Weekend Of Former World Champions Thoughts

The weekend of July 25, 2026 had one consistent theme. Whether it was by design, or coincidence, the theme was one where former world champions shared the spotlight of the sport with the consistent premise of several of these fighters looking to return to competition after time away from the sport and one fighter taking the next step in his own comeback, which began earlier this year. 

Unfortunately for this observer and the reader, my thoughts on that fighter, former two-time World Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who returned to action for the second time in his latest comeback against former world title challenger Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand on July 24th, will be limited to little more than a brief mention by yours truly because the bout took place under circumstances in 2026 that are rare for a fighter of Fury’s stature in the sport. In that there was no broadcast coverage of the bout on television or streaming and thus, unless you were fortunate to attend the event in person, not much is known as far as to what occurred during the fight. This observer, however, can report thanks to limited coverage that has emerged that Fury did emerge victorious via seventh round stoppage when the forty-six year old Wach, a fighter who had gone 2-4 in his last six fights and is not the same fighter he was many years ago when he was a top contender and challenged for a world title, retired on his stool after the seventh round. 

While the decision by the braintrusts behind this event to have what amounts to a blackout and limited coverage of it, is something some will question, the fact is, Fury was able to pick up his second victory in a little more than three months since returning to the ring following  a near two year hiatus.

It was also on July 24th, however, that another world champion took his first step in a comeback of his own after nearly three years out of action, which aligned with two other bouts in terms of former champions attempting comebacks that will also be discussed in this column on July 25th. Yours truly, is referring to former two-division world champion Demetrius Andrade, who returned for the first time since his loss in  November 2023 to David Benavidez, to face veteran  Douglas Ataide at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

Although this observer was prepared for a long fight based on Andrade’s style that would have required more analysis, he simply did not waste time in knocking Ataide out with a brutal combination to the head that sent him down without a count from Referee Rick Gonzalez.

If one were to draw up an ideal scenario for a fighter attempting a comeback after a lengthy absence, you can not draw it much better than a first round knockout in terms of generating buzz. While Andrade, who picked up his thirty-third victory and his twentieth knockout in this fight, is not known for having this kind of punching power, he did succeed in getting people’s attention and perhaps this will lead to him fighting at least once more before the end of the year as he looks to continue building momentum.

Now we come to the stage of this writing where two fights that were originally going to be the central focus of this column took place on July 25th in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Sydney, Australia respectively, each featuring fighters beginning comebacks. First up would be former two-time World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, who returned for the first time since a tragic car accident in the weeks following his knockout win over Jake Paul last December to face “Knockout Artist" Kristian Prenga at the Jeddah, Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In Joshua's case, his comeback attempt differs from the others that have been and will be discussed in this column as he had been active as recently as last December and was competing consistently before his knockout of Jake Paul. Where his comeback differs is Joshua was competing for the first time since surviving a fatal car accident that he lost two close friends and members of his team in Nigeria. While Joshua suffered what has been described as minor injuries, his survival should be viewed as a miracle. The impact on him and the losses he suffered in the tragic accident makes this comeback different for him. 

Given those circumstances, the obvious question that surrounded this fight was what version of Joshua would show up in the ring. Although Kristian Prenga had scored knockouts in all twenty of his wins as a professional fighter, there were some who felt this was a soft touch for Joshua given Prenga’s limited level of competition. A point of view that nearly proved to be a major miscalculation as Premga dropped Joshua almost immediately after the bout began with a short right uppercut to the head. Joshua was able to get up on unsteady legs and was largely manhandled by Prenga for the majority of the rest of the first round including being roughed up in close before being shoved down to the canvas. This would be followed by Prenga being credited with a second knockdown before the round was over as Joshua's gloves touched the canvas after being hit with a short punch.

At the conclusion of the first round, I thought that at minimum Joshua coming back in a relatively short time following the accident may have been a costly decision. While obviously not wanting to jump to conclusions as yours truly was not and is not on the inside and knows no further information than what had been made public, at worst, I felt that perhaps the impacts of what Joshua had been through may have compromised him in some way. It also appeared that he did not look as though he was warmed up and beyond the circumstances that surrounded this fight, the possibility that he was caught cold was also something to take into consideration beyond what Prenga had brought into the ring. 

Round two would prove to be as dramatic. Joshua was able to slow the pace slightly, throwing right hands behind a consistent jab, which he was unable to do in the first round. This led to him gradually being able to back Prengan up and it would be late in the second round where Joshua would land a combination highlighted by a right hand to the head that sent Prenga down hard in his own corner. Although Prenga showed heart by trying to beat the count, he was unable to get up before the count of ten and Joshua had scored a dramatic, come from behind knockout.

While Joshua did what he had to do here, it should be cause for at least pause, if not concern. It is common knowledge that even before this fight and Tyson Fury’s bout against Mariusz Wach, it had been announced that the two former world champions, who have circled each other for years, had signed a contract to meet later this year in a bout to be streamed on digital subscription general entertainment network Netflix and had been advertised prior to both bouts.

It is a practice that though far from new in the sport of Boxing with regard to star fighters signing contacts to face each other, that interim bouts would be scheduled on or around the same dates featuring those fighters in separate fights, and is used as means of promotion for the eventual fight between the two, it does obviously come with risks and in this case, it nearly proved to be a bust for all involved. Perhaps some evaluation is needed and Joshua should take some time to make sure he is fully healed physically and mentally before that fight should be scheduled. 

This brings us to the final fight that took place on July 25th that pitted two former world champions against each other in a crossroads battle in Sydney, Australia in the 160lb. Middleweight division. Yours truly is referring to the encounter between former unified World Welterweight champion Errol Spence and former WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Tim Tszyu, which took place at the Afterpay Arena.

