Boxing
Burning boxing questions: What will the heavyweight division look like in 2026?
Published
7 months agoon
The top of boxing’s most significant weight class is apparently as open as it has been in a long time. While many former heavyweight stars such as Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua are still in the title picture, there are many emerging contenders waiting to take advantage of the opportunity to join the higher league.
What will it take for up-and-coming players like Fabio Wardley, Moses Itauma and Richard Torrez Jr. to take the next step?
Usyk currently holds three world heavyweight titles (WBC, WBA, IBF), and Wardley rose to the WBO title shot after Usyk relinquished the belt last year.
Will the remaining belts remain in the same hands? How many fights does Fury have left? Can Joshua and Wilder fight for the titles again?
We explore the future of boxing’s glamor division.
Which players will be winning world titles at the end of 2026?
It’s complicated, but Usyk will likely have at least one of his three titles by the end of the year. Usyk (24-0, 15 KO) may be stripped of one or two belts for overdue mandatory defenses. The latest speculation is that the WBC, WBA and IBF world champion will face 36-year-old Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in another bizarre crossover fight. If Usyk, 39, moves on, it could cost him one of his titles.
Agit Kabayel (27-0, 19 KO) is in good shape and, as the WBC interim champion, would have the status of full champion if the WBC authorities decide to strip Usyk. Kabayel, 33, may have to defeat former cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie next to retain his interim WBC belt. Murat Gassijew (33-2, 26 KO) from Russia stopped Kubrat Pulev in December in a fight for the regular WBA championship (secondary WBA title after the full world title). He could also advance to the world title if Uysk chooses a different opponent next. Moses Itauma (13-0, 11 KO), the 21-year-old rising star of the division, could get a shot at the WBA title later this year if he wins his next fight against Jermaine Franklin on March 28. Itauma would also love to beat fighters like Gassiew.
Usyk’s final goal for later this year may be a trilogy fight with Tyson Fury (34-2-1, 24 KO). If the Usyk vs. fight takes place Fury III, the winner will hold at least one, and possibly two, world titles.
How many more fights will Fury fight before he retires again?
This depends first on his return to fight Arslanbek Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KO) on April 11, and then on a victory over Usyk, Wardley or Joshua, probably in September in London. Two-time former champion Fury has not fought since his second consecutive points defeat to Usyk in December 2024. Losing to Usyk or Wardley in a title fight wouldn’t ruin his chances for a long-awaited, long-awaited fight against English rival Joshua, but it would cut his career tiny. Given Fury’s 37-year-old age, his previous retirement and his available options, he likely has at least three fights left before his next retirement.
Can Wilder and Joshua return to title contention?
Yes. Although both appear to be completely out of contention at the moment, their huge earning potential could see them challenge for the title in the second half of the year. However, in the case of Joshua (29-4, 26 KO), we must wait until the two-time former champion wants to continue his career after the death of two close friends and members of his team in a December car accident that occurred shortly after his sixth-round KO of Jake Paul.
Joshua’s last fight before Paul was in September 2024, when he lost by fifth-round KO to Daniel Dubois. It usually takes a few fights to get back into title contention, but due to the revenue generated, Joshua may get a title shot in his next fight. If Fury wins the WBO belt with the winner of Wardley vs. Dubois (which could happen in April or May), expect to see Joshua in a title fight later this year.
Former WBC champion Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KO) lacks momentum and form, but his name still matters. Wilder’s team hopes that a successful return to fight Derek Chisora on April 4 will secure a title fight for the second half of the year. Even though the 40-year-old looked like a faded team after four defeats in his last six appearances, if he beats Chisora, he could win the title against Usyk.
What is Usyk’s best fight in 2026?
There are bigger threats in the heavyweight division than Wilder, like Itauma. But if Wilder beats Chisora, he will still attract interest. A meeting with Kabayel in his native Germany would be a gigantic deal, but fighting Wilder in the US or Fury in the UK are the biggest fights available to Usyk. Usyk is unlikely to fight Joshua, who trained with his team last year.
Which youthful heavyweight will make the most noise in 2026?
Itauma may not end the year with a belt, but he will be one step away from a title shot if he can rack up more KO wins this year. If Usyk is stripped of his WBA belt, Itauma could end the year as one of boxing’s youngest champions. Mike Tyson (20 years and four months) and Floyd Patterson (21 years and 10 months) are the two youngest heavyweight champions, and Itauma turns 22 in December. The English boxer is the most stimulating heavyweight in the sport right now and if he continues his knockout form, his fan base will grow. One of the potential fights for Itauma later this year will be the winner of Wardley vs. Dubois.
