The Boxing Truth®

Below in the following screenshots released on its website and social media platforms is a statement released by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and it's current president Gustavo Olivieri regarding the decision of now former two-time Undisputed World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk to vacate its version of the World Heavyweight championship as of Monday, November 17th. Credit: WBO Credit:WBO Credit:WBO As previously reported here on The Boxing Truth®️ per Sky Sports in the United Kingdom, with Usyk now having vacated the WBO world title in the Heavyweight division, per WBO rules , which is a standard throughout the entire sport regardless of sanctioning organization, Fabio Wardley , who was the undefeated mandatory challenger for Usyk in the WBO Heavyweight rankings, and held interim championship status as a result, following his stoppage of previous number one contender and former WBO world champion Joseph Parker on October 25th in...

According to Sky Sports in the United Kingdom, Oleksandr Usyk the undefeated two-time Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world, and one time former Undisputed Cruiserweight world champion has chosen to relinquish the WBO World Heavyweight championship . Not only does this mean that Usyk is once again no longer an undisputed world champion in the Heavyweight division after successfully fully unifying it for a second time earlier this year with a knockout win in his rematch with Daniel Dubois , after having a similar situation occur after he successfully unified the division the first time in his first fight with Tyson Fury in 2023, when Dubois was a mandatory challenger in the IBF Heavyweight ratings , after previously being stopped by Usyk prior to Usyk’s first of two bouts with Fury, but it also now elevates undefeated number one mandatory challenger Fabio Wardley , who Usyk had been mandated to fight by the WBO as its latest mandatory challenger, to now WBO World Heavyweight c...

The Heavyweight encounter between former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and undefeated top contender Fabio Wardley on June 25th at the O2 Arena in London, England was one that could and frankly should have repercussions for the talent-deep Heavyweight division going into 2026. Not only was it a rarity in that two number one contenders in two separate world sanctioning organizations,  chose to risk their respective standings against each other rather than sit and wait for a title shot to come to them, but stylistically, it provided the dynamic of a boxer/puncher in Parker, who has been at or near the top of the division for more than a decade going against a “ Knockout Artist ” in Wardley.  It was also a fight that came following a significant scare for Wardley in his previous outing against previously unbeaten Justis Huni earlier this year in a fight where Wardley was trailing on all three scorecards before dropping Huni late in the tenth round to score a d...

Originally, this column was intended and scheduled to preview two separate pay-per-view main events scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 25th. As some Boxing fans know, what was intended has obviously had to change due to the cancellation of the scheduled WBC World Jr. Middleweight championship bout between champion Sebastian Fundora and former World Welterweight champion Keith Thurman , which was due to headline a pay-per-view card promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters and streamed through digital streaming entertainment and subscription platform Prime Video , being cancelled due to a hand contusion suffered by Fundora while in training for the bout. While as of this writing, the plan appears for that bout to be rescheduled as soon as possible, there remains one pay-per-view main event to take place on October 25th that will now be the sole subject of this writing, which could and should have ramifications the the Heavyweight division moving into 2...

It has been announced that the October 25th pay-per-view card headlined by a bout between WBC Jr. Middleweight world champion Sebastian Fundora defending his title against former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman , which was scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV and streamed on Prime Video has been postponed due to a hand injury suffered by the champion. It has also been reported by noted Boxing journalist Mike Coppinger , currently of Ring Magazine that the scheduled co-main event, a WBC World Jr. Lightweight championship bout between between champion O'Shaquie Foster and former Jr. Featherweight world champion Stephen Fulton , will also be rescheduled. The Fundora-Thurman card was one of two scheduled pay-per-view cards to take place on October 25th. As of this writing, the other event headlined by former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker facing top contender Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena in London England, which wil...

