Boxing’s world title picture is always a complex business, with belts galore in every single division - including heavyweight.
The sport’s marquee weight class has never been better in terms of big fights being made, but how do they impact who sits on the throne?
Nobody would doubt that the great Oleksandr Usyk (24-0) is the best heavyweight on the planet right now, but hanging onto all the titles is much harder than winning them.
Time to delve into who currently reigns as a heavyweight world champion, and what comes next for the rest of this year and into 2026.
Who are the current world heavyweight champions?
Boxing has four main sanctioning bodies, each of which gives out a world title. Then we have the highly credible Ring magazine title, and then the mythical moniker of ‘lineal champion’ (the man who beat the man). Here is how it all shakes out right now:
World Boxing Council (WBC)
Usyk is the champion right now, having defended the title twice since dethroning Tyson Fury (34-2-1) in their epic first meeting in Riyadh in May 2024. The current interim champion, and mandatory challenger, is unbeaten German star Agit Kabayel (26-0). He may have to wait a while for his title shot as the mandatories go in a cycle. The belt though will be on offer the next time Usyk fights, whoever he decides to match up with.
World Boxing Association (WBA)
Again, Usyk is the champion here, having reigned supreme since taking the title from Anthony Joshua in their first meeting in London back in September 2021. The WBA also has a ‘regular champion’ (one step down from Usyk, confusing we know) and that is Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev. He could be forced to fight mandatory challenger Moses Itauma next.
International Boxing Federation (IBF)
Again Usyk holds this title, having taken it from Joshua in September 2021 and defended it successfully five times since. As it stands, it will be a while before he is forced into a mandatory defence with other belts up first in the cycle. It will though be up for grabs the next time Usyk fights.
World Boxing Organization (WBO)
Britain’s Fabio Wardley, a former white-collar fighter with no amateur experience, is now a world heavyweight champion after picking up the title vacated by Usyk recently. It’s an absolute fairytale rise for the 30-year-old Wardley (20-0-1), who has a granite chin, a massive right hand and a ton of heart. As of now, the aforementioned Itauma is next in line in the rankings.
Ring Magazine
The Ring title is arguably the most credible belt of all, and Usyk once again holds it. It will be up for grabs in his next fight.
Lineal champion
Usyk is the man here, having beaten the previous lineal champion Tyson Fury in their first meeting in May 2024. He will only lose that title either if somebody beats him, or he retires.
What next for Fury and Joshua?
A couple of years ago Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua held all of the world heavyweight titles between them - now they hold none.
Joshua is currently preparing to face Youtuber Jake Paul in an eight-round showdown on Netflix next month, a fight which will have zero world title implications.
After that, AJ is expected to fight in Riyadh in February followed by a blockbuster in London in September.
It is hoped that the September showdown will be the eagerly-awaited all-British megafight with Fury, but for now ‘The Gypsy King’ is happily retired.
Saudi power broker Turki Alalshikh has vowed to make Fury vs Joshua in 2026 and we know AJ is already bought in. Now he just has to persuade Fury.
Who will Usyk fight next?
Good question, and there is no easy answer.
When Usyk vacated the WBO title, it suggested that he has bigger fish to fry than a mandatory defence vs Wardley. And he has earned the right to call the shots.
At one time Usyk was being linked with a Jake Paul fight, but we appear to have dodged that bullet for now.
Trilogy fights vs Joshua or Fury would be big in theory, but he has already defeated both men twice. So our interest is limited in seeing either one again.
The fight that might have the biggest upside for Usyk, and potentially the biggest risk, is a meeting with British prodigy Itauma (13-0). A devastating young talent seen as the future of the heavyweight division.
It’s a fight which Turki Alalshikh says he’d love to see, which should be a big enough hint. And it might be the only fight out there which could elevate Usyk’s reputation further.
