Oleksandr Usyk may be the only person standing between Moses Itauma and the fastest route to a shot at the WBC heavyweight title.
The undefeated British prospect could find himself on the verge of being a championship contender this summer – but only if the division’s current ruler decides not to fight the mandatory challenger next.
Usyk has already planned for the end of his career, outlining a three-fight retirement plan that will start with Rico Verhoeven in Egypt and then potentially move on to the winner of Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois and a trilogy fight with Tyson Fury.
“Rico is first. Second, Wardley or Dubois wins. Third fight is my friend ‘Greedy Belly’ Tyson Fury,” Usyk said on his Ready to Fight app, discussing the schedule he hopes to follow.
This roadmap leaves little room for WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel, even though the German holds the mandatory position.
The WBC position remains unchanged
The sanctioning body reiterated its position in its March 2026 “Status by Division” update, confirming that Usyk is cleared to fight kickboxer Verhoeven on May 23 in Giza, Egypt.
“Champion Oleksander Usyk has been granted a voluntary defense. Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in Giza, Egypt. The winner must then fight mandatory interim champion Agit Kabayel.”
The clarification strengthened the WBC’s stance following criticism of the crossover fight. However, the champion’s situation remains fluid.
Kabayel interrogates Usyk
Kabayel has already expressed his frustration with the uncertainty surrounding his long-awaited title shot.
In an interview with RTL/ntv and sport.de, the German suggested that Usyk’s priorities may have moved away from heritage.
“I always had great respect for Usyk’s sporting achievements and said: ‘Hey, he’s not afraid of any challenges and he keeps his words.’ But the only thing he cares about is money; everything else is uninteresting to him. Now I noticed it again, extremely clearly,” Kabayel said.
The undefeated fighter strengthened his position with constant season stoppages for Riyad Frank Sanchez and Arslanbek Makhmudov, before adding knockout victories over Zhilei Zhang and Damian Knyba.
These performances definitely pushed Kabayel into the obligatory interim champion conversation, and he was irritated when he heard Usyk’s initial three-man wish list.
“How can he not name his number one ranked opponent, his mandatory challenger? It’s just melancholy that he would rather fight Dubois or Fury for the third time, even though he has already beaten them both twice,” Kabayel added.
“I have a large question mark in my head right now.”
Queensberry/Riyad season
This will take advantage of the opportunity
Usyk has since softened his previous stance on the WBC injunction.
“Maybe I will fight Kabayel – maybe I won’t fight Tyson Fury for the third time and I fight Kabayel instead,” the Ukrainian said when asked about the situation.
“I’m just giving you my plan, but it’s not written in stone. Maybe it’s possible that I’m fighting Agit. He’s a great fighter and very astute.”
If Usyk ultimately chooses a different path after the Verhoeven fight, Kabayel could suddenly be elevated to full champion status.
This scenario would immediately put Moses Itauma in the conversation as the No. 3 starting defenseman. Itauma recently demolished Jermain Franklin in Manchester to cement his place as the future of the division.
Itauma is heavily shunned, but Kabayel is known to be ready to tackle any major challenges in this weight class.
If Usyk hadn’t been blocking the path, promoter Frank Warren would almost certainly have turned his attention to Kabayel defending his interim title against an emerging British heavyweight, potentially this summer in Germany.
Such a fight would push Itauma straight into a WBC title fight much sooner than expected. With Kabayel expected to inherit the WBC belt if a fight with Usyk slips away, Warren may still consider the fight a possibility in the coming months.
Leigh Dawney/Queensberry
Framed areas
Another name trying to get into the equation is Lawrence Okolie.
The former cruiserweight and bridge champion currently holds the WBC silver heavyweight title and has repeatedly called for a fight with Kabayel.
Earlier this year, Okolie posted a photo on social media of the German challenger sitting on a chicken and labeled him a “self-proclaimed boogeyman.”
Okolie will face Tony Yoka in Paris on April 25 in a scheduled defense of his silver title, but he still positions himself as a potential opponent should Kabayel’s situation change after the Egyptian fight.
For now, the championship order is clear. Kabayel is the mandatory challenger.
However, if Usyk decides not to pursue this path after the Verhoeven fight, the obstacle will disappear and Moses Itauma, aka Okolie, could suddenly find himself one fight away from the WBC heavyweight title.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
Hall of Famer Tim Bradley doesn’t expect Terence Crawford to fight again, and he believes the decision has less to do with motivation than with the physical toll of a long career.
Asked whether he thinks Crawford will return to the ring, Bradley gave a definitive answer, saying the former four-division world champion has likely fought his last bout.
“I think Bud’s done,” Bradley said to Boxing News. “I think injuries. It’s not that he don’t want to do it. It’s just the fact that probably he can’t do it because he has these undisclosed injuries that are constantly probably bothering him.”
Crawford, 38, has not fought since his September 2025 victory over Canelo Alvarez, a win that cemented his legacy as one of boxing’s all-time greats. While fans have continued to speculate about another comeback, Bradley believes Crawford has already accomplished everything he set out to achieve.
Bradley says financial security is another major reason a return appears unlikely.
“I feel like Bud has done enough, made enough money and invested his money very well to where he doesn’t need to come back and fight,” Bradley said. “Most of the time guys that come back they need money. Bud doesn’t need money.”
Bradley added that Crawford is enjoying life outside the ring, traveling with his family and pursuing other ventures rather than chasing one final payday.
“I think he’s happy and content with what he’s done in the sport. I don’t see him coming back,” Bradley said before calling Crawford “the king of this generation.”
Tim Compton is a boxing journalist and contributor to Boxing247.com who has covered the international fight landscape since 2019. He reports on major developments, champions, and rising prospects with a focus on accuracy, sourcing, and analytical clarity.
Hall of Fame trainer Buddy McGirt believes Diego Pacheco has only scratched the surface of his potential, saying the unbeaten super middleweight possesses “untouched talent” as he prepares for Saturday night’s fight against veteran Immanuwel Aleem on DAZN.
McGirt, who recently joined Pacheco’s team, said the 25-year-old reminds him of former two-division world champion Vernon Forrest because of how naturally certain skills come to him.
“Honestly, he has untouched talent,” McGirt said to the Boxing Mob. “He knows he’s good, but he doesn’t realize how good he is and could be.
“He does things sometimes that remind me of Vernon Forrest. When I say, ‘Okay, do that again,’ Vernon used to look at me like, ‘What the hell did I just do?’ He’s kind of the same way. I say, ‘Do that move again,’ and he’s like, ‘What did I just do?’ It’s just so natural. The key now is to sharpen it up and improve each fight.”
Pacheco (25-0, 18 KOs) will face Aleem at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, in what will be McGirt’s first fight working his corner. Although Aleem is viewed as a step below the elite contenders at 168 pounds, McGirt isn’t taking the assignment lightly.
“At this stage of the game, anybody’s a high risk,” McGirt said. “The key is just to prepare for any and everything and be ready for whatever he brings to the table.”
Saturday’s fight comes at an important point in Pacheco’s career. While he remained unbeaten with a decision over Kevin Lele Sadjo in his last outing, the performance drew criticism after he spent long stretches holding to neutralize Sadjo’s pressure. Instead of strengthening his standing among the division’s top contenders, the fight raised questions about whether he is ready for the elite names at super middleweight.
McGirt clearly believes those doubts overlook Pacheco’s natural ability. Now the challenge is turning that talent into the type of complete performance that restores confidence in his long-term championship potential.
A convincing win over Aleem would mark a strong start to the McGirt-Pacheco partnership. Another laborious performance would likely keep the spotlight on the questions that surfaced after the Sadjo fight.
Robert Segal is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24 with more than a decade of experience covering fight news, previews, and analysis. Known for his straightforward reporting and ringside perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of champions, contenders, and emerging talent worldwide.
Hall of Fame trainer Buddy McGirt believes Diego Pacheco has only scratched the surface of his potential, saying the unbeaten super middleweight possesses “untouched talent” as he prepares for Saturday night’s fight against veteran Immanuwel Aleem on DAZN.
McGirt, who recently joined Pacheco’s team, said the 25-year-old reminds him of former two-division world champion Vernon Forrest because of how naturally certain skills come to him.
“Honestly, he has untouched talent,” McGirt said to the Boxing Mob. “He knows he’s good, but he doesn’t realize how good he is and could be.
“He does things sometimes that remind me of Vernon Forrest. When I say, ‘Okay, do that again,’ Vernon used to look at me like, ‘What the hell did I just do?’ He’s kind of the same way. I say, ‘Do that move again,’ and he’s like, ‘What did I just do?’ It’s just so natural. The key now is to sharpen it up and improve each fight.”
Pacheco (25-0, 18 KOs) will face Aleem at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, in what will be McGirt’s first fight working his corner. Although Aleem is viewed as a step below the elite contenders at 168 pounds, McGirt isn’t taking the assignment lightly.
“At this stage of the game, anybody’s a high risk,” McGirt said. “The key is just to prepare for any and everything and be ready for whatever he brings to the table.”
Saturday’s fight comes at an important point in Pacheco’s career. While he remained unbeaten with a decision over Kevin Lele Sadjo in his last outing, the performance drew criticism after he spent long stretches holding to neutralize Sadjo’s pressure. Instead of strengthening his standing among the division’s top contenders, the fight raised questions about whether he is ready for the elite names at super middleweight.
McGirt clearly believes those doubts overlook Pacheco’s natural ability. Now the challenge is turning that talent into the type of complete performance that restores confidence in his long-term championship potential.
A convincing win over Aleem would mark a strong start to the McGirt-Pacheco partnership. Another laborious performance would likely keep the spotlight on the questions that surfaced after the Sadjo fight.
Robert Segal is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24 with more than a decade of experience covering fight news, previews, and analysis. Known for his straightforward reporting and ringside perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of champions, contenders, and emerging talent worldwide.
Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter
Related Boxing News:
Last Updated on 2026/07/13 at 8:06 PM
<!-- Exit Bee Code Snippet for boxingnews24.com <-- DO NOT MODIFY -->
