A great tradition, major challenges, and several charismatic figures have always characterized the heavyweight division in England. Super champions, big prospects, and plenty of trash talk — but after the Usyk phenomenon crushed everyone on British soil, what happens now?
We know that young Daniel Dubois is preparing his comeback, while the “almost retired” Joshua and Fury keep tweeting and little else. Fabio Wardley will face an extremely tough opponent this weekend for the interim WBO belt, against a Joseph Parker who looked massive at the weigh-in — a very interesting fight in our opinion.
Then there’s the case of Moses Itauma, who has been officially ordered to face Kubrat Pulev for the WBA title. The young Briton, who according to some rumors could have been given an immediate chance to face Oleksandr Usyk, might now take this alternative route to wrap a belt around his waist after being overlooked by the unified champion. However, this path has been complicated by the recent announcement of a fight between Pulev and Murat Gassiev, strongly promoted by the IBA, the controversial federation based in Russia.
It’s still unclear whether the WBA will allow its title to be on the line, given that its previous “order” for Itauma vs Pulev was ignored. In the meantime, the 20-year-old southpaw with heavy hands remains on standby — according to some reports, his return to the ring could be postponed until February.
In short, it’s a strange situation made up of choices, titles, and money — but one thing is certain: after stopping Dillian Whyte in just one round, Itauma is technically and mentally ready for this stage, despite his young age.
Dillian Whyte, meanwhile, has stolen the spotlight from young Itauma in England with a potential trilogy against Derek Chisora, scheduled for December 12 — which could very well be the farewell fight for both men. Many believe the Manchester event will host the long-awaited trilogy between two of the most beloved British heavyweights. At first, there was talk of American Jarrell Miller, but the fans clearly want a domestic derby between the two giants, especially since their previous two encounters were very close. Both are past their prime, both were defeated by the Gypsy King, yet how fascinating would it be to see them face each other once more before a home crowd?
We’ll see how this dance of British giants ends — whose paths will cross and whose won’t — but one thing is certain: the great tradition of English heavyweights continues to write new chapters in the history of this sport.