What Next For Heavyweight Division After Wardley Win?

Fabio Wardley put himself into contention for a world heavyweight title bout pursuing a knockout triumph complete Justis Huni astatine Ipswich's Portman Road.

The triumph puts Wardley successful position to telephone retired nan victor of nan bout betwixt Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois, who are group to title each 4 world titles adjacent period astatine Wembley Stadium.

Will Wardley look Usyk aliases Dubois? What does nan wide heavyweight image look for illustration astatine present? And will we yet get Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua?

BBC Sports looks astatine nan heavyweight scene.

As acold arsenic nan heavyweight section is concerned, each nan talk is of nan rematch betwixt Usyk and Dubois, taking spot connected 19 July.

Great Britain's Dubois goes into that bout pinch nan IBF world heavyweight belt, while Ukrainian Usyk holds nan WBA (Super), WBO and WBC titles.

Elsewhere, Dillian Whyte is successful statement for a large conflict connected 16 August successful Riyadh. There has been talk of it being against Lawrence Okolie, but Ring Magazine reported connected Saturday, external that Moses Itauma could beryllium nan opponent.

It would beryllium a monolithic measurement up for 20-year-old Itauma, who is undefeated successful 12 fights.

Two-time world heavyweight champion Joshua had elbow room successful May and has not fought since losing to Dubois astatine Wembley successful September 2024.

Joshua is not expected to return to action until December astatine nan earliest.

Talks are ongoing complete a imaginable three-fight woody nether nan Riyadh Season banner, meaning a comeback is apt to hap successful Saudi Arabia.

In April, promoter Eddie Hearn said he was assured that a conflict betwixt Joshua and Fury could still happen and talk of nan highly anticipated showdown refuses to spell away.

The wide scenery of nan heavyweight segment mostly depends connected nan consequence of Usyk v Dubois adjacent month.

Queensberry promoter Frank Warren has confirmed that Wardley is successful nan image for a title changeable but said nan section arsenic a full will go clearer aft Usyk's unification conflict pinch Dubois.

"After that fight, it will settee nan heavyweight section now to cognize who will beryllium nan mandatories," Warren told DAZN aft Wardley's triumph complete Huni.

"[Wardley] is there. He's going to return a spot of clip retired now. Let nan particulate settle. He's successful nan position and he's done that done sheer grit, sheer heart."

Wardley is nan number 1 contender successful nan WBA rankings and holds their interim title but it is Bulgaria's Kubrat Pulev who holds nan regular belt, which would usually make him adjacent successful line.

Ipswich's Wardley is apt to person to hold aliases put his position connected nan statement successful a non-world title conflict next.

As things stand, Tyson Fury remains retired. The 'Gypsy King' announced his status in January aft losing his rematch against Usyk a period earlier.

Fury has teased connected societal media a imaginable return to nan ringing and is presently filming nan 2nd bid of his Netflix documentary At Home With The Furys.

Team Fury person told BBC Sport that astatine present, location person been nary talks of an imminent comeback.

His return to regular societal media activity could person thing to do pinch nan documentary aliases Fury could beryllium testing nan waters to spot if location still is an appetite for a long-awaited showdown pinch Joshua.