For the last five years, everyone essentially played second fiddle to Oleksandr Usyk. Undoubtedly, the Ukrainian is an absolute genius. He cleaned out the division and made the biggest names look completely ordinary. However, Usyk just handed back the WBA, IBF, and WBC belts. Consequently, the undisputed king walked away from his throne. As a result, this move blew the entire heavyweight landscape wide open.
Furthermore, this isn’t just a minor tweak to the rankings. Instead, it creates a total power vacuum. Right now, the UK holds every single ace in the pack. Just look at the numbers. Seven British fighters currently sit in the top ten across the four major sanctioning bodies. Seven! In fact, we haven’t seen this one nation dominance since the 90s American golden era. Therefore, let’s break down this madness. We definitely need to look at who brings real quality and who simply makes up the numbers.
Daniel Dubois
Right now, Daniel Dubois wears the massive target on his back. Crucially, he holds the WBO strap. The Londoner earned every bit of that world title. For instance, he absolutely demolished Fabio Wardley back in May. That knockout wasn’t just a title defense. Rather, it delivered a massive statement. Wardley remains a seriously dangerous operator at number four regardless. Ultimately, that fight proves domestic British clashes currently operate at a world championship level. Because of this, Dubois isn’t some “future prospect” anymore. The man is the top dog. Now, the rest of the world must hunt him down.
Fury and Joshua
Meanwhile, you cannot discuss British heavyweights without mentioning the two massive egos. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua practically built the modern stadium era. Even now, the old guard still lurk in the weeds. Make no mistake, they remain incredibly dangerous. Specifically, Fury sits at number one with the WBC. Similarly, Joshua rests firmly inside the WBA’s top five. Both men still possess the experience, power, and massive box office pull. In reality, either could walk straight into a vacant title fight tomorrow and win. Therefore, any young fighter thinking they can just cruise into this new era is completely daft. First, you must climb over these two legends to earn real respect.
Moses Itauma
Obviously, Dubois represents the present. Conversely, Moses Itauma represents the terrifying future. This lad moves at an absolute breakneck pace. Historically, we rarely see this speed in the heavyweight division. Soon, he faces a massive test against Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic on August 29th. Already, the governing bodies struggle to keep up. For example, the IBF just ordered him to fight Cuba’s Frank Sanchez for their vacant title. Itauma grabbing a world title at this stage is genuinely frightening. If successful, he could easily dominate the entire sport for the next decade.
The Promoters
Moreover, this sudden British invasion involves zero luck. Actually, a cold blooded master plan caused it. Frank Warren and Queensberry completely run the show right now. Impressively, they promote five of the seven ranked British heavyweights. Warren called his shots years ago. Back in 2016, the promoter told TV networks about his grand plan. Specifically, he promised to build a massive heavyweight stable. Later, Queensberry gambled on an out of shape Tyson Fury when everyone else wrote him off. Eventually, Warren built an entire empire around the Gypsy King.
Today, their depth is totally unreal. For instance, they signed international champions like Germany’s Agit Kabayel. Because of this, Warren can just feed him to British challengers whenever he fancies. Meanwhile, the WBA will likely upgrade Russia’s Murat Gassiev to full champion. Naturally, this puts Gassiev right in the firing line for Itauma, Fury, or Joshua. Additionally, other promoters also hold good cards. Richard Riakporhe continues climbing high. Also, Lawrence Okolie sits at number two with the WBC. The cruiserweight veteran just needs to sort out his recent drug testing drama first.
The Verdict
Ultimately, what does this mean for the fans? Simply put, we stand on the edge of an absolute golden age. Therefore, get ready for brutal, all British mega fights. Top contenders and vacant belts all live on the exact same shores now. Because of this, the massive headache of making these fights happen just vanished. Thankfully, we skip the miserable, cross border promotional bickering entirely.
Instead, a phenomenal pipeline of fights awaits us. Just imagine Wembley Stadium hosting an undisputed unification between Dubois and Itauma. Alternatively, picture the ultimate legacy showdown between Fury and Joshua. Finally, we could see them fight with proper world titles on the line. Usyk stepping aside certainly didn’t kill the division. Rather, the Ukrainian ignited a massive British civil war. Without a doubt, it will be absolutely brilliant to watch.
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