By Jim Dower: Trevor Bryan (20-0, 14 KOs) has been pushed to number one in the World Boxing Association’s new rankings for heavyweight. This is a questionable move by the WBA, because the 29-year-old Bryan hasn’t beaten anyone of note during his seven-year pro career.
Bryan recently captured the interim WBA heavyweight title after beating 39-year-old former two-time cruiserweight world title challenger BJ Flores by a 4th round knockout on August 11 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Bryan hasn’t beaten anyone good enough for him to be rated above Alexander Povetkin, Dillian Whyte, Jarrell Miller, Dereck Chisora and Bryant Jennings. Those fighters have fought better opposition during their careers, and they’ve been looking a lot better.
With his number 1 ranking, Bryan is going to be getting a title shot soon against the winner of the September 29 fight between WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight champion Manuel Charr and Fres Oquendo. There’s no word when the World Boxing Association will be reducing the number of champions they have in their heavyweight rankings.
Bryan’s best wins as a pro have come against Derric Rossy, BJ Flores, Elieser Castillo and Epifanio Mendoza.
The WBA currently has TWO heavyweight world champions in Anthony Joshua and Manuel Charr. Joshua is the WBA Super Champion while Charr is the WBA World champion.
Here are the WBA’s new top 15 heavyweights:
1. Trevor Bryan
2. Alexander Povetkin
3. Fres Oquendo
4. Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller
5. Dillian ‘The Body Snatcher’ Whyte
6. Dereck ‘Delboy’ Chisora
7. Otto Wallin
8. Bryant Jennings
9. Guillermo Jones
10. BJ Flores
11. Christian Hammer
12. Alexander Ustinov
13. Bogdan Dinu
14. Joe Joyce
15. Christopher Lovejoy
Another odd ranking by the WBA is 34-year-old Christopher ‘Pretty Boy’ Lovejoy (12-0, 12 KOs) at #12. The 6’5” Lovejoy has been a pro since 2016, and he’s not beaten anyone good enough for him to be rated in the top 15. Lovejoy’s last six wins have come against these fighters:
• Martin Rodriguez (4-28)
• Juan Luis Lopez Alcaraz (4-24-2)
• Edgar Montejo (0-2)
• Miguel Salvador Ramirez (0-10)
• Omar Nunez Valderrama (0-8)
• Michael Smith (0-1)
Those guys are not even close to being good enough for a fighter to be rated in the top 15 with any sanctioning body other than the WBA. If Lovejoy had beaten a solid journeyman or two, then it wouldn’t be so bad to see him rated in the top 15 by the WBA, but that hasn’t happened. Lovejoy has been beating opposition that has been woefully bad. There’s no one on Lovejoy’s 12-fight resume that is good enough for him to be rated #15.
2016 Olympic super heavyweight Silver medalist Joe Joyce might be the best of the bunch in the WBA’s top 15. The 6’6″ Joyce has the punching power, work rate and size to make waves in the heavyweight division.