BRADFORD boxer Tasif Khan has been officially placed in the WBO top ten world rankings following a stellar 2022.

The 39-year-old Bradfordian concluded last year in celebratory fashion after beating Gabriel Odoi Laryea (21-5-3) in his own backyard, Nigeria, to bring the WBO African Super Flyweight title back to West Yorkshire.

It was the third occasion that Khan had fought and claimed victory overseas in 2022, with his previous two wins both coming in Germany.

His work certainly hasn't gone unnoticed because last week, Khan was handed a spot (8th) in the WBO world rankings alongside some household names such as Roman Gonzalez (Chocolatito) and Estrada.

Reflecting on his achievement, Khan said: "I wouldn't say it's a massive shock, but it's a huge achievement for me. I'm extremely humbled.

"I was told that the winner of my last fight (against Gabriel Laryea) would go on to fight for the Intercontinental belt, which is a big deal. That's what I was working towards but then my promoter told me to check the rankings and there I was. I don't know how the points system works but they put me in the world rankings and I'll be forever grateful.

"Usually it's a case of working your way up and we thought that I might be placed in the rankings after my next fight, but after a good win in December, we got a placing straight away."

Khan added: "To be in with some of the names on that list is just amazing. In my weight division alone, I'm in there with three Hall of Famers. Boxers like Estrada and Chocolatito (Roman Gonzalez) have been an inspiration to me. As I've grown up in my era, they are the men I've idolised.

"People always have their favourite fighters and fighters who they've followed throughout their careers and a lot of people will chose a fighter like Floyd Mayweather as their favourite. But for me and other professional fighters, we have boxers that we've looked up to in our specific weight divisions. As I've grown up, my inspiration has always been Chocolatito. He's a superstar and I believe that some of the things he has done in the sport are on par with Mayweather."

Khan added: "His work probably doesn't get noticed compared to someone like Mayweather because of the weight division he is in. But what he's done for my weight class, he's changed the whole landscape for lighter fighters. We can now get paid millions and fight on big stages because of the work Chocolatito has done for us over the years. So, to be in and around a boxer of his calibre is just phenomenal."

A fight with one of his idols is something that Khan isn't ruling out.

He said: "I'd love to be able to step into the ring with the fighters I've named. I've been a world champion in the past (WBU), so I know what the business is about. You fight your mandatory and if they inform you to fight that person again then you do. After that the champion is allowed to chose a voluntary opponent to defend their title against and that can be anyone from the top 15 of the world rankings. I'm in that top 15, so it could be a real possibility in the future.

"I wouldn't be looking at a fight of this magnitude as just an event. It would be a chance for me to create history, so I'd be going in there to get the victory, no doubt about it. If a call comes through to me, I'll accept it and take the challenge straight away."