Alexander Povetkin had one of the longest reigns in the top three of any boxer in history—possibly the longest of any boxer who didn't reach the top. This month in our Top 100 rankings Povetkin, who retired in June, 2021, has just now slipped out of the top 10, ending a string of just shy of 15 years there. In all Povetkin spent 179 months in the top ten, with 107 months—nearly 9 years—at #3, with a full 12 years in the top five. Here's a rundown of his career in our top 10:
February 2008 rankings: Povetkin breaks into the top ten following a stellar 2007
2004 olympic gold medalist Povetkin's pro career got off to a good start at 10-0. He then had a great 2007, winning four fights over ranked fighters including an 11th round TKO of #6 Chris Byrd in the first fight of the IBF eliminator designed to pick Wlad Klitschko's next foe at the time. That put him at #11, just outside the top ten for three months before the IBF eliminator final vs. Eddie Chambers, which he won by unanimous decision on January 26, 2008. That put Povetkin not just in the top ten but in the top five, at #4.
| June 2007 |
July 2007 |
Nov 2007 |
Jan 2008 |
Feb 2008 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | January 2008 results |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | WLAD KLITSCHKO | 21.42 | 27-3-0 |  |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | RUSLAN CHAGAEV | 13.86 | 10-0-0 | UD 12 #8 MATT SKELTON |
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | SAMUEL PETER | 7.53 | 14-1-0 | |
| 58 | 47 | 11 | 11 | 4 | ALEX POVETKIN | 7.20 | 10-0-0 | UD 12 #6 EDDIE CHAMBERS |
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | NICOLAY VALUEV | 6.74 | 18-1-0 |
December 2009 rankings: Povetkin ascends to the #3 spot after David Haye beats #3 Nicolay Valuev in November
The promised fight with Klitschko didn't happen just yet. Povetkin's management felt he wasn't ready to face Wladimir (they were right) as he was only 28 and had plenty of time to develop. Povetkin won a few stay-busy fights that held his rank.
By this time Wladimir Klitschko had beaten #2 Chagaev, and Vitali Klitscho had beaten #3 Sam Peter and taken over the #2 spot with Nicolay Valuev then at #3. When David Haye beat Valuev, Povetkin moved into the #3 spot where he would camp literally for years.
| Feb 2008 |
Aug 2008 |
May 2009 |
Nov 2009 |
Dec 2009 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | November 2009 results |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | WLAD KLITSCHKO | 59.13 | 31-3-0 | |
| 11 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 2 | VITALI KLITSCHKO | 37.21 | 20-2-0 | |
| 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | ALEX POVETKIN | 29.08 | 12-0-0 | |
| 20 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 4 | EDDIE CHAMBERS | 26.76 | 13-1-0 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | RUSLAN CHAGAEV | 26.50 | 11-1-0 | |
| 59 | 64 | 23 | 21 | 6 | DAVID HAYE | 25.35 | 3-0-0 | MD 12 #3 NICOLAY VALUEV |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | NICOLAY VALUEV | 20.81 | 21-2-0 | L MD 12 #21 DAVID HAYE |
October 2013: Povetkin finally fights Wladimir Klitschko—and loses—but retains his #3 ranking in the November rankings
From late 2009 thru 2013 Povetkin won 8 fights, including a unanimous decision win over Ruslan Chagaev in August of 2011. Along with the Klitschko brothers who were also undefeated during that span, the top trio dominated boxing and were far ahead of the rest of the pack. So far ahead that when Povetkin fought Wlad Klitschko on October 5, 2013, and lost a lopsided decision, he remained at #3 in the November, 2013 rankings:
| Jan 2010 |
Jan 2011 |
Jan 2012 |
Jan 2013 |
