakur [Stevenson] too. That’s four already? Damn. Man, there is so many fighters, I’m just going out of my element.
Then, Claressa Shields, we don’t ever give women enough credit, you know what I’m saying? Then you have to go for the other champion, Alycia Baumgardner, she’s tough I like her.”
Crawford has very much stolen the show this year, and will likely be the frontrunner for the Fighter of the Year award at this point after dominating and knocked out Errol Spence Jr in their long-awaited undisputed welterweight title bout.
Meanwhile, Gervonta Davis laid his claim to be the ‘face of boxing’ back in April with a similarly one-sided affair against Ryan Garcia. Jaron Ennis is snapping at Crawford’s heels and is regarded as the future of the 147 ranks.
Claressa Shields is untouchable in the female ranks in the eyes of many, and Alycia Baumgardner has quickly become a fan favourite – although a recent failed doping test has her in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
Unfortunately for American boxing fans, it seems that they will have to endure a prolonged wait to see Wilder return to the ring, but there is little concern from his team despite the 37-year-old partaking in just one round of boxing since defeat to Tyson Fury in October 2021.
