Ilia Topuria is the highest-ranked combat athlete in SportsPro's 2026 bankable list at No. 41, ahead of Anthony Joshua and Canelo Alvarez; Aryna Sabalenka leads overall.
From 2 reports by 2 outlets
What we know
- Ilia Topuria is 41st in SportsPro's 2026 bankable athletes ranking with 61.11 of 100, the only combat sports athlete in the top 50.
- The ranking covers July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, so it does not capture the effect of Topuria's June 14 loss at the White House.
- Aryna Sabalenka leads the overall ranking.
Reported, not confirmed
-
Topuria's camp has mentioned a possible return from February 2027.
La Sueur
Ilia Topuria has the most commercial pull of any combat athlete in the world right now, at least by SportsPro's measure. The 2026 ranking, compiled with NorthStar, puts him 41st across all sports, the only fighter in the top 50, and the list is led by tennis player Aryna Sabalenka.
The gap to the next names is modest. Anthony Joshua is 52nd with 59.57, Canelo Alvarez 61st with 58.45 and Khamzat Chimaev 62nd with 58.29. Further back come Alexander Volkanovski (93rd), Tyson Fury (100th), Oleksandr Usyk (109th) and Max Holloway (136th). Topuria's own score is 61.11 out of 100.
The breakdown explains the order. Each athlete is rated on 27 criteria across brand strength (45 points), momentum (40) and future commercial potential (15). Topuria's edge is momentum, where he scored 33.21 of 40, against 20.16 of 45 on brand and 7.74 of 15 on future potential. Joshua has the stronger brand at 36.55 of 45, but his momentum score is 21.43 of 40, which leaves him behind.
The timing matters. The data covers July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, so it stops 16 days after Topuria lost his belt and his unbeaten record at the White House on June 14. The ranking therefore says little about how that defeat affects his value to sponsors. His record is now 17-1, according to La Sueur.
On the sporting side, La Sueur reports that his camp has mentioned a possible return from February 2027. Nothing is booked. Watch whether the next edition, covering a period that includes the loss and its aftermath, keeps him ahead of the boxers.
The gap to the next names is modest. Anthony Joshua is 52nd with 59.57, Canelo Alvarez 61st with 58.45 and Khamzat Chimaev 62nd with 58.29. Further back come Alexander Volkanovski (93rd), Tyson Fury (100th), Oleksandr Usyk (109th) and Max Holloway (136th). Topuria's own score is 61.11 out of 100.
The breakdown explains the order. Each athlete is rated on 27 criteria across brand strength (45 points), momentum (40) and future commercial potential (15). Topuria's edge is momentum, where he scored 33.21 of 40, against 20.16 of 45 on brand and 7.74 of 15 on future potential. Joshua has the stronger brand at 36.55 of 45, but his momentum score is 21.43 of 40, which leaves him behind.
The timing matters. The data covers July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, so it stops 16 days after Topuria lost his belt and his unbeaten record at the White House on June 14. The ranking therefore says little about how that defeat affects his value to sponsors. His record is now 17-1, according to La Sueur.
On the sporting side, La Sueur reports that his camp has mentioned a possible return from February 2027. Nothing is booked. Watch whether the next edition, covering a period that includes the loss and its aftermath, keeps him ahead of the boxers.
- Summary
- Ilia Topuria is the highest-ranked combat athlete in SportsPro's 2026 bankable list at No. 41, ahead of Anthony Joshua and Canelo Alvarez; Aryna Sabalenka leads overall.
- Key points (one per line)
- Ilia Topuria ranks 41st with 61.11 of 100, the only combat athlete in the top 50.
Eight combat athletes made the list, led by Joshua at 52nd and Canelo Alvarez at 61st.
Data ends June 30, 2026, 16 days after Topuria's first defeat.
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- La Sueur | https://lasueur.com/ilia-topuria-anthony-joshua-chimaev-volkanovski-decouvrez-le-classement-2026-des-athletes-les-plus-bankables-30-10-2026
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/ilia-topuria-just-outranked-anthony-joshua-and-the-math-behind-it-is-wild
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Fighters in this story
Ilia Topuria
Alexander Volkanovski
Anthony Joshua
Tyson Fury
Khamzat Chimaev
Oleksandr Usyk
Max Holloway
Canelo AlvarezSources
Knockout DailySummarized with AI from the sources above. Read the originals for the full story.
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