If one were to take the particulars of this encounter out of the equation briefly, they would see what amounted to a classic scenario of a boxer/puncher in Spence going against a power punching pressure fighter in Tszyu. The context in which this fight took place, however, is something that cannot be ignored. This was the first fight for Spence in over three years following his being stopped by Terrence Crawford in a bout that fully unified the 147lb. Welterweight division. The beating he sustained in that fight, along with medical issues outside the ring was a central story of this fight. It can also not be dismissed that this was an encounter originally contracted to take place at a 158lb. Catchweight, but was changed to be at the official 160lb. Middleweight limit at the request of Spence, which fueled speculation among at least some that he may have been struggling to make the agreed upon contracted weight. Longtime readers know that this observer is not a fan of the concept of catchweights for several reasons including, but not limited to it seems to serve as a disadvantage to either a fighter moving up in weight or a fighter moving down to make the theoretical “Catchweight” fight occur. More often than not, however, it amounts to semantics. In this case, this fight would have always been classified as a Middleweight bout due to it being above the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight limit and below the 160lb. Middleweight limit. The issue of allowing one fighter two extra pounds to come in right at the given limit for a weight class amounts to nothing more than a technicality and would not play any meaningful role in how the fight was fought. 

In terms of how the fight was fought, the first six rounds seemed to be a trade off in that the two fighters traded rounds. One round would appear to be dictated by Spence’s combination and volume punching, where the next round would be highlighted by Tszyu’s heavier power punches. While this set up a close fight through the first six rounds of the scheduled twelve round bout, what was noticeable not only during the first half of the contest, but increasingly became more evident as the fight progressed was Tszyu’s heavier punches and ability to consistently knock Spence off balance and hurt him. What also stood out to yours truly was Spence’s legs at no point during this fight appeared to be steady and as the fight progressed even though he showed a lot of heart and mettle by taking hard, thudding blows, it seemed like in some respects, whether it be because of his inactivity or because of age being thirty-six years old, his punch resistance was not what it appeared to be prior to his encounter with Terence Crawford three years ago. Despite this, he was able to stay on his feet even though as the fight progressed, the look of a lopsided contest where one fighter was taking a gradual beating became increasingly clear. 

To his credit, however, Spence showed a lot of heart and was able to make it to the final bell where Tszyu would be declared the winner by twelve round unanimous decision. Immediately following the fight in a post-fight interview with Australia’s Main Event broadcast, which served as the global broadcaster for this fight, Spence acknowledged that he had given his best and when asked if he intended to continue his career, he said he wanted to talk with his family and start a new life outside of Boxing. 

Although some may contend that a fighter announcing his retirement in the ring immediately after a fight, particularly one that they lost may be dismissed as an emotional reaction in the immediate aftermath of a fight, there are times when a fighter realizes. whether they acknowledge it publicly or not, that they are not the fighter they once were and a universal truth that seems to be the case in virtually all combat sports where a fighter breaks down or ages at different times and one fighter’s journey will not be identical to another’s. Errol Spence has always represented his sport well and will go down in history as a likely Hall of Famer and one of the best Welterweights during his time in the sport. If this is the end for him as a fighter, he can hold his head high and know that he went out in his last fight like the champion he has been through most of his career.

As for Tim Tszyu, the victory over Spence, his third as a Middleweight will likely raise his stock as he looks to move himself into contention towards another opportunity to fight for a world title. The goal moving forward for him should be to try and move himself into a spot where a potential title fight in late 2027 or early 2028 might be a possibility if he continues to win. If he can stay active and depending on who he is matched up with, will likely determine how quick he might be able to move himself into position for that challenge. What Tszyu does have working in his favor is he does have name recognition and has proven to be a significant draw in his native Australia to such a degree where he may be able to dictate that fights occur in the land down under and can be in that position even as a potential challenger for a world title based on his ability to sell out arenas and stadiums regardless of who he fights. While continuing to be as active as possible and winning are crucial factors, so too is the ability to draw crowds and the business of the sport of Boxing, for better or worse, also plays a role in dictating how quickly a fighter gets an opportunity to fight for a world title and more specifically, how often those opportunities are given. The combination of name recognition value as well as being a proven draw may give Tszyu the ammunition he needs to accelerate towards a title shot quicker than some of the other contenders in the Middleweight division. Continuing to be active and perform well will make the argument for him to get the shot even stronger.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Fury Works Off Rust

April 11, 2026 marked the beginning of a new chapter for former two-time World Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. Following another in a series of sabbaticals away from the sport of Boxing, this one following suffering his only two career defeats in consecutive fights to Oleksandr Usyk, this chapter at the age of thirty-seven was the start of a comeback. Fury’s opponent for his first fight in nearly two years was contender Arslanbek Makhmudov in London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

 Makhmudov, a veteran of twenty-three professional fights coming into this encounter, had the size and punching power that on paper appeared as though he may have been able to pose a legitimate challenge to Fury, and was not a soft touch for a “Comeback Fight.” Initially, Makhmudov seemed as though he would provide just that by frequently and aggressively pushing Fury back against the ropes and frailing wide, looping punches. Although it needs to be pointed out that Tyson Fury has not been known as a traditionally fast starter in fights, at minimum, it seemed like he would have trouble finding a rhythm, primarily due to Makhmudov’s aggression.

From the second round, however, Fury, showing his skillset and ability to make adjustments, took control of the fight. While the contest often resembled a grappling match due to Fury frequently tying up Makhmudov on the inside and frequent jockeying for position between the two massive Heavyweights who weighed a combined 533lbs. While often ugly and not the most entertaining fight to watch, particularly for the over 50,000 spectators in attendance, gradually as Fury took over the tempo of the combat, he would showcase his hand speed and frequently caught Makhmudov with combinations as he came forward. This would be the pattern for the majority of the scheduled twelve round bout. Makhmudov continued to press forward, but was unable to land anything significant to change the tempo or hurt Fury.

While as the fight progressed it seemed like Fury could have pressed the issue any time he wanted and possibly could have gotten a stoppage of an opponent in Makhmudov, who was exhausted by the middle and late rounds, the former world champion opted to use the majority of the rounds to work off the “Ring Rust” on his way to winning a wide twelve round unanimous decision.

