What next for AJ? Where does Deontay Wilder fit into the landscape? We take a quick look at the current heavyweight picture ahead of another big weekend of boxing; the live action continues on Sky Sports on June 15 when Chris Billam-Smith faces Richard Riakporhe at Selhurst Park
The modern heavyweight division is at the peak of its powers as it parades a long-awaited undisputed champion while pitting some of boxing’s marquee names against one another.
The belts belong to a worthy ruler in Oleksandr Usyk, behind whom lies a Tyson Fury-spearheaded chasing pack of both established and upcoming heavyweight challengers seeking to leave a dent in knockout proceedings.
Fury and Usyk II
Let’s start with the top of the heavyweight tree. Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. So nice, they are having to do it twice.
Usyk completed a mission spanning two decades in Saudi Arabia earlier this month when he defeated Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era and the first since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield in 1999. It followed up supremacy at cruiserweight to further cement his status as one of the greatest fighters of his generation.
The masterful Ukrainian weathered a Fury storm over a gruelling first half of the fight before finding his breakthrough at the midway point and following up with a stunning ninth round, in which he was seconds away from stopping the rocked Gypsy King.
It had been public knowledge that a rematch clause was included in the contract, with it being announced this week that the pair will meet again on December 21. Win again and Usyk would have nothing more to prove. As for Fury, there may be one more AJ-shaped domino to fall, regardless of the result later this year.
AJ awaits… but with who?
An explosive Anthony Joshua has reignited his knockout exploits and clobbered his way back into title contention after shaking off the effects of back-to-back defeats to Usyk.
Joshua will be in attendance to watch Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois fight as part of this Saturday’s 5 vs 5 event in Saudi Arabia, the winner awaiting as a potential opponent for the former unified world champion later this year. That, however, could also depend on whether Usyk is forced to vacate the IBF belt, for which Joshua and one of Hrgovic or Dubois would likely be in line to contend.
The Olympic champion is riding the momentum of his stunning knockout victory over Francis Ngannou, having also beaten Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin in statement stoppages to close out 2023. Hrgovic is a perfect 17-0 as a professional after knocking out Mark de Mori in the first round in December, while Dubois is 20-2 following his 10th-round stoppage win over Jarrell Miller late last year.
Joshua will take either, especially should a chance to become a three-time world champion arise. But he will also feel he has larger fish to fry.
And then… Fury?
If the ‘Battle of Britain’ is ever going to happen, 2025 feels like the window. Both Joshua and Fury have long-maintained their desire to deliver fans one of the biggest heavyweight dust-ups in British boxing history, but so far numerous attempts to make the fight have fallen agonisingly short.
Joshua and Fury were seemingly set to meet in 2021 after reportedly signing the contract, before Fury was ordered to meet Deontay Wilder in the third fight of their dramatic trilogy. The two then verbally agreed to fight following Joshua’s rematch defeat to Usyk in 2022, before a fight failed to materialise as the Londoner enjoyed a period of recovery.
Joshua reiterated his intentions to face Fury after demolishing former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou earlier this year, where Fury had been watching on in Saudi Arabia ahead of his fight against Usyk, in the build-up to which Fury himself would allude to facing Joshua next once. It feels as close as ever, but there is first a matter of the undisputed rematch to contend with later this year.
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum recently told Sky Sports that Fury remains keen on fighting Joshua in 2025, highlighting Wembley Stadium as the ideal venue. We will see.
Where does Wilder fit in?
It feels like something of a climax moment for the current crop of heavyweight frontrunners as challengers seek to cling onto their last hopes of staying in the mix. Deontay Wilder is among the aforementioned.
The Bronze Bomber is under no illusions as to what might be at stake for him when he takes on Zhilei Zhang in a battle of devastating punch power this weekend. Lose, and that might be it. Win, and win in style, and a potential showdown with Anthony Joshua potentially resurfaces having been scuppered by his shock loss to Joseph Parker.
A punishing trilogy with Fury combined with a long period of inactivity had Wilder looking a shade of his destructive self in a unanimous decision loss to the New Zealander, as many cast doubt over his chances of overcoming the threat of Zhang. But that right hand has built a reputation deserving of the utmost respect, and can never be written off.
Top Rank boss Arum identified Wilder as a possible next opponent for Jared Anderson as they look to progress the promising career of the young rising American star. But beating Zhang is no formality, and they know it.
The Parker party goes on
Hello, resurgent Joseph Parker. Rarely is the heavyweight landscape blessed with simplicity or logic, and now here is Parker to throw yet another spanner in the works as he vies for another world title shot.
The 32-year-old upset Wilder with a career-best performance in December to announce his revival, before overcoming a knockdown against Zhang to claim a majority decision win that positions him as the WBO mandatory challenger.
Parker has taken to social media to call out both Joshua and Dillian Whyte in recent months, eager to capitalise on what is showing the traits of being his prime. By virtue of both his form and still young age, you have to feel he is on his way to another title opportunity.
Kabayel’s rise
Agit Kabayel might be one to watch. The German has just knocked out both Arslanbek Makhmudov and Frank Sanchez to improve his record to 25-0, the latter of which had served as a WBC final eliminator that leaves him on the brink of fighting for a world title.
Logic would point towards a shot at Fury or Usyk once their rematch is settle; logic doesn’t always prevail in boxing, particularly given the likelihood of Fury and Usyk’s careers looking elsewhere, be it Joshua or retirement.
What else is going on?
Joe Joyce has ambitions of relaunching a late surge towards the world stage when he takes on Derek Chisora this summer amid his fightback from successive defeats to Zhang. Martin Bakole sits as the No 1 challenger in the WBA rankings, while Dillian Whyte remains on a comeback trail of his own.
Interesting storylines continue to emerge at bridgerweight as Lawrence Okolie closes in on the heavyweight division following his emphatic first-round knockout of Lukasz Rozanski in Poland. The former cruiserweight world champion is seemingly in line to face mandatory bridgerweight challenger Kevin Lerena, but appears destined to make the step up.
And while Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley await news of their next steps following a fight of the year contender, 19-year-old Moses Itauma is just getting started as one of the most frightening prospects in boxing with ambitions of becoming the youngest ever heavyweight world champion.