What will the heavyweight top ten look like at the end of 2026?
Expect Usyk to be No. 1 with a win over Fury, Kabayel or Wilder. Fury, after a tiny break in the fight for victory with several victories over Makhmudov and perhaps the winner of the Wardley vs. Dubois and a three-time world champion will return to the chase group, followed by Kabayel, Itauma, Wardley, Dubois, Filip Hrgovic, Richard Torrez Jr., Okolie, Bakhodir Jalolov and Joshua. Joshua could end a complex year higher on the list if he wins a major fight in 2026. Wardley, who has scored impressive victories, is an influential figure in all of this. If he beats Dubois and then Fury, does that make a potential Fury vs. Joshua fight even less likely? This would put Wardley in second place behind Usyk.
Who can take a gigantic step up 10?
If two-time Olympic gold medalist Jalalov (16-0, 14 KO) is able to compete, he will have a skill set that will make him a top fighter in the next five years. Last year he fought two modest fights in Kazakhstan and Russia.
Another fighter worth paying attention to is Torrez (14-0, 12 KO). The Californian, who won a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, could take a huge step forward in his career if he defeats Frank Sanchez in his next fight in an IBF title eliminator.
Richard Riakporhe (19-1, 15 KO) also looks gigantic, powerful and hazardous since moving up from cruiserweight. The 36-year-old Londoner recorded two fast-break victories last year and is already in the WBC rankings. Efe Ajagba (20-1-1, 14 KO), who will face former champion Charles Martin on February 14 at Zuffa Boxing 03, has a gigantic stage to shine this year if he can achieve it, but the 2016 Olympian must do better than he was tied on points with Martin Bakole last May.
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Boxing
Joshua vs Fury Confirmed for December 11 in Cardiff on Netflix
Published
2 hours agoon
September 24, 2026
Principality Stadium secures the British heavyweight fight, with a London press conference next week and the undercard to follow.
Anthony Joshua (30-4, 27 KOs) and Tyson Fury (36-2-1, 25 KOs) will fight at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Friday, December 11. Netflix will broadcast the full event exclusively after organizers secured a British venue for the heavyweights’ first professional meeting.
Turki Alalshikh announced the fight, and Joshua and Fury are scheduled to attend a London press conference next week. The supporting card will be announced later; no undercard opponents were named in the supplied announcement.
The December date replaces the November plan discussed earlier in negotiations. Wembley had been Joshua’s preferred destination, but Cardiff secured the event following talks over whether the fight would remain in Britain or move to the United States.
Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn insisted on a UK venue. His contract included that requirement, and their position held despite discussions involving New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Dana White said: “For more than a decade, boxing fans have been clamoring for the heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Together, they bring 66 wins, 52 knockouts and multiple heavyweight world titles into the ring. On December 11, two of the biggest heavyweights of this generation finally collide and the winner will take a significant place in heavyweight history.”
Netflix to broadcast the full Cardiff card
Netflix’s preference for an evening American broadcast drove the push to stage the fight across the Atlantic. Madison Square Garden emerged as the leading US option before negotiations returned to Britain.
Cardiff keeps the contest on British soil, with a late opening bell expected to accommodate viewers in the United States.
The main event is expected around 1 a.m. UK timealthough the exact time has not been confirmed. If that schedule holds. A 1 a.m. GMT start would put the main event at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, December 11 for viewers on America’s east coast.
The fight is expected to take place beneath Principality Stadium’s retractable roof.
London press conference scheduled for next week
Alalshikh welcomed the agreement after months of negotiations over the event.
“Two of the best heavyweights of this generation, finally in the ring together. This will be one of the biggest fights in boxing history, I am very happy to make this fight happen for the fans,” he said.
Joshua and Fury previously signed a two-fight agreement in 2021. That booking collapsed after an arbitration ruling required Fury to face Deontay Wilder again.
Their December meeting now has a confirmed date, venue and broadcaster. Next week’s press conference will bring both fighters to London, with the remaining card and precise event timetable still to follow.

About the author
Boxing 24/7 Wire
Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.
