🔗 Share this article The Future for the Heavyweight Boxing Scene After Wardley's Victory? The British boxer Fabio Wardley has catapulted himself into the world title picture after a surprising 11th-round stoppage win against former champion Joseph Parker at London's O2 Arena. This impressive victory extended Wardley's undefeated record to 21 professional bouts—20 wins and a draw—with an notable 19 knockout wins. Wardley also captured Parker's WBO 'interim' title and is now positioned for a life-changing opportunity against unbeaten undisputed champion the Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Usyk. But is Wardley likely to face at the reigning two-division champion? What other fights are happening? And what other bouts might be possible? Will Usyk Fight Wardley? The champion impressed again when stopping Daniel Dubois to become a repeat undisputed heavyweight titleholder in the summer. Just five days after that victory, the World Boxing Organization mandated the veteran fighter to begin negotiations for a defense against mandatory challenger Parker. But the Ukrainian sustained a back injury and was given additional time to negotiate with Parker's camp. The champion stated recently he planned to continue boxing for two more years but had no intention of fighting next year. The WBO has not made a fresh call for Usyk to negotiate with his mandatory challenger, but could do so soon following Wardley's win. Wardley made no secret of his desire to fight the titleholder next after his latest win. "I have one thing to say - Usyk, Usyk," he said in his post-fight interview. Former cruiserweight champion Usyk may even choose to avoid Wardley. If he does, the WBO could force him to vacate their belt and upgrade Wardley to champion. If that situation unfolds then ex-IBF titleholder Dubois could become a possible contender for Wardley. What Fights Do We Know Are Happening? With the champion still deciding his next fight, the heavyweight scene has stalled. There are no world-level fights on the agenda in the final two months of 2025. There is a British heavyweight title contest on November 29th when Frazer Clarke and Jeamie 'TKV' Tshikeva meet at the Vaillant Arena in Derby. The bout was originally scheduled for October 25th before Tshikeva suffered an injury. The rescheduled event will be broadcast on television and streaming platforms, marking the first event in a new partnership between the broadcaster and promotion company. When Will Joshua Fight Next? The boxing world is waiting for news on a fight date for two-time heavyweight champion British star Anthony Joshua. Joshua has been absent since his brutal fifth-round loss at the hands of fellow Briton Dubois in September 2024. The veteran underwent elbow surgery in spring and there have been murmurs about a possible date in December. Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said it's "50-50 he will return for a warm-up fight this year", but also hinted Joshua could be added to a card in the West Coast in December or possibly to an event in Saudi Arabia on 27 December. "It might not even be something we announce weeks and weeks before because that defeats the object," the promoter stated to media. "He is in the gym and he is staying ready so we could say 'you're out in two weeks in an eight-rounder'." Joshua has expressed desire to compete in Africa, but it is doubtful he'll appear on Matchroom's expected card in Ghana on 20 December. His aspiration to box in Africa may have to wait until February. What's Next for Moses Itauma? Young prospect Moses Itauma is Britain's next great heavyweight hope—but the young fighter hasn't confirmed his next bout. Itauma further enhanced his reputation with a first-round stoppage of Dillian Whyte in late summer, extending his unbeaten record to 13 victories with 11 knockouts. In the wake of that impressive victory, Itauma was linked with bouts against several top contenders. His team explored a December bout, with veteran Chisora indicating they might appear together on a December date in Manchester. But that schedule is uncertain for the fighter from Chatham, who is discovering the complexities of boxing negotiations. Titleholder Kubrat Pulev was mandated to defend his title against Itauma on October 14th, but the 44 year-old has announced plans to fight opponent Murat Gassiev on December 12th. The WBA order means both sides have 30 days to negotiate a deal. Queensberry's Frank Warren, who promotes Itauma, told media outlets that "Pulev has to fight Moses next with London and Manchester possible host cities". Itauma has also been mentioned as a possible challenger for the unified champion, but the Ukrainian downplayed those rumours earlier this month. As for Chisora, he was present at the O2 Arena alongside other heavyweight contenders before the main event. Speaking about potential fights and asked if we could see Chisora and Whyte meet for a third time, Chisora said "yes, if the contract is right", before adding that it will "100% happen in December". Has Tyson Fury Actually Retired? Forecasting Tyson Fury's future has never been easy. The two-time heavyweight champion declared his retirement in January after suffering a second defeat to Usyk a few weeks prior. Over the past nine months, Fury has teased comebacks and then subsequently backtracked. Fury has expressed interest in fighting Joshua before claiming he's accomplished all his goals and is happy to stay on the other side of the ropes. During a recent interview on FurociTV, Fury said there was "no actual reason for me to go back in the boxing ring". But the 37-year-old was ringside to watch Wardley's win against associate and sparring partner Parker—and that might have whet his appetite.