Put simply, there is not much analysis one could offer beyond saying that Fury took a round to find his footing after a long layoff, and put forth a workmanlike performance in a lopsided, and at times, ugly outing. What stood out to this observer, however, was a more serious approach by Fury as this fight just saw a fighter going about his business and did not feature some of the showboating tactics that he has been known for throughout his career. Perhaps this chapter of Fury’s career will be highlighted by a more serious approach as he continues his career with an aim towards trying to secure an opportunity to become a three-time World Heavyweight champion.

As refreshing as it was to see a fighter in Fury adopt a more serious temperament as he does not need showboating tactics and never did, there was the moment after the fight where Fury joined in the ring by H.E. Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, the man who has been primarily responsible for a significant majority of major fights having taken place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the recent history of the sport and the owner of Ring Magazine, called out former two-time World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn, who were seated at ringside for a fight perhaps later this year in London. 

A fight between Fury and Joshua has been one of many potential fights throughout the history of Boxing that at times has been in negotiations on and off, particularly during the period where the two British Heavyweights were the two world champions in the division, which would have been perhaps the biggest Heavyweight fight to be held in England in Boxing history, perhaps only rivaled by the October 1993 World Heavyweight championship fight between then WBC world champion Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno, which took place at National Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, that marked at that point in time the first time that two British fighters had met in the ring for a version of the World Heavyweight championship in nearly one hundred years.

Although Lewis-Bruno, which took place on a rainy night in Cardiff, Wales and was in danger of being postponed because of weather conditions, will always hold a special place in Boxing history for its significance and for being one of the best Heavyweight fights of the 1990’s, some would claim that a potential fight between Fury and Joshua would be bigger. Yours truly will not get into that debate as one who has always held British Boxing in high regard and respect, but what I will say is perhaps this fight, if it finally does happen, would have been bigger if it were made when the Fury and Joshua had the opportunity to meet for what would have been the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world. For a variety of reasons, all having to do with the business side of the sport, the fight did not happen.

Now with H.E. Turki Al-Sheikh being actively involved in the sport as a power broker and significant investor, perhaps a Fury-Joshua fight might finally get over the finish line, but whether or not Al-Sheikh succeeds, the potential for it being a scenario where buyers remorse may ultimately be the feeling both he and Boxing fans worldwide are left with is there. Unfortunately, while it will no doubt still be a significant event, particularly throughout the United Kingdom, Boxing and particularly those promoters and networks who were involved several years back when the opportunity was there to stage a fight for all the marbles in the Heavyweight division, which would have been more significant than merely a big event between two star Heavyweights and future Hall of Famers. For that, the business of the sport is to blame.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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Tyson Fury's Next Chapter

 Following his second loss to World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024, former two-time World Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury chose to close the book on his Boxing career. While it was not the first time Fury had announced a retirement from competition as he has been open with his struggles with mental health throughout his career and notably took a lengthy retirement after defeating Wladimir Klitschko for his first world championship in 2015, this retirement seemed to have a little more validity in the sense that it was not something that even the most cynical of Boxing fan or those of us who cover the sport could say that Fury would be back.

After all, not only had a decade nearly passed from when he previously stepped away from the sport, but since he returned in 2018, he had taken part in several grueling battles over the years including three brutal fights with Deontay Wilder over the WBC version of the World Heavyweight championship. Boxers like the rest of us are human beings and from what a fighter's body goes through while in preparation for a fight, to what happens during the fights themselves, the accumulation of all that punishment along with age has to take a toll on one's body with time.

After being out boxed in the second bout against Usyk, this observer thought both age and the physical toll Fury had paid throughout his career really meant that his second loss to Usyk seemed to indicate that he was ready for the next chapter in his life away from the sport.

Although losing to a fighter of Oleksandr Usuk’s caliber is in no way a disgrace and Fury was not disgraced in either of his two encounters with him, sometimes fighters do not want to end their careers with a defeat in addition to the road of a crowd and the financial rewards that come with getting into a Boxing ring. It was therefore of little surprise to me to hear that there will be a third chapter in the story of Tyson Fury's career as he will return to the ring on Saturday, April 11th at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England to face veteran contender Arslanbek Makhmudov in a scheduled twelve round Heavyweight bout that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription general entertainment network Netflix.

While this fight will serve as the next event Netflix has chosen to invest significantly into the sport, the obvious subplot here is what Tyson Fury have left to give as a fighter at this point in his career. Although nearly a year and a half away from active competition has likely been beneficial in terms of allowing his body to recuperate from the numerous battles he has been through over the years. At thirty-seven years old, however, that question of what he has left will be asked likely with each fight from this point forward.

In Arslanbek Makhmudov, Fury will face a fighter with a respectable record of twenty-three professional fights with nineteen of his twenty-one wins coming by stoppage. At 6’5 ½, Makhmudov does have the size that would indicate that this may not be a straightforward “Comeback” or “Tune-up” fight for Fury, who stands 6’9. Although Makhmudov has been stopped in his two career defeats against Agit Kabayel and Guido Vianello, Makhmudov does have a career knockout percentage of over 90%, so this is a fighter that does carry punching power into the ring with him. While Fury has been knocked down numerous times in his career, he has always shown incredible ability to recover and has never been stopped in his career.

Despite always processing a good mix of overall Boxing skill, hand speed for a big man, and punching power in his own right, what some point to as a red flag with Fury is he tends to showboat in his fights rather than showing a serious approach that the upper level of the sport regardless of division often demands and at times even a lackadaisical approach, most notably against former UFC Heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou, who was competing in his first professional fight as a boxer and managed to not only drop Fury in what was a non-title bout where Fury’s WBC world title at the time was not at stake, but managed to turn in a performance where several felt he deserved a decision against Fury, who seemed both in attitude prior to the bout and in body language throughout to have taken him lightly.

