BOXING NEWS - In the January 2018 issue of The Ring magazine, which is known as the “Bible of Boxing”, they have listed their 100 best fighters in the world through to 8 October, 2017.
South Africa’s Zolani Tete is listed at No. 54 and Hekkie Budler at No. 76. There are no other South Africans listed. The editors state that they have been a fan of WBO bantamweight champion Tete for some time.
Even though junior-flyweight Budler is 2-2 in his last four fights, he showed enough in his most recent debatable loss to junior-flyweight Milan Melindo for the IBF belt. However, he still needs a win of consequence soon to stay relevant.
The top 10 fighters are Gennady Golovkin (37-01; 33), Terrence Crawford (32-0; 23), Vasyl Lomachenko (9-1; 7), Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0; 11) (this was before his loss to Lomachenko), Sergey Kovalev (30-2-1; 26), Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2; 34), Mikey Garcia (37-0; 30), Naoya Inoue (14-0; 12), Errol Spence Jr (22-0; 19) and Wisakil Wanjek (44-4-1; 40).
WBO cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (13-0; 11), who is listed at number fifteen, could end up with being recognised as the top cruiserweight in the world in the next 12 months.
The IBF and WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is in at 21 and WBC champion Deontay Wilder at No. 47.
