WBC RANKINGS: July Positions of Ukrainian Boxers
The World Boxing Council (WBC) has released its updated world rankings for July 2026. The biggest story of the month was the change of the Heavyweight world champion, while Ukrainian fighters enjoyed notable success in the Bridgerweight division. Oleksandr Hrytsiv, Liubomyr Pinchuk and Vitalii Stalchenko all improved their positions, while only minor changes occurred across most other weight classes.
Heavyweight
In the Heavyweight division (over 101.605 kg), July’s rankings marked the beginning of a new era. In May, Oleksandr Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) successfully defended his WBC title by stopping Rico Verhoeven in the eleventh round during the historic event held at the Pyramids of Giza. Following the victory, the WBC granted Usyk additional time to negotiate a mandatory title defense against interim champion Agit Kabayel. However, on June 26, Usyk announced that he was vacating his WBC, WBA and IBF world titles, paving the way for a new generation of contenders. As a result, Agit Kabayel, who previously held the interim WBC championship, was elevated to full WBC Heavyweight World Champion.
Among the Ukrainian heavyweights, WBC International champion Andrii Novytskyi (16-0, 12 KOs) climbed from No. 12 to No. 11 in the rankings. Tsotne Rogava (13-0, 8 KOs) also continued his steady rise, improving from No. 36 to No. 35.
Bridgerweight
In Bridgerweight (up to 101.605 kg), Ukrainian boxers delivered the strongest performances of the month. WBC Francophone champion Oleksandr Hrytsiv (13-0, 9 KOs) made the biggest leap among all Ukrainians, moving from fourth to second place in the world rankings and taking another major step toward a world title opportunity.
Liubomyr Pinchuk (17-4-2, 11 KOs) also improved his standing, rising from No. 15 to No. 13. Vitalii Stalchenko (13-1-1, 8 KOs) gained three places, climbing from No. 25 to No. 22. Altogether, three Ukrainian fighters recorded significant progress in the division.
Light Heavyweight
In Light Heavyweight (up to 79.379 kg), Oleksandr Gvozdyk (21-3, 17 KOs) slipped one position from No. 17 to No. 18 but remains among the WBC-ranked contenders.
Super Middleweight
In Super Middleweight (up to 76.204 kg), Sergiy Derevyanchenko (16-6, 11 KOs) dropped one place from No. 8 to No. 9. The experienced Ukrainian is scheduled to return to the ring on July 26 at Zuffa Boxing 9, where he will face American prospect Jalil Hackett (12-1, 9 KOs) in a ten-round contest. The bout could play an important role in his pursuit of another climb up the WBC rankings.
Middleweight
There were no significant changes in Middleweight (up to 72.575 kg). Fedor Cherkashyn (28-1, 18 KOs) retained his No. 4 position and remains one of the leading contenders in the division. Serhii Bohachuk (27-4, 24 KOs) also held his No. 16 ranking after last month’s significant drop.
Super Welterweight
In Super Welterweight (up to 69.853 kg), WBC Francophone champion Maksym Molodan (13-1, 8 KOs) slipped one place from No. 25 to No. 26. Despite the slight decline, he remains firmly positioned in the WBC rankings with strong prospects for future progress.
Welterweight
In Welterweight (up to 66.678 kg), Karen Chukhadzhian (26-4, 14 KOs) moved down from No. 22 to No. 23. WBC International and WBC Francophone champion Yaroslav Mykhalushko (13-0, 9 KOs) also dropped one position and is now ranked No. 24.
The July WBC rankings brought both historic developments and encouraging news for Ukrainian boxing. The appointment of a new Heavyweight world champion following Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate his titles became one of the defining stories of the month, while Ukrainian fighters in the Bridgerweight division strengthened their positions in the global rankings.