Now at this stage in his career, coming off back to back losses to Oleksandr Usyk and a second retirement/sabbatical from the sport, it will be interesting to see if Fury implements a more serious approach now against an opponent who no doubt will be looking to use the name recognition that Fury brings with him to springboard himself towards a world title shot should Makhmudov emerge victorious. There is a lot on the table for both fighters here and when it comes to Boxing, especially in the Heavyweight division, truly anything can happen.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Fury vs. Makhmudov takes place on Saturday, April 11th at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. The fight can be seen worldwide on digital subscription general entertainment streaming network Netflix beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT. (*North American Start Times Only.*) (*Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*) For more information about Netflix including capable streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, Local start times in your region of the world, and to subscribe please visit: www.Netflix.com. 

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Usyk vs. Verhoeven For WBC World Heavyweight Championship?

Credit: DAZN

In the summer of last year, future Hall of Famer Oleksandr Usyk further cemented his legacy by becoming the first man in Boxing history to have fully unified the Undisputed World Heavyweight championship twice, adding a third undisputed crown to his extensive list of accomplishments following previously unifying the Cruiserweight division before setting his sights on the Heavyweight division. As record-setting and ground breaking as Usyk’s second unification of the World Heavyweight championship was, it came as a result of the politics that be in the sport of Boxing ensuring a short first reign by not allowing him to maintain the undisputed crown while fulfilling his contractually mandated obligation to give Tyson Fury, the man he defeated for his first undisputed crown at Heavyweight, an immediate rematch.

Unfortunately for Usyk, his second undisputed championship at Heavyweight would have a similar outcome as the first as shortly after he reclaimed the IBF world championship by scoring a knockout of Daniel Dubois in their rematch, the WBO stripped him off their world championship for not fulfilling his mandatory defense obligations, which ultimately resulted in Fabio Wardley eventually being crowned WBO World Heavyweight champion. As frustrating as the politics of Boxing can frustrate and bewilder both fan and Boxing scribes alike, for better or worse, each individual sanctioning organization has their own policies and procedures and at least in theory, try to ensure that fighters deemed mandatory challengers get their title shots in a timely manner. 

While the aforementioned statement is factual, this observer will concede that it probably does sound like a good public relations spin to the Boxing fan that each respective sanctioning organization likely would like to use from time to time. When such policies and procedures alienate fans and fighters as well, however, there are times where fighters will look for an alternative rather than trying to rectify whatever grievance they may have with a given sanctioning organization.

In all truth and honesty with the reader, after Usyk’s victory over Dubois last summer, his second knockout win over the hard hitting former IBF world champion in two fights, I frankly felt he had nothing more to prove after successfully fully unifying the Heavyweight to division twice and having three undisputed world championships to his name overall, all while remaining undefeated his entire career. It was therefore a surprise to yours truly to hear the announcement that Usyk will step into the ring in May in defense of the WBC portion of the World Heavyweight championship.

Why would a noted Boxing journalist and historian with over three decades of covering Combat Sports, with Boxing as his primary be surprised? It did not have anything to do with my aforementioned stance that I felt Usyk had accomplished everything he set out to do and did not have anything left to prove that would somehow add to nor diminish his legacy, but rather who the chosen opposition would be for this title defense, which will take place in Egypt that will play host to its first World Heavyweight championship fight in history.

Usyk’s choice was not a notable contender or a former world champion such as Deontay Wilder, who had long been rumored to be in the short running of potential opponents, nor was it undefeated current WBC number one contender Agit Kabayel, but instead will come in the form of legendary Kickboxing World Heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven. Before I go any further, I feel it important to state for the reader that this column is not a preview of the aforementioned upcoming bout, but rather centers on my reaction to this announcement of the bout that will take place on May 23rd.

My reaction was one of curiosity. While there is no disputing that Rico Verhoeven is a Hall of Famer in the sport of Kickboxing and one of the top pound for pound fighters in that sport, he has had only one professional fight as a boxer and though he won that fight via knockout, that outing came twelve years from when this fight will take place. The question is obvious, how can the WBC see it's way clear to give a title shot to a great fighter from a different sport, but one with a limited background in Boxing?

Obviously, this observer cannot answer that question, but it is one that the WBC should answer. In light of some controversial decisions the organization has made in recent times and with upstart promotional entities like Zuffa Boxing, who seem intent on breaking established norms including legislation with the intent to freeze out independent sanctioning organizations in favor of a promotional based model, the WBC does owe an explanation. While the curiosity is certainly there and I look forward to delving deeper on the subject as we get closer to the bout, most would say that there are fighters currently in the WBC’s Heavyweight ratings with more Boxing experience that would be more qualified in this combat realm for a title shot. For that, the WBC needs to elaborate on their position.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Photo Courtesy of: DAZN Used with permission.

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BREAKING: Usyk Vacates WBO World Heavyweight Championship, Wardley Now WBO World Champion

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 champion.

Wardley is coming off a knockout win in October over former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker in London, England. As of now, there has been no word from Usyk or his representatives as to why he chose to vacate the WBO world championship, but he has been recovering from a back injury in recent months. This is a developing story and we will keep readers updated on developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

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The Rebuilding Process Begins For Deontay Wilder

There is little doubt that over the last decade and a half few fighters have had the type of success as Deontay Wilder. An Olympic Bronze medalist in the 2008 Summer Olympics, Wilder took that accomplishment and made it part of his identity “The Bronze Bomber." An appropriate moniker given his reputation as a true " Knockout Artist” and having a five year reign atop the Heavyweight division as the WBC’s World Heavyweight champion from 2015-2020 where he successfully defended his crown ten times. The end of that run of dominance in being stopped in his second encounter with Tyson Fury in February 2020, however, began a slow, but consistent decline for Wilder including being on the receiving end of a second stoppage at the hands of Fury in their thrilling third enclosure in October 2021. Since that fight, Wilder has only won one of his last three fights. 

In his last outing in June of last year, Wilder was the victim of a one sided fifth round knockout at the hands of top contender Zhilei Zhang. It was after that fight that many, including this observer, questioned whether that fight would be the end of Wilder’s career. The reason for that is not only due to the losses he has suffered and the toll the trilogy with Tyson Fury took on him, but also the stretches of inactivity in recent years, which also had to have impacted him in those defeats. Now one year removed from the loss to Zhang, Wilder prepares to re-enter competition as he will face veteran Tyrell Herndon on Friday, June 27th at the Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, KS in a fight that can be seen on digital subscription general entertainment network BLK Prime and as a pay-per-view offering across cable/satellite providers and PPV.com. 