The circumstances that led to the Heavyweight bout between unbeaten top Heavyweight contenders Fabio Wardley and Justis Huni on June 7th at the Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England was not ideal for either boxer. Due to the fact that it was made on short notice where Huni stepped in for the injured Jarrell Miller, neither man had the type of preparation that they would likely prefer going into a fight.  When one throws into the equation rainy conditions outdoors, one may not have known what to expect. In terms of styles, this was an adjustment for Wardley, who had been preparing to face a power puncher like himself in Miller, now tasked with facing a more balanced boxer/puncher in Huni. While the perception when fights like this are made on short notice is the fighter stepping into a fight is at a disadvantage, this was a case where one could say it was truly unknown as to having an idea of what could happen with one fighter having the type of punching power that is sud...

As the Boxing world prepares for the reunification of the Heavyweight division, which will come when the two champions of the division Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois meet in July in a highly anticipated rematch, this time for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world, focus has begun to take shape in regard to the potential challengers that might follow for the winner of that fight. Recently, we saw the fast-rising Moses Itauma score his twelfth victory in his career by scoring a devastating knockout of Mike Balogun on May 24th. Itauma, who is rated in the top three in the Heavyweight division in both the WBO and the WBA rankings, may be on the short list of potential challengers for either Usyk or Dubois.  On June 7th, however, another Heavyweight who could also be a potential option will return to action. This observer is referring to undefeated WBA number one rated Heavyweight contender Fabio Wardley, who will face fellow unbeaten Heavyweight Justis Huni in a sche...

  Longtime contender  Kid Galahad made the transition from contender to world champion by stopping a “Game” but overmatched James Dickens to win the  IBF Featherweight world championship on Saturday night at Matchroom Headquarters in Brentwood, England. A rematch from 2013 when the two met for the British Jr. Featherweight championship, which was won by Galahad in ten rounds, the second encounter between the two would have a similar outcome.   From the outset, Galahad implemented a very tactical approach that had an emphasis on both being active with his offense, but also accurate with the punches he threw. Dickens suffered a cut over the left eye in the first round as a result of an accidental clash of heads. This in addition to not being able to nullify Galahad’s hand speed and movement continued to worsen as the fight progressed.    By the middle rounds, the accumulation of punishment became more visible and it appeared as though the combinations that Ga...

  The official weigh-in for Saturday’s second week of the 2021     Matchroom Fight Camp series took place earlier today in Brentwood, England at Matchroom Headquarters. Weights for the entire card, which can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network   DAZN   and will be headlined by a rematch between Kid Galahad and James Dickens for the vacant IBF Featherweight world championship are as follows.   Main Event: Vacant IBF Featherweight World Championship – 12Rds.   Kid Galahad 126lbs. vs. James Dickens 125 1/2lbs.   English Heavyweight Championship – 10Rds.   Fabio Wardley (Champion) 235 1/2lbs. vs. Nick Webb 256lbs.     Heavyweight – 8Rds.   Alen Babic 210lbs.vs. Mark Bennett 272 1/2lbs.     Heavyweight – 4Rds.   Johnny Fisher 239 1/2lbs. vs. Danny Whitaker 259 1/2lbs.     Women’s Bantamweight – 8Rds.   Ebanie Bridges 118 3/4lbs. vs. Bec Connolly 119lbs.     Jr. Li...

  The second season of Matchroom Boxing’s Fight Camp series kicked off in a big way on July 31 st  at Matchroom Headquarters in Brentwood, England. As this observer stated in  his post-coverage of week 1 , the sales hook for this series is relatively simple “No Easy Fights.” Although not originally intended, the first two weeks of this season will be headlined by bouts that could have a potential impact on the near future of the 126lb. Featherweight division. As most know, in week 1, British Featherweight champion Leigh Wood significantly stepped up in caliber of opposition and due to circumstances of COVID-19 saw himself in the main event against WBA mandatory challenger Xu Can. Wood turned in the best performance of his career in out Boxing Can over twelve rounds before dropping him in dramatic fashion in the final round, which led to a stoppage with seconds remaining in the fight.   This indirectly sets the stage for the main event of week 2 of Matchroom Fight Cam...