At age 41, most heavyweights are chasing that last paycheck. However, Albanian brute Nelson Hysa is chasing the title.
The heavyweight fighter has a record of 24-0 with 22 knockouts – a KO rate of 91%, which is not normal at any age, let alone later in his career. He also ranks fourth in the WBA rankings as of January 2026.
This puts him at arm’s length and makes him impossible to ignore, even if he’s not a headline-grabbing name.
The problem is, at 41 years venerable, he doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for the division to normalize.
Rankings don’t make you elite; they just give you a seat at the table.
Built on activity, not hype
Hysa didn’t jump the ladder thanks to one lucky victory. He rose to the top by staying dynamic and knocking people out.
He has stopped his last 18 opponents. Twenty of his victories came against fighters who entered the competition with winning records. A few were undefeated.
This is not a resume based on opponents brought in simply to break the record. But what’s missing is clear: there’s no top-flight player in history yet.
Some will question number four in the ranking with the World Boxing Association, but Hysa doesn’t have time to slowly win over doubters.
Two realistic paths
Hysa is the WBO world champion. Despite the name, it is a regional belt. Thanks to this, he will have an appropriate position in the rankings of this organization, but it does not guarantee anything.
If he stays on this route, the only solemn game will be the eliminator. Oleksandr Usyk is unlikely to volunteer him. An arranged fight would be a clear path forward if the opportunity presented itself.
The most realistic option is for the WBA. Usyk is the super champion and Murat Gassiew is the WBA “World” title holder. If Hysa gets a chance soon, that second belt would be a more reasonable target.
Whether this will materialize is another matter. Heavyweight fighters with high knockout rates are rarely the easiest to accept.
@nelsonhysa
Time is the real adversary
Hysa, 41, doesn’t have two years to wait for politics to unravel.
He did everything he could at his level: stay dynamic, collect belts and constantly stop his opponents. The next fight must answer the only question left – can he defeat the established heavyweight number ten?
Sparring with Tyson Fury strengthens his position, and the Albanian Eagle is waiting for the right moment.
“21 rounds with the king. 15 full rounds of sparring with Tyson Fury – a champion in and out of the ring,” Hysa said of their sessions at the end of 2025.
“Today was work, today was a test, because when you stand in front of the best, you find out exactly how ready you are for the throne.
“I promise to all Albanians: we are on the right track to the world title. Work, heart, dedication. The Albanian Eagle does not end.”
If given the chance, his power will make him a living threat to everyone. If he doesn’t, there’s a risk that this story will become a ranking story rather than a title story.
He’s in position, but the fight has to come soon.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN), boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
Britain has produced some great heavyweights in recent years, ending an almost century-long curse and seeing success in the division ever since. Predicting the outcome of the clash between two of the best fighters in the country, Lennox Lewis and Tyson Fury, Roy Jones Jr said it would be a “great fight”.
Bob Fitzsimmons became the first British world heavyweight champion in 1897, and he and Jones remain the only two fighters in boxing history to have won both middleweight and heavyweight world titles.
However, Great Britain struggled for success in the division after the Fitzsimmons fight, unable to claim heavyweight supremacy until Lennox Lewis became WBC world champion in 1992. Britain has since crowned its title 11th world heavyweight championFabio Wardley, who follows in the footsteps of Fury and Anthony Joshua.
In an interview with Grosvenor CasinoJones said he would give Lewis an advantage over the “Gypsy King” if they met in their prime.
“Tyson Fury vs. Lennox Lewis? That would be a great fight, but my first thought was Lennox Lewis because of his power. But my second thought was also that Tyson Fury was great at making adjustments. I would go with Lennox Lewis.”
At least one heavyweight world title is expected to remain in a Briton’s hands for some time, with Daniel Dubois scheduled to face another Briton, Fabio Wardley, for the WBO belt next month.
In the meantime, we hope 21-year-old Moses Itauma can continue Britain’s success for many years to come, with the youngster considered by many to be the hottest prospect in boxing.
As for Fury, he is focused on the UK-wide megafight with Joshua – their own ‘Battle of Britain’ after Lennox fought Frank Bruno in 1993.
“Derrick James, he started getting a little more players and a little more buzz, and I feel like our communication has changed,” Charlo told Brian Custer.
Charlo said that as James built a larger stable, there was less hands-on time spent with him and more trying to control the gym environment. He claimed that James wanted things done his way, including telling players to remove dogs from the gym during training sessions and changing the atmosphere that helped build their success.
Charlo has been out of the ring since his loss to Saul Alvarez in 2023, and James recently split from Errol Spence Jr. A coach once considered one of the safest hands in the sport is suddenly facing public criticism from two of his biggest names.
“He wanted it his way,” Charlo said. “Coach needs us. Don’t overdo it, coach. Serene down, coach. I was your first champion.”
He also pointed to his camp leading up to the Alvarez fight, saying the support around him wasn’t the same when he needed it most.
“You don’t enter into a world title fight like that,” Charlo said.
Charlo still believes he can regain his spot in the junior middleweight division, and talks about a possible fight with Sebastian Fundora are ongoing later this year. His confidence hasn’t changed, but his patience with ancient alliances has noticeably changed. Sometimes a rift begins when success changes the room.
However, ‘AJ’ instead maintained that he would prefer a warm-up fight first, with the Londoner expected to return to action in July, ahead of a long-awaited meeting with his arch-rival in November.
I’m talking to talkSPORT BoxingHamed was looking forward to this match and suggested that a draw could be on the cards.
“Who do I think will win the fight between AJ and Fury? Well, that is the question and everyone wants to know.
“Years ago, Tyson had this awkward style for me where he could make AJ look stupid, that’s true. Now everything has changed. Tyson seemed to have backed off a little bit.
“But with Tyson Fury you never know, maybe one night he’ll show up and box amazingly and do what he did to Wilder. Those first few rounds [against Makhmudov]I was a little disappointed that he didn’t go from the start.
“This is going to sound crazy to you, but would it be unbelievable if I said it could be a draw?”
It is unclear whether Fury will also fight in the summer or whether he will avoid risking a lucrative romance with Joshua and wait patiently on the sidelines.
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