Boxing
Manny Pacquiao and Shakur Stevenson Discuss Potential Fight in Cardiff
Published
7 hours agoon
September 24, 2026
Manny Pacquiao against Shakur Stevenson remains under discussion for the proposed Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury card in Cardiff. It would give the event a second major fight, but neither Pacquiao nor Stevenson has received a bout agreement.
BoxingScene’s Lance Pugmire reports that two people connected to the talks say Netflix wants the matchup as part of a “double main event.” December 11 is the date under consideration at Principality Stadium, with December 18 also possible. Pacquiao adviser Jas Mathur told BoxingScene that Pacquiao’s financial terms are still being negotiated.
That leaves a great deal to settle before anyone can call this a fight. The Cardiff show itself has yet to be formally announced, and moving Joshua-Fury from the previously discussed Madison Square Garden setting means assembling the rest of the card around a different venue and date.
Pacquiao-Stevenson would bring two very different attractions to that card. Stevenson, 29, is coming off his January win over Teofimo Lopez and has since signed with Zuffa Boxing. Pacquiao, 47, drew with Mario Barrios in his July 2025 return. His name would draw attention far beyond the usual boxing audience, though the long layoff and age difference would become part of the conversation as soon as the fight was announced.
The proposed pairing also raises a practical question: what weight would they fight at? Pacquiao’s return came at welterweight, while Stevenson’s recent work has been at lighter weights. No weight, number of rounds, or title terms have been announced.
For now, the news is that Pacquiao-Stevenson has survived the reported switch to Cardiff and remains in Netflix’s plans, according to BoxingScene. The decisive development would be agreements reaching both fighters. Until then, it belongs on the list of fights being negotiated, rather than the Joshua-Fury undercard.
Pacquiao turns 48 on December 17. If the fight lands on December 18, Shakur would face him one day after his birthday. Pacquiao won his first world title in 1998, before Shakur turned two.
That age difference makes the matchup a hard sell as a competitive fight. If Shakur wins easily, how much credit does he get for beating a man nearly two decades older? If he boxes his way to a quiet decision, Pacquiao’s name may bring viewers to Netflix, but the fight may give them little reason to watch Shakur again.
Pacquiao’s fame can make this a major event. Turning it into a fight that helps Shakur is another matter. First, both men need to agree to terms; neither has received a bout agreement.
About the author
Boxing News 24 Desk
BoxingNews24.com has delivered independent boxing coverage since 2007, including original news, fight analysis, schedules, and results. Our experienced boxing writers cover major fighters and events worldwide, with published content reviewed by editors for accuracy.
Boxing
Teofimo Lopez Set to Defend World Title on Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua Undercard – Boxing News
Published
12 hours agoon
September 23, 2026
Teofimo Lopez has been offered a slot on the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua card, which is set to take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 11.
‘The Takeover’ comes off a majority decision victory over Rolando Romero, who he dethroned last month after surviving a genuine scare in round five.
In reality, though, it was a far more convincing win than the scorecards suggested and, despite suffering a one-sided defeat to Shakur Stevenson in January, Lopez proved that he remains a highly-skilled operator at world level.
But while he has expressed an interest in unification matches at 147lbs, particularly one against WBC champion Ryan Garcia, the 29-year-old must first make a mandatory defence and retain his WBA title.
He has, in other words, been ordered to face Jack Catterallwho claimed his WBA ‘Regular’ title by producing arguably a career-best performance to unanimously outpoint Shakhram Giyasov in May.
Lopez, meanwhile, had attempted to swerve his mandatory duty and, according to boxing journalist Dan Rafaelis considering vacating his welterweight belt in pursuit of more lucrative opportunities.
If he is to proceed with the Catterall fight, however, then the three-division world champion could end up featuring on the expected Fury-Joshua card later this year.
Equally, Catterall has taken to social media and acknowledged that, as the champion, Lopez can choose to defend his title on home soil.
“Hey mate [Lopez]you fancy scrapping on the [Fury-Joshua] card? If not don’t worry, I’ll come to America and get my belt. Either way I’ll see you soon champ.”
Hey mate @TeofimoLopez you fancy scrapping on the fury aj card ? If not don’t worry I’ll come to America and get my belt. Either way I’ll see you soon champ 🤝 https://t.co/l6tDpimzE9
— Jack Catterall (@jack_catt93) September 22, 2026
According to WBA president Gilberto Mendoza, both parties have until October 22 to reach an agreement or risk a purse bid hearing being called.
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