Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news
Kubrat Pulev is likely to fight the winner of Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua II , rather than Oleksandr Usyk .
Pulev is the mandatory challenger for the IBF heavyweight title, while Usyk is the mandatory challenger for the WBO.
With both titles on the line in Ruiz and Joshua’s rematch in Saudi Arabia, it is unclear who the winner will be mandated to fight, but the Bulgarian’s promoters are confident it will be Pulev.
“Kubrat Pulev’s next fight will be for the IBF world heavyweight title,” his promoters Top Rank told Sky Sports
“If the Joshua-Ruiz winner decides not to fight Pulev, his next fight will be for the vacant IBF title.”
Show all 16 1 /16February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world Who is the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world? The ranking of The Independent's 10 best male boxers on the planet. Take a look through to see who comes out on top.
Getty Images
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world On the rise: Anthony Joshua Joshua recaptured his world heavyweight titles in dominant fashion, but in a new manner for the Briton: boxing beautifully off the back foot. He is now back in the mix, even if he is just behind Wilder and Fury, to be considered the best heavyweight in the world. All three are just on the outside of our list though until they fight each other
AP
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world On the rise: Deontay Wilder Nobody can deny he has a claim as the most powerful puncher pound-for-pound, but despite wiping out Luis Ortiz, the Bronze Bomber needs to beat Tyson Fury clearly to justify a place inside the top 10 here
EPA
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world In the mix: Tyson Fury Like Joshua and Wilder before, with a legitimate case to be the No 1 heavyweight in the world, Fury is just on the outside of our top 10 - if he manages to comprehensively beat Wilder - staying away from that big right hand for the full 12 rounds - he will be the first of the trio to leap back inside the top 10
Getty Images
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world On the rise: Josh Taylor (16-0) Josh Taylor's win over Regis Prograis to win the WBSS at 140 pounds was a massive statement - he'll need to become the undisputed light welterweight champion by beating Jose Ramirez to make his place inside the top 10 indisputable
Getty Images
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world On the rise: Miguel Berchelt (37-1) Miguel Berchelt smashed Jose Sosa to pieces inside four rounds to defend his WBC super featherweight title - now 37-1 and undefeated since 2014 with 16 consecutive wins and six straight defences
AFP via Getty Images
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world 10. Juan Francisco Estrada (39-3-0) The two-weight world champion grabbed the lineal super flyweight title against Sor Rungvisai to snatch his pound-for-pound status and the WBC gold.
Getty Images
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world 9. Mikey Garcia (39-1-0) Despite coming up short against Errol Spence in their welterweight bout, Garcia is still a modern great as a four-weight world champion.
Getty Images
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world 8. Gennady Golovkin (39-1-1) Despite suffering the first loss of his career against Canelo Alvarez, Golovkin's stellar career keeps him in our rankings. The boxing legend is now a two-time world champion.
Getty Images
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world 7. Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2) The Filipino looked sensational to outpoint Keith Thurman, flooring the American and rolling back the years at 40 years old to confirm himself as the No 3 welterweight in the world at worst. Considering the illustrious names on his resume, a place inside the top 10 pound-for-pound list and a world class win this year confirms his place here.
AP
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world 6. Errol Spence (26-0-0) Spence beat Shawn Porter to unify the welterweight division as he goes in search of more belts. Danny Garcia looks set to be next.
Getty Images
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world 5. Oleksandr Usyk (17-0-0) The undisputed, undefeated, unified cruiserweight world champion has successfully moved up in weight, beating Chazz Witherspoon on his heavyweight debut.
Getty Images
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world 4. Naoya Inoue (19-0-0) The man nicknamed the 'monster' beat Nonito Donaire to win the World Boxing Super Series and move to 19-0 after a hard fought battle.
Getty Images
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world 3. Terence Crawford (35-0-0) Another three-weight world champion, Crawford enters our top three and reaffirmed his place as one of the sport's greats after a knockout win against Amir Khan.
Getty Images
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world 2. Canelo Alvarez (53-1-2) One loss and a whole heap of controversy but Canelo's record is one to be celebrated, a now four-weight world champion and still not even 30 years of age. The biggest star in the sport and an impressive KO win of Sergey Kovalev cements his standing, arguably has a claim to the throne, but he just misses out here.
USA TODAY Sports
February top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world 1. Vasyl Lomachenko (14-1-0) There can only be one. The king of the amateur game has stepped up to become the king of the professionals. Just 15 fights into his career and despite one career defeat, the current unified lightweight world champion sets records for days. Loma won a world title in his third fight, became a two-weight champion in his seventh, and a three-weight champion in his twelfth fight. The king. Less magic against a brave Luke Campbell, but more brutality, slashing body shots and exquisite balance and movement. Who's next? Commey, Lopez, Davis?
Getty Images
Pulev has been beaten only once in 29 previous fights, and earned his position as mandatory challenger for the IBF title with victory over Hughie Fury.
It seems likely that one of the two titles will be vacated by the victor of Ruiz-Joshua, unless an agreement can be reached between the two organisations.
Eddie Hearn , Josua’s promoter, has previously discussed the difficult issue.
“We’re going to have a problem where [Usyk and Pulev] both say: ‘you’ve got to fight me next’,” Hearn said to Sky Sports .
“Some belt could become vacant, because the IBF and the WBO are both going to order their mandatories after Joshua-Ruiz Jr.
“Unless a deal can be done with someone, you’ve either got to do that, or vacate.”
Joshua and Ruiz meet on December 7 in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies