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A 91% KO in the heavyweight division becomes a problem that no one wants in the title picture

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7 days ago

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Nelson Hysa training with ropes, roaring during an intense heavyweight workout

A 91% knockout heavyweight fighter forces his way into the title picture and becomes a problem that few champions will be willing to solve.

Nelson Hysa continues to move forward without the defining test that usually confirms a candidate. He has the momentum, activity and knockout rate to attract attention whether the division likes it or not.

With a 24-0 record and 22 stoppages, the Albanian built the pressure through consistency rather than one standout victory. It’s not a time-honored path to competition, but it becomes harder to ignore with each fight.

He knocked out 20 opponents in three rounds.

Stripes with no answers

Hysa won two world title belts, tearing through the division without a real test.

After winning the WBO Global and WBA Gold belts, it became a problem that one of the champions will have to face in the near future.

These titles don’t make him world champion, but they keep him close enough to make him inevitable – especially in a division where the rankings and paths are already in doubt.

In the current heavyweight structure, challengers float around without direction, creating space for fighters like Hysa to gain relevance purely through activity.

Blocked paths, moving targets

It is unclear whether such a chance will arise for Oleksandr Usyk, Murat Gassijew, Fabio Wardley or Daniel Dubois as the reserve requirement situation remains stagnant.

Usyk is tied for a crossover fight while Wardley and Dubois go their separate ways in the same two weeks, leaving the bigger picture as crowded as it is unclear.

It is this uncertainty that allows Hysa to continue its uncontrolled progress. Heavyweights who consistently win and knock out their opponents become inevitable, regardless of how they got there.

As his position in the WBA rankings has already shown, a secondary title route may offer the most realistic path forward, rather than waiting for a direct shot at the main belt.

Now, working with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, Hysa finds himself closer to opportunities that could turn the momentum into a real title push.

Sparring with Tyson Fury only reinforced the feeling that Hysa was getting closer. His time in the ring with the division’s elite gives him a clearer picture of where he stands and how ready he can be when the opportunity arises.

Queensberry Promotions

Problems waiting for the test

For now, Hysa needs to stay patient, stay busy and keep the momentum going. This has been the pattern so far: building activity and knockouts while waiting for the door to open.

Soon the situation forces a correction.

Someone will have to say yes.

At some point, the race will require a true test against an established challenger, and unanswered questions will need to be resolved in the ring.

Until then, the risks remain clear. A 91 percent heavyweight knockout rate hovering just outside the elite level is not a voluntary choice for any champion.

The division will soon learn whether the “Albanian Eagle” is true – or just another heavyweight myth with a sledgehammer.

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.

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Boxing

Deontay Wilder may miss the fight he wants next due to a change in heavyweight plans

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2 hours ago

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April 23, 2026

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Deontay Wilder set to miss out on the fight he wants next as heavyweight plans shift

Deontay Wilder is unlikely to secure his preferred fight after taking a split decision to fellow veteran Derek Chisora ​​earlier this month.

The two faced off in a messy battle at London’s O2 Arena, with Wilder scoring two knockdowns en route to his 12-round victory.

The 40-year-old had previously recorded just one victory, a seventh-round finish over little-known heavyweight Tyrrell Herndon, following consecutive defeats to Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker.

These two flaws emerged in 2024 and 2023, respectively, and reinforced the growing belief that the “Bronze Bomber” was on the brink of retirement.

However, Wilder has since insisted he wants to stay in the sport, particularly to secure a long-discussed clash with Anthony Joshua, who recently told the Briton to “sit down or shut up”.

The pair have been on a collision course for a century since they held all four major heavyweight titles between them.

While both fighters would likely like to fight without a title later this year, Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn expressed a slightly different desire.

I’m talking to talkSPORTJoshua’s longtime promoter has mentioned a potential appearance this summer ahead of what he hopes will be a November fight with Tyson Fury.

“If we were promoting this event [this summer]that’s exactly what I would do [making the Wilder fight].

“But this is the deal that we made with Fury against AJ as the pinnacle of that deal. There will be a lot of people who won’t want to take a fight that they think will be risky and bet on it. [the Fury fight in] danger.

“The reality is this [that] all fights are risky, especially in this division. We have no problem with fighting Wilder. [But] I don’t think it’s Wilder [on] basis of this agreement.”

This deal includes two fights with Turki Alalshikh, which will allow Joshua to enter the ring before his fight with Fury in overdue 2026.

Such an agreement would mean he would fight for the first time since then in December in the sixth round against Jake Paulwhich was preceded by a tragic car accident that killed two of his close friends.

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Boxing

Osleys Churches Respond to Charles Adames Combat Claims

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4 hours ago

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April 23, 2026

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Image: Osleys Iglesias fires back after Carlos Adames says “I’m ready”

Carlos Adames said he can beat anyone at middleweight and super middleweight, but the statement was met with immediate backlash from newly crowned IBF super middleweight champion Osleys Iglesias. After Adames announced he was ready to fight, the undefeated Cuban responded on social media, calling for the fight to go ahead.

The exchange began when Carlos Adames stated that no one at 160 or 168 pounds could beat him. The fan quickly challenged him to fight Iglesias, one of the most hazardous names in the super middleweight division.


“Who are you? What I do in the ring confirms what I say here. Whenever you want, I’m ready to prove it to you,” Adames said in X.

That was met with a direct response from Iglesias (15-0, 14 KO), who is coming off an eighth-round victory over Pavel Silyagin and gained traction at 168 pounds after winning the IBF title.

“Enough talking. Let’s get on the same page and take the fight to the next level. I’m waiting for your call. My team is ready. I’m waiting for you,” said Osleys Iglesias.

Adames holds the middleweight title while Iglesias is one division above, so any fight would require one side to advance. This alone makes it more sedate than a routine online argument.

This exchange with Iglesias bears all the hallmarks of a potential bluff by Adames. Iglesias is now viewed by many as the 168-pound boss who stopped Pavel Silyagin in the eighth round just two weeks ago.

He’s a powerful southpaw with a 93% knockout rate, which isn’t usually the type of guy a champion fights unless he’s 100% sedate or looking for a huge payday.

Fans will soon find out if this was Adames’ social media stunt if he starts demanding a catchweight fight with Iglesias or tells him to drop down to 160 pounds. If he tells IBF 168-pound champion Iglesias to back off, he will simply be looking for a way out. It will be a foregone conclusion if he stays on X and does not lead to official negotiations between Adames’ promoters at PBC and Iglesias’ team.

The southpaw Iglesias is essentially a airy heavyweight who can reach 168 pounds and would also have significant height and an advantage over Adames. If Adames is sedate, he’s taking one of the toughest routes possible to make a super middleweight debut.

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Last updated: 23/04/2026 at 10:29

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Boxing

Ryan Garcia Says He Only Wants to Fight One Man Next: ‘I Don’t Want Anyone Else’

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6 hours ago

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April 23, 2026

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Ryan Garcia says he only wants to face one man next: “I don’t want anybody else”

Ryan Garcia has been linked with a number of opponents for his next appearance, but he insists he is only targeting one fighter.

After many years as one of the biggest names in the sport, Garcia finally became world champion in February posted a dominant unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where he won the WBC welterweight title.

Since that victory, rumors have circulated that “King Ry” would return against several different opponents, including WBO champion Devin Haney, WBA champion Rolly Romero and two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez.

For one reason or another, all of these fights fell through, and in recent weeks a recent favorite has emerged to fight Garcia, after British star Conor Benn defeated Regis Prograis at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this month.

Following the victory, Benn immediately called out “King Ry” for a world title match, and Garcia was quick to respond as a war of words began between the two fighters.

In the recent movie captured by Fight Hub TVGarcia has now ruled out fighting anyone else and says Benn is the only person he wants to face.

“I can’t wait, man. It’ll be August. [I don’t want] Nobody [else]. I just want Conor.”

Benn is ranked No. 1 in the WBC welterweight rankings, so a clash with “King Ry” seemed like a formality, although Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, revealed a potential obstacle to that fight.

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