If one were objective as this observer fortunately is, they would be honest as I will be with the reader in saying that this has all the appearance of a “Comeback Fight" designed to serve as a confidence builder for Wilder and more specifically as a way to both work off ring rust and to evaluate where Wilder is at this stage in his career. While this is not a fight that will put Wilder back in the discussion of top Heavyweight contenders, these types of fights are vital not only as a means of staying active, but also as a way to get a fighter like a former world champion as Wilder is, in the best possible form before trying to get back to the top. 

Frankly, it is a method of gaining and maintaining a fighter’s activity and sharpness that is rarely seen in present times particularly as notable fighters with name recognition, like Wilder, opt to compete sporadically, in part because of the lucrative paydays attached to it, which removes the necessity to remain consistently active at least from a financial standpoint. The obvious flaw, however, despite the fact that those fighters at or near the top of the sport are in a position to make significant money by waiting for the most lucrative opportunities, is that over time inactivity will have a negative impact on those fighters inside the ring. In Wilder’s case, his inactivity has been due both a bitter split with his former manager Al Haymon and the Premier Boxing Champions group of promoters as well as needing to recover from losses, including the knockouts at the hands of Fury and Zhang. At his best, however, Wilder is a devastating puncher that is capable of ending a fight at any time with either hand as illustrated by his forty-two knockouts in forty-three career wins and near 90% career knockout percentage.

How likely are we to see glimpses of that version of Wilder? In Tyrell Herndon, the former world champion will face a veteran of twenty-nine professional fights with a respectable 24-5, with 14 Knockouts record coming into this fight. Although most of Herndon’s victories have come against relatively unknown opposition, he will enter this fight riding a three fight win streak. A red flag as to Herndon’s potential chances, however, and a likely reason he was selected as the opponent for Wilder on this occasion is he has been stopped in four of his five losses, most notably at the hands of unbeaten rising Heavyweight contender and former Olympic Silver medalist Richard Torrez, who stopped him in the second round in October 2023.

What Herndon can point to as something in his favor going into this fight is he has been considerably more active than Wilder, albeit against a lower level of competition since his loss to Torrez. Whether that will be enough to compete effectively with a fighter with the type of power that Wilder has remains to be seen. Herndon is not known for his punching power and some might suggest that his best chance for success here in this fight will be to try and implement a boxer’s approach similar to the one that former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker was able to implement when he faced and defeated Wilder in December 2023 in scoring a wide twelve round unanimous decision victory.

As Wilder now tries to bounce back from his third knockout loss, there may be some who believe that he might be damaged after what was a brutal knockout at the hands of Zhilei Zhang. Although that possibility should not be dismissed, it would be ill advised for Herndon to go in with the mentality of trying to get Wilder out of there as Wilder has done to many of his opponents throughout his career. 

While this indeed has all the appearance of a “Comeback Fight" and keeping in mind that there are indeed levels to combat sports and seemingly every metric tips in Wilder’s favor, we won't know what Wilder has until he and Herndon are in the ring and whether this is the start of a rebuilding process of one of the most devastating fighters in the history of the Heavyweight division.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Wilder vs. Herndon takes place on Friday, June 27th at the Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, KS. The fight can be seen globally on digital subscription entertainment streaming network and platform BLK Prime beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT. The card will also be available on a pay-per-view basis across cable/satellite providers throughout the United States and Canada as well as PPV.com and it's streaming apps on mobile, tablet and connected streaming devices, platforms, and Smart TVs for $24.99. (As of this writing, it appears the event will be available to subscribers of BLK Prime at no additional cost, but is unconfirmed at the time of publishing of this column.)

To subscribe to BLK Prime and for information about where you can download the BLK Prime app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices, and Smart TVs please visit: www.BLKPrime.com  

(*Card and Start Time Subject to Change.*)

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Delayed Usyk-Fury 2 Thoughts

As fate would have it with several scheduled bouts that were to take place over the Christmas holidays and were intended to be covered in a package form in this column by this observer being postponed, it would turn out that the last major event on the Boxing calendar in 2024 was the second encounter between undefeated unified WBO/IBO/WBA/WBC Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk and former two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury. A highly anticipated rematch that took place on December 21st in the same location as their first meeting for the then Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world on May 18, 2024, the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

By now, most Boxing fans are familiar with the close competition of that first fight and also familiar with the showboating approach through several of the early rounds by Fury, which in addition to a controversial knockdown ruled against him in the month round, in which some believed the fight should have been stopped, cost him the victory in what was otherwise a close and competitive fight. Unlike some circumstances where a rematch is warranted due to an exciting battle and/or a fight where the outcome is deemed controversial, we knew going into that historic first bout that there would be a rematch due to a pre-ordained rematch clause in the contract. 

Although that knowledge took nothing away from the atmosphere of that historic event in determining albeit temporarily, the first Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world in twenty-five years and the first in an era where there are five recognized world sanctioning organizations, who's respective claims to the World Heavyweight championship were at stake, much like when a great movie spawns a sequel and eventually evolved into a series of films, when it comes to rematches, seldomly does a new chapter in a rivalry between two fighters equal the anticipation and competitive nature of the original encounter.

In this case, as yours truly pointed out in previewing Usyk-Fury 2, the question was whether Fury, now back in the role of a challenger, would approach this fight with a more serious mindset as compared to the first fight and if he did, whether that would make a difference in terms of scoring, particularly in the early rounds, which due to his decision to showboat in the first fight, ended up going against him in the end. 

To Fury’s credit, he did take this fight more seriously and did come forward more in the early rounds compared to what his approach was in the first fight. As he would find out, however, even a more serious approach sometimes does not result in a change in outcome as, despite having periodic success throughout the twelve round world championship bout, Fury as many previous opponents have learned, Oleksandr Usyk’s skillset proves to be a very difficult puzzle to solve.

