Heavyweight boxing defined: Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and the way forward for the division | Boxing Information
The highway to the undisputed championship in fashionable heavyweight boxing is labyrinthine, suffering from pitfalls, obstacles, and the toughest punchers on the planet.
However Oleksandr Usyk has confirmed himself to be unquestionably the most effective fighter within the division after beating Tyson Fury twice, in addition to holding two victories over each Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois too.
Usyk holds all 4 of the most important heavyweight titles. He is because of make a compulsory defence of the WBO belt subsequent, however the WBO have granted Usyk a 90 day extension on medical grounds for these negotiations.
However the WBO have dominated that he should field their obligatory challenger subsequent, with no different bout within the interim. That obligatory challenger would be the winner of Joseph Parker’s October 25 heavyweight contest with Fabio Wardley in London.
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Frank Warren says Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury are each unlikely to combat once more this 12 months however he has massive plans for Moses Itauma and Daniel Dubois.
Who’s the champion?
Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk is the undisputed heavyweight world champion. The Olympic gold medallist turned an undisputed champion first at cruiserweight. He started his heavyweight title reign when he outpointed Anthony Joshua on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2021, choosing up the WBO, WBA and IBF championships. He defended these belts in a rematch with Joshua and along with his first victory over Daniel Dubois.
That set him up for his momentous undisputed title conflict final 12 months with Tyson Fury, then the WBC heavyweight titlist. Usyk shook Fury badly within the ninth spherical and received a break up resolution.
He turned the primary undisputed heavyweight world champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999 and the primary of the four-belt period.
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Sky Sports activities’ Johnny Nelson heaps reward on Oleksandr Usyk after his knockout win over Daniel Dubois to change into a three-time undisputed champion, however discover out who he thinks would have overwhelmed him…
Contracted for a rematch, Usyk took a unanimous resolution win over Fury of their second combat in December.
By then although Usyk had been compelled to shed a belt. His dedication to the Fury rematch meant he couldn’t make a compulsory defence of the IBF title. He vacated and Dubois was elevated to full IBF world champion with out throwing a punch.
Dubois although validated his standing as a world champion when he brutally knocked out Joshua at Wembley Stadium final September.
Usyk then beat Dubois a second time when he spectacularly knocked out the Briton at Wembley Stadium on July 19 to change into a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion, a feat that can go down within the historical past books.
He’s an iconic determine in his homeland, a logo of Ukrainian resistance throughout Russia’s invasion of the nation.
“Ukraine wants victories now greater than ever. We had been extremely moved by the assist from our fellow Ukrainians – particularly these on the frontlines,” Sergey Lapin, the CEO of Usyk’s promotional firm Prepared To Combat, mentioned.
“It means so much to Oleksandr to raise the nationwide spirit within the midst of nightly missile strikes and intense battles.”
Who will Usyk combat subsequent?
To stay the undisputed champion, Usyk must combat the winner of the Joseph Parker-Fabio Wardley bout subsequent, although he might at all times vacate the WBO belt if he wished to go in one other path.
Parker has been on an excellent run of type, beating each Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang to change into the WBO interim titlist. He was on account of problem Dubois for the IBF championship however when Dubois fell ailing, mere days earlier than the bout, Parker knocked out short-notice alternative Martin Bakole.
Parker informed Sky Sports activities: “If he [Usyk] desires to have one last combat after Dubois, please make it me. I do know there’s different massive fights on the market that he desires, greater cash fights, however I might love the chance to problem myself towards the most effective on this planet.”
Wardley is the WBA’s Interim heavyweight titlist. He knocked out Frazer Clarke within the first spherical of their rematch final 12 months. He struggled with Justis Huni in his most up-to-date bout, however discovered the end when he wanted it.
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Following his beautiful knockout victory towards Daniel Dubois, jokingly dismissed Joseph Parker’s suggestion of a combat between the pair sooner or later.
Will Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury return?
All of the indicators are that former champions Joshua and Fury intend to return to competitors on the high finish of the heavyweight division.
Joshua hasn’t boxed since his heavy defeat to Dubois. The concept of a Dubois rematch, boldly floated within the rapid aftermath of the primary combat, has pale however Joshua’s hopes of boxing his nice rival Fury had been hit when, at first of this 12 months, Fury declared he had retired.
However Fury has vacillated publicly over whether or not he’ll keep retired. He would not have the ability to field this 12 months however a return subsequent 12 months is feasible.
Joshua can also be unlikely to field in 2025. His crew are anticipating a decrease stage comeback bout early subsequent 12 months earlier than a “roll of the cube” sort blockbuster in the summertime that they are hoping shall be towards Fury.
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Eddie Hearn says that Anthony Joshua is eyeing a combat with Tyson Fury subsequent summer time and defeat earlier than then would probably finish these plans
Who’re the opposite heavyweight contenders?
To maintain extremely ranked heavyweights lively the world title sanctioning our bodies have created a slew of secondary belts, that in impact assist resolve their obligatory contenders.
The over-generous WBA have a ‘common’ heavyweight champion in Kubrat Pulev, an Interim titlist in Wardley in addition to their full or ‘tremendous’ champion Usyk.
Agit Kabayel holds the WBC’s Interim strap, however a WBC obligatory challenger has not but been set.
The IBF have ordered Frank Sanchez to face Efe Ajagba in an eliminator, with the winner changing into obligatory challenger for his or her heavyweight title.
Who’s the heavyweight to observe?
Britain has a fast-rising star in Moses Itauma. Nonetheless solely 20, the younger heavyweight had a fearsome popularity as an novice at Youth and Junior stage. He sparred fighters like Joshua and Lawrence Okolie when he was only a schoolboy himself.
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Highlights of Moses Itauma’s spectacular victory towards Dillian Whyte in Riyadh. Protection courtesy of DAZN and Queensberry Promotions.
He is blazed via his skilled opposition to this point, dazzling for example when he took out Demsey McKean in slightly below two minutes on the undercard of the Usyk-Fury rematch and smashing Dillian Whyte in only a spherical in August. He shall be in motion as soon as once more earlier than the top of 2025.
