Boxing: Joseph Parker goes to No5 on WBC heavyweight rankings

Joseph Parker dodges a punch from Anthony Joshua during there WBA, IBF, WBO & IBO Heavyweight Championship title fight at Principality Stadium. Photo / Getty Images.

Joseph Parker has been ranked as the fifth best heavyweight in the world behind Deontay Wilder in the latest WBC rankings released today.

It is believed to be the New Zealander's highest ranking with the WBC – he wasn't ranked by the organisation while he was WBO world champion.

Parker has been named behind Cuban southpaw Luis Ortiz, who lost a thriller against Wilder at the start of last month, and has leaped ahead of Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev.

Londoner Dillian Whyte is Wilder's No1 mandatory challenger, with American Dominic Breazeale and Russian Alexander Povetkin next.

The WBC's relatively high ranking for Parker suggests the IBF and WBA organisations will follow a similar line, with the WBO likely to name the 26-year-old in their top three.

Parker is determined to work his way back to be a mandatory challenger after his recent points loss to Anthony Joshua in Cardiff, and is keen to fight again as soon as possible. He is the only man to go the distance with the giant Englishman.

Whyte, fellow Englishman Dereck Chisora, Povetkin and Pulev are all possible future opponents for Parker.

Parker is training in Auckland while his promoters work on his next opponent - it's possible he could fight on an undercard to the unification fight between Joshua and Wilder at Wembley which could happen as early as August.

WBC heavyweight rankings:
Champion: Deontay Wilder (USA)
1. Dillian Whyte (Jamaica/GB)
2. Dominic Breazeale (USA)
3. Alexander Povetkin (Russia)
4. Luis Ortiz (Cuba)
5. Joseph Parker (New Zealand)