Unlike the first fight where there were moments throughout where the fighters were able to hurt each other and thus be highlighted, this fight was a tactical Boxing match from start to finish, which is Usyk's specialty. While Fury’s best moments throughout came when he was able to land solidly, particularly with his right hand, Oleksandr Usyk is a master boxer who fights out of the southpaw stance, with an emphasis on his ability to use lateral movement and foot work to come at his opponents at varying angles as well as his ability to change his level of attack from the head to the body. Fury's best moments often came in single punches. The difference between the two fighters was Usyk’s punches consistently came in three and four punch variations.

It was this consistency as well as Fury’s inability to limit Usyk's ability to move and use angles that ultimately resulted in this observer scoring the fight unofficially eight rounds to four or 116-112 in points for Usyk in what was a straightforward contest that was clean and void of controversy. Although this is not always what happens, despite this observer’s decades long experience covering the sport and thoroughly understanding how fights are scored on every possible level Boxing has to offer from amateur, to professional, to professional Bareknuckle, to the point where I have been told periodically by others in the sport that I should consider being an official judge, the way I saw this fight was mirrored by the three official judges who scored this fight the same way I did with an 8-4 margin in rounds 116-112 in points for Usyk making it a successful title defense for him and earning him his second victory over Fury.

As straightforward as this fight appeared to be in determining a winner, it was understandable that Fury was disappointed with the result and immediately left the ring refusing to do interviews. When one dedicates themselves as seriously as Fury did in attempting to become part of a select group of fighters to have won a version of the World Heavyweight championship on three separate occasions, when one does everything they can do to prepare and still comes up short, despite performing better as Fury did in this second fight with Usyk, it is hard to digest.

Fury, however, has nothing to be ashamed of, he gave it everything he had. It may be a case where Fury will beat many of the top fighters in the Heavyweight division, but Oleksandr Usyk may not be one of them. That last sentence might leave one wondering what this observer means. Yes, Oleksandr Usyk has defeated Tyson Fury in two consecutive fights in the span of seven months, the second of which unlike the split decision in the first fight, seemed more convincing. This, however, should not be viewed as a clear conclusion to this rivalry. Tyson Fury is after all one of the biggest names in the Heavyweight division and if he were to continue fighting and score a victory over a top contender, he will be right back in the discussion of potential challengers for Usyk or possibly current IBF world champion Daniel Dubois.

Dubois, who was named IBF world champion shortly after the first Usyk-Fury fight due to Usyk not being able to fulfill his obligation to defend the IBF title against Dubois, whom was a mandatory challenger and whom Usyk defeated in August 2023, is due to make his second defense of the IBF crown against former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker on February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Depending on the outcome of that fight, the winner could either face Usyk if Usyk wants to attempt to fully unify the Heavyweight division for a second time, or could see a potential challenger in Fury, who is still a top contender and one of the more lucrative options available for either fellow contenders or world champions.

While a third chapter of the story between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury may not come as quickly as chapter two followed their first meeting, it may not be a story that is concluded. One thing is certain as 2025 has begun, the goings on in the Heavyweight division with two current world champions and no shortage of contenders and forner champions all looking for a shot, will continue to be a hot topic in the sport of Boxing.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Happy 2025

We here at The Boxing Truth®️ would like to wish our readers a very happy and safe 2025. Our 2025 schedule will begin on Monday, January 6th with Beau Denison’s annual Boxing Wishlist for the new year. On Tuesday, January 7th we will provide a special column discussing the recent World Heavyweight championship rematch between champion Oleksandr Usyk and former two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, which took place on December 21, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

We here at The Boxing Truth® look forward to continuing to provide readers with features, weigh-in results, special previews, fight card recaps, and other content also being released as events approach throughout the sport of Boxing. The Boxing Truth® welcomes the opportunity to continue to provide our readers with accurate information, in-depth analysis, and objective opinions regarding the sport of Boxing as well as the participants and issues that surround it.   Thank you to all our readers for your continued support and we look forward to hearing from you throughout 2025.

Happy New Year.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Usyk-Fury: The Story Continues

In chapter one of the story between Heavyweight champions Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, the focus was centered on the element of history. After all, when the two undefeated champions met in May of this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, it was to determine something that hadn't been seen in Boxing in twenty-five years albeit and unfortunately temporarily. An Undisputed World Heavyweight champion and the first champion to successfully unify all five recognized world championships under one fighter.

As most know, despite the historical significance of the occasion, there was the knowledge going into the event last May 18th that the new Undisputed championship would not last long. This was due to a pre-ordained rematch clause between Usyk and Fury and the International Boxing Federation being due its mandatory title defense in the rotation amongst the various sanctioning organizations immediately following the bout. Nevertheless, that knowledge did little to quell what truly was a special moment in the sport’s history. 

In a competitive bout, it was Oleksandr Usyk who would emerge victorious in becoming the Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world by defeating Fury via twelve round split decision. For Usyk, there was added significance as the victory also cemented his future Hall of Fame status as the only man in history to fully unify both the Cruiserweight and Heavyweight divisions. While Usyk would relinquish the IBF world championship shortly after defeating Fury, clearing the way for IBF number one contender Daniel Dubois, a former Usyk opponent, to officially become IBF World Heavyweight champion, the victory over Fury was simply the conclusion of chapter one. 

Now comes chapter two as Usyk, the unified WBO/IBO/WBA/WBC world champion prepares to meet Fury once again at the same site of their first meeting, the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 21st. A rematch that can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View. In some ways, this rematch is also a rarity.

It is rare even in an era where there are theoretical pre-agreed rematch clauses before an initial high-profile bout such as Usyk and Fury to see the rematch come to fruition without complications whether it be due to injuries or one fighter choosing a different option, which often can lead to legal entanglements. In this sense, the fact that this rematch comes in a rather streamlined way is quite refreshing. Although the undisputed championship is not at stake this time around, the winner of this fight will be viewed as the number one fighter in the division with an obvious path to reunify the title against Dubois or whomever the IBF champion might be down the line. 