Oct 2013 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | 2013 Jan-Sept results |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | WLAD KLITSCHKO | 69.90 | 38-3-0 | TKO 6 #15 FRANCESCO PIANETA |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | VITALI KLITSCHKO | 46.76 | 27-2-0 | --last rated win -12 months. |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ALEX POVETKIN | 39.27 | 20-0-0 | TKO 3 #17 ANDRZEJ WAWRZYK |
| 45 | 23 | 13 | 5 | 4 | KUBRAT PULEV | 26.67 | 12-0-0 | UD 12 #44 TONY THOMPSON |
| 71 | 63 | 4 | 4 | 5 | TYSON FURY | 24.48 | 11-0-0 | KO 7 #121 STEVE CUNNINGHAM |
| Jan 2011 |
Jan 2012 |
Jan 2013 |
Oct 2013 |
Nov 2013 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | October 2013 results |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | WLAD KLITSCHKO | 75.22 | 39-3-0 | UD 12 #3 ALEX POVETKIN |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | VITALI KLITSCHKO | 46.27 | 27-2-0 | --last rated win -13 months. |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ALEX POVETKIN | 27.76 | 20-1-0 | L UD 12 #1 WLAD KLITSCHKO |
| 23 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | KUBRAT PULEV | 26.67 | 12-0-0 | |
| 63 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | TYSON FURY | 24.48 | 11-0-0 |
October 2015 rankings: Alexander Povetkin moves to #2 as the retired Vitali Klitchko slides to #3
Following the loss to Klitschko, Povetkin beat Manuel Charr, Carlos Takam, and Mike Perez to maintain his #3 ranking. Meanwhile Vitali Klitschko had last fought in September of 2012 and had retired, losing rating points since late 2013. Finally in the October, 2015 rankings Klitschko slipped below Povetkin who was finally #2 after spending almost six years at #3!
| June 2014 |
Nov 2014 |
June 2015 |
Sep 2015 |
Oct 2015 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | September 2015 results |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | WLAD KLITSCHKO | 79.15 | 42-3-0 | |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ALEX POVETKIN | 32.53 | 23-1-0 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | VITALI KLITSCHKO | 32.36 | 27-2-0 | --last rated win -37 months. |
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | TYSON FURY | 29.56 | 14-0-0 | |
| 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | CZAR GLAZKOV | 24.60 | 10-0-1 |
November 2015 rankings: Unfortunately that was Alex's only month at #2.
The same month Povetkin rose to #2, #4 Tyson Fury upset Wladimir Klitschko. This pushed Klitschko to #2, and Povetkin back to #3, despite a win over Mariusz Wach.
| Nov 2014 |
June 2015 |
Sep 2015 |
Oct 2015 |
Nov 2015 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | October 2015 results |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | TYSON FURY | 63.29 | 15-0-0 | UD 12 #1 WLAD KLITSCHKO |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | WLAD KLITSCHKO | 55.96 | 42-4-0 | L UD 12 #4 TYSON FURY |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | ALEX POVETKIN | 32.71 | 24-1-0 | TKO 12 #145 MARIUSZ WACH |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | VITALI KLITSCHKO | 31.65 | 27-2-0 | --last rated win -38 months. |
| 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | CZAR GLAZKOV | 24.60 | 10-0-1 |
January 2017 rankings: Povetkin takes over as interim champion!
Despite remaining #3 for all of 2016, Povetkin became champ in early 2017 after beating Johann Duhaupas. With Fury and Klitschko's rematch postponed (and eventually cancelled) both Fury and Klitschko fell into inactivity, as did Povetkin. That left the interim belt with #4 Deontay Wilder for a month, before Povetkin's win re-established him as an active fighter.
