WBC May Rankings — Fury Back At #1 Contender, Joshua Debuts Top Five, Itauma Slips A Spot

• WBC May 2026 heavyweight top five: 1. Fury, 2. Okolie, 3. Itauma, 4. Joshua (new entry), 5. Hrgovic — with Oleksandr Usyk the champion above them
• Fury's reactivation gets the #1 slot back after the Makhmudov win — the WBC clearly views him as next in line if Usyk falls or moves on
• Joshua's new-entry at #4 follows the signed Fury fight for Q4 and his July 25 tune-up vs Kristian Prenga — the sanctioning body now treats him as active again

The Top Five — Read It Properly

Make no mistake — every heavyweight ranking matters now because of who sits above them. Usyk is still the WBC champion, defending against Rico Verhoeven in Giza next Saturday in what is, let's be honest, a crossover event more than a sporting eliminator. So the top of the contender list is the real title picture. 1. Tyson Fury. 2. Lawrence Okolie. 3. Moses Itauma. 4. Anthony Joshua (NEW). 5. Filip Hrgovic. That's a properly British top five — four of the five names are based in the UK. The WBC have effectively endorsed the idea that the next era of the heavyweight division runs through these islands and one Croatian.

Fury Back At #1 — Earned It With Makhmudov

Fury's #1 slot is a reward for the comeback performance against Arslanbek Makhmudov. He boxed brilliantly, picked his shots, didn't get drawn into a war, and announced himself back at the level. The WBC see Fury as next in line behind Usyk — and with the Joshua fight signed for Q4, his position is locked in for the rest of 2026. Brilliant move by the sanctioning body. Fury vs Joshua doesn't need any belt to sell, but having the WBC clearly state that the winner is one fight from a Usyk shot ties the whole division together. That is how mandatory cycles are supposed to work.

Joshua Debuts At #4 — A Sign Of Activity

Anthony Joshua hadn't been in the WBC's top 15 because, frankly, he hadn't fought. A new entry at #4 is the sanctioning body acknowledging that AJ is back in active circulation — signed for Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh, signed for Fury later in the year. The rankings track activity. AJ is active again. Let's not beat around the bush — #4 is a slightly generous starting point. Joshua hasn't beaten a top-15 heavyweight since his second Usyk fight. But the WBC clearly buy that he's a top-five name on paper and the upcoming Fury fight justifies the placement.

Itauma Slips — Don't Read Too Much Into It

Moses Itauma drops from #2 to #3. That looks like a knock, but it isn't — it's Fury re-entering the top of the list and Okolie holding his existing spot. Itauma hasn't lost ground because of anything he's done. He's still positioned for a big August 8 assignment that Frank Warren has said will be confirmed in the next week. If that opponent is a top-10 name, Itauma climbs straight back. The case for Itauma stays the same — he's the most natural heavyweight talent of this generation, he's young, his power is proper. The WBC are managing the politics of having Fury back and AJ active. Itauma's path doesn't change.

Hrgovic Holds At #5 — Allen Night First

Filip Hrgovic stays at #5 going into tonight's IBF Intercontinental scrap with Dave Allen at the Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster. A win and a strong showing keeps him exactly where he is — possibly with a bump if Itauma's August opponent is light. A bad showing or, the unthinkable, a loss to Allen, drops him out the top ten entirely. That's how the WBC have been operating lately. Activity rewarded, sluggishness punished.

Luke's Read — A Proper Division Again

Five names, all of them with serious fights signed or imminent. Fury vs Joshua signed. Itauma August 8 coming. Hrgovic active tonight. Okolie still in the European championship picture. Usyk defending in a week. The WBC list isn't perfect — no list ever is — but the activity it reflects is healthier than the heavyweight division has been in three or four years. If you know, you know — this is the version of the heavyweight division we've all been waiting for. Now we need the fights to actually deliver. One small caveat — the May rankings dropped on May 6. The next list will come early June, and tonight's Hrgovic-Allen result, plus any August opponent for Itauma, will reshuffle this top five again. So enjoy it for what it is. A snapshot.