What stood out in the first encounter was, despite being the naturally shorter fighter, it was Usyk who forced the action for most of the first six rounds by coming forward and forcing the naturally bigger and heavier Fury to fight at a much quicker pace than is typically his norm. Usyk was also able to establish angles and land short, but crisp combinations on Fury, which were often highlighted by an overhand left thrown from the southpaw stance.

Despite the significance of the occasion, an argument could and perhaps should be made that Fury perhaps gave away some of the early rounds by taunting Usyk, playing to the crowd, and attempting to bait him into making a mistake. Tactics, which Usyk did not fall for. By the midway part of the fight, Fury began coming forward more, landing punches to the body of Usyk and stunning him with a right hand in the sixth round. To Usyk’s credit, he was able to take it well and there was decent back and forth action that followed between the two fighters. 

It would be in round nine, however, that a controversy would emerge. A combination of punches by Usyk sent Fury staggering around the ring and seemingly made him defenseless for several seconds while Usyk pressed forward. Where the element of controversy comes in is in the decision of Referee Mark Nelson choosing to rule a knockdown against Fury when under similar circumstances a referee might have stepped in and stopped the fight. While some have made an issue of this in the months since the first encounter, this observer needs to point out as I have many times over the years that referees are human like the rest of us, and decisions regarding whether a fight should be stopped under circumstances like the one Fury was in comes down to split second judgments. Perhaps given the magnitude of the event and likely knowing that his call would be questioned either way, Nelson decided to rule a knockdown rather than stopping the fight outright to give Fury every chance he could to show he could continue. It proved to be the appropriate call as Fury was able to recover and finished the fight. The knockdown, however, likely put Usyk over the top in winning a very close twelve round split decision and emerging ever so briefly as the Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world. 

Now, as this rematch approaches, the obvious question is what could be different this time? The answer for your truly all boils down to whether Fury will be focused and not give away what ultimately proved to be crucial rounds in addition to the knockdown ruled against him later in the fight. There are two things to keep in mind here. One the champion Oleksandr Usyk has always been all business and did not allow himself to be baited into verbal exchanges before the first fight and did not take the bait when Fury spent time showboating in the early rounds. Fury thus must keep in mind that this time, he is the challenger and the onus is on him to turn things in his favor.. Will he be more aggressive in the early rounds and take an overall more serious approach in this fight as compared to the last time he faced Usyk and in his outing before that where former UFC Heavyweight world champion Frances Ngannou nearly upset him in a non-title bout?

For Usyk, the question will be whether he can deal with a more aggressive Fury out of the gate. The champion is known for his ability to use angles and out box his opponents and it will be interesting to see if Usyk will somehow be more technical in his approach than he was in the first encounter. Although the possibility exists that Usyk might be looking to make a statement this time seeing as he was able to nearly stop Fury last time, one should not expect an approach that would be over aggressive and one where Usyk tries to use his power to try and get Fury out of there. Usyk must remember that he is a master boxer and has an advantage in terms of hand speed that worked to his benefit in the first fight. One might argue that his timing and ability to catch Fury was what led to him nearly getting a stoppage in the first fight and the more sensible approach might be to try and set traps and look to counter Fury.

It does not take hype to say what this fight is about here. The Boxing world is waiting to see what happens the second time around. Will it be a repeat of what happened in chapter one or will Tyson Fury put forth a performance which would likely lead to a third encounter down the road? All questions will be answered Saturday, December 21st.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Usyk vs. Fury 2 takes place on Saturday, December 21st at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight as well as it’s full undercard can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View for $39.99 beginning at 10:30AM ET/7:30AM PT (*U.S. Times Only*). For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, to subscribe and order this special pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com.  

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Can Whyte Continue To Build Momentum?

December 2024 in Boxing has seen the focus firmly planted on the Heavyweight division. With the highly anticipated rematch between undefeated unified WBO/WBA/IBO/WBC Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk and former champion Tyson Fury still to take place on December 21 in Saudi Arabia, the month of December has seen potential challengers for whomever should emerge from that fight victorious, angling for position. We have seen former two-time world title challenger Kubrat Pulev take his next step by scoring a convincing twelve round unanimous decision over longtime contender Manuel Charr. Now, another former world title challenger looks to make his argument as longtime contender Dillian Whyte will return to the ring on Sunday, December 15th in Gibraltar at the Europa Point Sports Complex to face  contender Ebenezer Tetteh. 

The scheduled ten round Heavyweight bout, which can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, will be Whyte’s third bout since coming up short against then WBC Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury in April 2022. Since that loss, where he was knocked out in the sixth round, Whyte has rebounded in his last two fights scoring victories over contenders Jermaine Franklin and Christian Hammer. In his previous fight in March, Whyte scored a third round stoppage of Hammer. 

While the story of this fight is a simple one to describe in a longtime top contender looking to put himself back into the Heavyweight championship picture, the subplot here will be what Whyte’s opposition will be on this occasion. Ebenezer Tetteh will come into this fight with a record of 23-1, with 20 Knockouts, is riding a four fight knockout streak. Tetteh does have power in both hands and should be viewed as a potentially dangerous opponent for the thirty-six year old Whyte. The one blemish on Tetteh’s record, however, came against the one recognizable opponent on that ledger in the form of current IBF Heavyweight world champion Daniel Dubois, who knocked him out in one round in 2019 when Dubois was a rising contender.

This could be interpreted in a few ways. Although Tetteh has bounced back since that setback, he has only fought four times since that loss in 2019. What this fight will come down to is whether or not Tetteh is ready for the step up that he was not ready for when he faced Dubois. There is also the aspect of what version of Whyte will be in the ring.

Dillian Whyte has been in many grueling battles throughout his career and like Tetteh, he is capable of ending a fight with either hand, there have been times where he has appeared sluggish, most recently in his bout with Jermaine Franklin in November 2022, where he won a twelve round majority decision in a fight that some thought Franklin deserved the victory. The question, which will likely follow Whyte for the remainder of his career is not only one regarding consistency of his performances, but also one whether the accumulation of a long career and those grueling battles will show itself.