The fight with Duhaupas happened after Povetkin's PED drama unfolded over 2016. Originally pitted against Deontay Wilder in June, that fight was cancelled when Povetkin tested positive for Meldonium, a substance only recently banned. Povetkin was scheduled against Bermane Stiverne but tested positive for Ostarine, and Stiverne refused to fight; Duhaupas was a last-minute replacement.
| Nov 2015 |
Feb 2016 |
Aug 2016 |
Dec 2016 |
Jan 2017 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | December 2016 results |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | TYSON FURY | 61.99 | 15-0-0 | --last rated win -13 months. |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | WLAD KLITSCHKO | 50.56 | 42-4-0 | --last rated win -20 months. |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ALEX POVETKIN | 33.51 | 25-1-0 | KO 6 #18 JOHANN DUHAUPAS [new interim title holder] |
| 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | DEONTAY WILDER | 27.26 | 13-0-0 | |
| 22 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ANTHONY JOSHUA | 26.33 | 11-0-0 | TKO 3 #78 ERIC MOLINA |
May 2017 rankings: Povetkin drops out of top 3 after 7 years and 5 months
Povetkin held the SportsRatings Interim Heavyweight Title for four months. In May, After 7 years and 5 months in the top 3, Povetkin dropped to #4 following Anthony Joshua's win over Wlad Klitschko. Again Klitschko stayed above Povetkin in the rankings at #3, pushing Alex to #4. Therefore, Povetkin's official dates of holding the interim belt were from December 17, 2016 to April 29, 2017, about 4 1/2 months.
| Jan 2017 |
Feb 2017 |
Mar 2017 |
Apr 2017 |
May 2017 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | April 2017 results |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | TYSON FURY | 59.29 | 15-0-0 | --last rated win -17 months. |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | ANTHONY JOSHUA | 42.94 | 12-0-0 | TKO 11 #2 WLAD KLITSCHKO [new interim title holder] |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | WLAD KLITSCHKO | 33.92 | 42-5-0 | L TKO 11 #5 ANTHONY JOSHUA |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ALEX POVETKIN | 33.51 | 25-1-0 | |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | DEONTAY WILDER | 28.69 | 14-0-0 |
June 2017 rankings: Povetkin back in the top three!
It seemed that nothing would keep Alex Povetkin out of the #3 spot. Not losing to Klitschko, not ascending to #2, and not falling to #4. Because the month after he was pushed out of the top 3 he was right back in as Wlad Klitschko dropped to #4 due to his extended time without a rated win. Povetkin had finally passed Klitschko—not from beating him in the ring, but by outlasting him at the top.
| Feb 2017 |
Mar 2017 |
Apr 2017 |
May 2017 |
June 2017 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | May 2017 results |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | TYSON FURY | 58.60 | 15-0-0 | --last rated win -18 months. |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | ANTHONY JOSHUA | 42.94 | 12-0-0 | [Interim title holder] |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | ALEX POVETKIN | 33.51 | 25-1-0 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | WLAD KLITSCHKO | 33.44 | 42-5-0 | --last rated win -25 months. |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | DEONTAY WILDER | 28.69 | 14-0-0 |
October 2018 rankings: Povetkin falls out of top three (for good?)
Povetkin beat Andrey Rudenko, Christian Hammer, and David Price over the next year to set up a big fight with Anthony Joshua in Wembley Stadium for Joshua's WBA and IBF belts, as well as the SportsRatings Heavyweight Title. Povetkin lost to Joshua via 7th round TKO, his 2nd loss and his first by stoppage. He fell to #4, and it looked like his long reign in the top 3—now 104 total months over the last 8 years—was over. Joshua captured the outright SportsRatings title for the first time, something Povetkin would never do.
| July 2017 |
Dec 2017 |
Mar 2018 |
Sep 2018 |
Oct 2018 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | September 2018 results |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ANTHONY JOSHUA | 53.28 | 15-0-0 | TKO 7 #3 ALEX POVETKIN |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | TYSON FURY | 47.88 | 16-0-0 | |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | DEONTAY WILDER | 33.39 | 16-0-0 | |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ALEX POVETKIN | 25.53 | 28-2-0 | L TKO 7 #2 ANTHONY JOSHUA |
| 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | WLAD KLITSCHKO | 24.64 | 42-5-0 | --last rated win -41 months. |
January 2021 rankings: Back in the top three!
