Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte have been left out of the WBA's heavyweight rankings with their WBC title clash drawing closer to completion.
The British pair are now likely to face each other after Fury's co-promoter Frank Warren won purse bids to stage the bout with a bumper £31 million offer.
Issues have been prominent throughout negotiations including Whyte's unhappiness at receiving just 20 per cent of the split, but the fight is expected to take place in April.
This has resulted in the British pair being omitted from the WBA rankings entirely while they prepare to do battle for the WBC title at last.
Daniel Dubois tops the list as he prepares to do battle for the WBA title against Trevor Bryan and is trailed by Michael Hunter, Robert Helenius and Hughie Fury.
It is perhaps a surprise to see this quartet ranked above former two-time WBA champion Anthony Joshua in fifth who recently lost his unified titles to Oleksandr Usyk.
Wilder is also ranked behind Joshua in sixth despite having just lost in a trilogy bout with undefeated WBC champion Fury.
Agit Kabayel and Martin Bakole are two names that remain in the leading pack with in-form heavyweights Andy Ruiz, Joseph Parker and Filip Hrgovic all missing out on the top ten.
Fury and Whyte are both coming into the contest on the back of victories with Fury having stopped Wilder in a historic trilogy bout.
Meanwhile Whyte recovered from a surprise defeat to execute his revenge against Alexander Povetkin in March of last year.
Doubts were cast after Warren won the purse bids with Whyte remaining silent on the prospect of his long-awaited shot against Fury.
Despite Fury's pleading on social media to provoke a response from Whyte, the 'Body Snatcher' has posted a blunt two-word message since the fight bid was won.
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However Eddie Hearn has since explained Whyte's silence as the challenger awaits official news and a signed contract before responding.
Whyte has waited for a shot at the title in spells since 2017 when he first became WBC interim champion and has frequently spoken of his desire to face Fury.
But Hearn believes Whyte's silence is partially down to the fact that he still doesn't think a British showdown is going to go ahead.
"He doesn't believe that Tyson Fury will fight him, being honest, he don't believe anything that they say," Hearn told iFL TV.
"I guess he's thinking until I get a contract, until everyone signs, until I get the date and the money's paid. I don't believe it, but we'll see.
"He's ready, he's been training non-stop and by the way, you don't have to play to their tune you know. Tyson Fury, he wants interaction and he wants goading.
"He wants see a reaction, he wants to get himself fired up in camp. Maybe Dillian Whyte won't say a thing until the fight, maybe we'll fight maybe we won't, you'll find out on the night."