Whether or not that will happen against  Ebenezer Tetteh remains to be seen. When a notable Heavyweight such as Whyte competes, however, it will draw attention. Especially when the goal of every Heavyweight not currently a world champion or a challenger for a world championship is to get themselves into that position. With Pulev having scored a convincing victory over Manuel Charr, it is now time to see whether Whyte can put forth a performance that might nudge him ahead in the pecking order of potential future world title challengers or if Ebenezer Tetteh will be able to score what some will view as an upset and move his own name into that discussion.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Whyte vs. Tetteh takes place on Sunday, December 15th at the Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar. The fight can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 2:30 PM ET/11:30 AM PT. (*U.S. Times Only.*) For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Pulev And Bentley Score Big Wins In Europe

Saturday, December 7th saw two interesting bouts take place that shined the spotlight on Boxing’s European scene. In the long term, each outcome could also lead to something significant for the winners in terms of the world rankings in 2025. The first of these two bouts took place in Sofia, Bulgaria where top Heavyweight contenders Manuel Charr and former two-time world title challenger and hometown favorite Kubrat Pulev met in a scheduled twelve round bout where an Interim/Regular championship designation in the WBA Heavyweight ratings was at stake.

Outside of the designation, what looked over this fight in reality was an opportunity to become a mandatory challenger in the WBA ratings, which could lead to an opportunity to face the winner of the upcoming rematch between Unified World Heavyweight championship Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, which will take place in Saudi Arabia on December 21st. 

While this fight was fought in relatively close quarters as both fighters were content to stay within punching range from start to finish, it was Pulev who was able to dictate the fight. In simple terms, Pulev’s approach in this encounter had an emphasis on fundamentals. By working behind a consistent jab and frequently throwing right hands, either straight right hands, or right hooks, he was able to establish a pattern for the combat that Charr was simply unable to break.

A pattern of being put on the end of Pulev’s longer arms and being unable to get his punches off first. The success Pulev had in being able to land his right hand behind the jab eventually opened a cut over Charr’s left eye midway through the scheduled twelve round bout. Although the pattern did not change as the fight progressed, the close parameters in which the fight was fought did allow for some heated exchanges throughout. Though Charr was able to have some success periodically in landing counter hooks on Pulev, he simply could not change the ebb and flow of the combat, nor was he able to consistently use head movement to try and avoid the right hand of Pulev. It was Pulev’s fundamental approach that ultimately resulted in his winning a wide and convincing twelve round unanimous decision on the official scorecards.  What may be ahead for both Pulev and Charr will be discussed at the end of this column. 

The second bout that took place during this day saw the action move from Sofia, Bulgaria to London, England where British Middleweight champion Brad Pauls made the second defense of his title against former British Middleweight champion Denzel Bentley in a twelve round bout. While British championship honors were on the line in this bout as well as bragging rights in terms of the British Boxing scene, the stakes of this fight were increased as the vacant European Middleweight championship was also on the line, which could serve as a springboard to a potential shot at a world championship.

What stood out to this observer was Bentley's ability to control distance and be a sharpshooter in the first four rounds. Bentley did this by putting an emphasis on lateral movement and keeping Pauls on the end of his jab, throwing right hands to the head and body, then using his legs to avoid Pauls.

This made things difficult for the British champion, but he did begin to close the gap in round five by becoming a bit more aggressive and gradually closing the distance between himself and Bentley. Pauls did this by trying to apply pressure and push Bentley back towards the ropes and corners of the ring. Although it was a gradual process, Pauls approach allowed him to incrementally pick up his punch output and he was able to land some solid hooks and straight right hands. 

The tempo appeared to be shifting slightly in the champion’s favor after eight rounds simply because he was able to adapt and change his approach. As the fight entered the tenth round, it appeared as though Pauls was potentially in the driver's seat, but just as the momentum seemed in his favor, he was forced to take a knee when Benley landed a jab that appeared to land on the eye. Pauls was able to get up, but in what appeared to be a close fight developing, the knockdown would prove to be crucial.

Following the knockdown, Bentley appeared to regain control of the contest in terms of being able to dictate the tempo as Pauls tried to reestablish what had been working for him prior to being knocked down. He was not able to, however, and Bentley was able to secure a convincing unanimous decision victory by sweeping the final three rounds of the bout. In terms of scoring, Bentley won by margins of 117-110, 116-111, and 115-112 on the three official scorecards. Bentley being able to score a 10-8 round in round ten because of the knockdown, as well as sweeping the final two rounds of the twelve round championship bout ended up sealing his victory.

For Bentley, what might come next could be a world championship fight in 2025. Not only because he won the European Middleweight championship by defeating Pauls in addition to regaining the British Middleweight championship, but more specifically because Pauls was recognized as the WBO’s number one contender heading into this bout, which now in theory puts Bentley into the number one mandatory challenger position for current unified WBO/IBF World Middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly. Whether or not Bentley gets that fight or might possibly look into a potential rematch with Pauls, which would draw much interest in the United Kingdom might come down to what the WBO and IBF decide what's next for Alimkhanuly in terms of his mandatory defense obligations.

As for the winner of the Heavyweight bout that took place on this Saturday in Europe, Kubrat Pulev might now be on a short list of potential challengers for the winner of the rematch between undefeated unified WBO/IBO/WBA/WBC world champion Oleksandr Usyk and former two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury. Obviously, we will not know the outcome of that rematch until they meet on December 21st, but in reality both Pulev and Charr, who fought for the first time in two years when he faced Pulev after a lengthy period of inactivity caused in part by legal entanglements involving the WBA, could still have room to maneuver with no shortage of contenders, former world champions, and also current IBF world champion Daniel Dubois all lurking in the Heavyweight division. The attention, however, will move to Usyk and Fury before all the above likely decide what is next for them as they look to improve their position in the crowded Heavyweight landscape.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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