Over the next two years Povetkin fell as low as #6, and he remained there after a draw vs. Michael Hunter. But in August of 2020 he knocked out #5 Dillian Whyte, and with the help of inactivity by Deontay Wilder (after his loss to Tyson Fury) Povetkin was back in the top three again.
| July 2019 |
Aug 2019 |
Sep 2020 |
Dec 2020 |
Jan 2021 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | December 2020 results |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | TYSON FURY | 53.79 | 18-0-1 | |
| 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ANTHONY JOSHUA | 47.27 | 17-1-0 | KO 9 #6 KUBRAT PULEV |
| 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | ALEX POVETKIN | 28.60 | 30-2-1 | |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | DEONTAY WILDER | 28.41 | 18-1-1 | --last rated win -13 months. |
| 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ANDY RUIZ JR | 25.82 | 13-2-0 | --last rated win -18 months. |
April 2021 rankings: Out of the top three for good
Povetkin had a rough time after the first Dillian Whyte fight on August 22. He had to pull out of the rematch scheduled for November 21 due to having Covid, and it was eventually rescheduled for March 27, 2021. A lackluster Povetkin didn't look like himself at all and lost via 4th round TKO. He announced his retirement on June 13.
| Sep 2020 |
Dec 2020 |
Jan 2021 |
Mar 2021 |
Apr 2021 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | March 2021 results |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | TYSON FURY | 52.68 | 18-0-1 | --last rated win -13 months. |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ANTHONY JOSHUA | 47.27 | 17-1-0 | [Interim title holder] |
| 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | DEONTAY WILDER | 27.48 | 18-1-1 | --last rated win -16 months. |
| 10 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 4 | DILLIAN WHYTE | 26.35 | 14-2-0 | TKO 4 #3 ALEX POVETKIN |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ANDY RUIZ JR | 24.88 | 13-2-0 | --last rated win -21 months. |
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | ALEX POVETKIN | 20.22 | 30-3-1 | L TKO 4 #10 DILLIAN WHYTE |
January 2023 rankings: Out of the top ten—first time since January 2008
Povetkin's long run in the top ten comes to an end as he slides out due to inactivity. The SportsRatings rankings don't look at whether a fighter is "retired" or not, just whether he's been fighting, so Povetkin started losing points in September of 2021 (his last win was August of 2020).
| Apr 2021 |
Oct 2021 |
June 2022 |
Sep 2022 |
Jan 2023 |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | Sept-Dec 2022 results |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | TYSON FURY | 55.93 | 21-0-1 | TKO 10 #59 DEREK CHISORA |
| 26 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | OLEKSANDR USYK | 41.55 | 4-0-0 | |
| 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | ANDY RUIZ JR | 24.54 | 15-2-0 | UD 12 #38 LUIS ORTIZ |
| 7 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | JOE JOYCE | 22.29 | 10-0-0 | KO 11 #7 JOSEPH PARKER |
| 11 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 5 | FRANK SANCHEZ | 21.07 | 7-0-0 | TKO 9 #97 CARLOS NEGRON |
| 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | ANTHONY JOSHUA | 20.26 | 17-3-0 | --last rated win -24 months. |
| 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 7 | DILLIAN WHYTE | 17.99 | 15-3-0 | MD 10 #62 JERMAINE FRANKLIN |
| 3 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 8 | DEONTAY WILDER | 17.83 | 19-2-1 | KO 1 #17 ROBERT HELENIUS |
| 18 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 9 | JUSTIS HUNI | 17.37 | 4-0-0 | UD 10 #190 KIKI TOA LEUTELE |
| 19 | 19 | 10 | 11 | 10 | ZHAN KOSSOBUTSKIY | 16.58 | 6-0-0 | KO 3 #91 HUSSEIN MUHAMED |
| 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ALEX POVETKIN | 16.34 | 30-3-1 | --last rated win -28 months. |