What Lies Ahead for the Heavyweight Division After Wardley's Victory?
The British boxer Fabio Wardley has propelled himself into the world title picture after a surprising late-round knockout win against former champion Joseph Parker at London's O2 Arena.
The remarkable win extended Wardley's unbeaten streak to 21 professional bouts—20 victories and one draw—with an notable 19 knockout wins.
Wardley also took Parker's WBO 'interim' title and is now positioned for a life-changing opportunity against unbeaten undisputed champion the Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Usyk.
But will Wardley get his shot 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 two-time undisputed heavyweight champion in the summer.
Just five days after that victory, the World Boxing Organization mandated the veteran fighter to start talks for a title defense against his mandatory opponent 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 did not plan to step back into the ring in 2025.
The governing body hasn't issued a new order for Usyk to face his mandatory opponent, but could do so soon following Wardley's win.
Wardley was vocal about wanting to face the champion next after his latest win.
"I have one thing to say - Usyk, Usyk," he stated after the fight.
Former cruiserweight champion Usyk may even choose to avoid Wardley.
If he does, the WBO could force him to vacate their belt and elevate Wardley to champion status.
If that situation unfolds then former IBF champion Dubois could become a possible contender for Wardley.
Which Bouts Are Confirmed?
With the champion still deciding his next fight, the heavyweight division has been on pause.
There are no world-level fights on the agenda in the final two months of 2025.
There is a UK heavyweight championship fight on 29 November when Frazer Clarke and Jeamie 'TKV' Tshikeva meet at the Vaillant Arena in Derby.
The fight was initially planned for October 25th before Tshikeva suffered an injury.
The rescheduled event will be broadcast on television and streaming platforms, marking the inaugural show in a fresh collaboration between BBC Sport and Boxxer.
When Is Anthony Joshua's Next Bout?
The boxing world is waiting for news on a bout schedule for former champion 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 May 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 California on 13 December or possibly to an show in the Middle East late 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 made clear his intention to fight in Africa, but it is unlikely he will feature on the anticipated Ghana event on 20 December.
His dream of fighting on the continent may have to be postponed until early next year.
When Could Itauma Fight Next?
Rising star Moses Itauma is the UK's promising heavyweight talent—but the 20-year-old is yet to finalise his next contest.
Itauma boosted his standing with a first-round stoppage of Dillian Whyte in late summer, extending his unbeaten record to 13 victories with 11 stoppage wins.
In the wake of that impressive victory, Itauma was connected to fights with Filip Hrgovic, Michael Hunter and domestic rival David Adeleye.
Team Itauma were considering a fight in December, with Derek Chisora suggesting he would share a card on a December date in Manchester.
But that schedule is uncertain for the fighter from Chatham, who is learning the hard way about boxing politics.
Titleholder Kubrat Pulev was mandated to defend his title against Itauma on October 14th, but the veteran has revealed intentions to fight Russian Murat Gassiev on 12 December.
The WBA order means both sides have 30 days to negotiate a deal.
Queensberry's Frank Warren, who promotes Itauma, told BBC Sport 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 fellow British heavyweight Whyte and American Jarrell Miller 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".
Is Fury Really Retired?
Predicting what happens next for Tyson Fury has always been challenging.
The two-time heavyweight champion declared his retirement in winter after losing against Usyk for a second time a month earlier.
Over the past nine months, Fury has hinted at returns then changed his mind.
Fury has expressed interest in fighting Joshua before stating he has achieved everything he wanted to 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 veteran attended Wardley's victory against friend and training partner Parker—and that could have sparked his interest.