Oleksandr Usyk vs. Fabio Wardley - 2026 - Who wins?

[Grilling Machine]

Perhaps Uysk will wait for them to all beat each other, then take the biggest money fight, Fury

Itauma's probably the biggest Saudi opponent for Usyk after Wardley, while AJ-Fury is still the biggest fight. Usyk-Fury's worth less than either. Kabayel's unfairly frozen out.

[Cyclops]

A fight against Usyk would sell out Wembley, but having been to Wembley to see Dubious v Usyk it's not a fight I would go and see, living too far up north and knowing the logistics of getting away from Wembley.

What we have in England, is no northern stadium that can seat 90k spectators. We need a huge stadium somewhere near Leeds that can fit maybe 100k. I'm not keen on traveling to wembley again, ever to see a sporting event, no matter who is competing.

The London Stadium does 80,000 for concerts, and it is within walking distance from an international overground train station, unlike dogshit Wembley. Why not have it there?

Maybe the owners don't like boxing?

[Ruthless-RKO]

A fight against Usyk would sell out Wembley, but having been to Wembley to see Dubious v Usyk it's not a fight I would go and see, living too far up north and knowing the logistics of getting away from Wembley.

What we have in England, is no northern stadium that can seat 90k spectators. We need a huge stadium somewhere near Leeds that can fit maybe 100k. I'm not keen on traveling to wembley again, ever to see a sporting event, no matter who is competing.

The London Stadium does 80,000 for concerts, and it is within walking distance from an international overground train station, unlike dogshit Wembley. Why not have it there?

Maybe the owners don't like boxing?

West Ham’s Olympic stadium?

It’s a strange one.

Boxing has never gone to Emirates as well.

[MasterG]

A fight against Usyk would sell out Wembley, but having been to Wembley to see Dubious v Usyk it's not a fight I would go and see, living too far up north and knowing the logistics of getting away from Wembley.

What we have in England, is no northern stadium that can seat 90k spectators. We need a huge stadium somewhere near Leeds that can fit maybe 100k. I'm not keen on traveling to wembley again, ever to see a sporting event, no matter who is competing.

The London Stadium does 80,000 for concerts, and it is within walking distance from an international overground train station, unlike dogshit Wembley. Why not have it there?

Maybe the owners don't like boxing?

West Ham’s Olympic stadium?

It’s a strange one.

Boxing has never gone to Emirates as well.

I think the point I'm trying to make is that have a huge stadium in a central part of the country for easy access for all, not just Londoners.

By having a stadium centrally I'm certain you could fill it with more than 100k of spectators. Of course this would make it a logistical nightmare for people concerned but it could be worked out.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Dillian Whyte expects Oleksandr Usyk to give Fabio Wardley shot at becoming undisputed heavyweight world champion

Fabio Wardley stunned Joseph Parker to become the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk's WBO heavyweight title, one of the four major belts held by the Ukrainian; Wardley's manager and fellow heavyweight Dillian Whyte has full confidence in the Ipswich fighter

Dillian Whyte expects Fabio Wardley to get a shot at Oleksandr Usyk's heavyweight titles, and is tipping the fighter he manages to become an undisputed champion in the future.

Wardley stunned Joseph Parker last month to become the mandatory challenger for Usyk's WBO heavyweight title, one of the four major belts held by the Ukrainian.

Usyk has earned a reputation for not shying away from any opponent, having beaten British trio Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois twice each after stepping up from dominating the cruiserweight division.

"Usyk doesn't seem to run away from any challenge. He's faced all the best fighters," said Whyte, who manages Wardley despite remaining active in the heavyweight division himself.

"If you look at the last 10 fights Oleksandr has had, it's the best fighter at cruiserweight, the best in the world, the best at heavyweight, the best in the world… There's no reason why he shouldn't fight Fabio.

"You never know a big fight might come out of left field for Usyk, but as a fan and as the kind of person I think is, I don't think he'll vacate. I think he'll fight Fabio Wardley.

"If he beats Fabio Wardley on top of the list of all the people he's beaten, that puts him definitely as the greatest fighter of the last 20 years.

"He's fought champions, contenders, top contenders and he's fighting different fighters across different generations as well and beating them, he's beaten all the guys in his generation, the guys before him and the guys that's coming after him."

Ipswich fighter Wardley has already caused several upsets to establish himself as one of the division's top contenders.

The 30-year-old saw off fellow Brits David Adeleye and Frazer Clarke before handing Australian Justis Huni the first defeat of his career with a stunning knockout at Portman Road.

Whyte insists he saw Wardley's potential from the beginning and wouldn't be surprised to see him become an undisputed world champion.

"I think people should have given Wardley the respect he deserves a while ago," Whyte said.

"I saw something in him that he himself is just seeing now and the world is seeing now.

"He just keeps beating all these guys… guys who should be destroying him and he beats them up easily.

"I think Fabio's going to be a world champion and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being an undisputed world champion."

[jtourettes]

A fight against Usyk would sell out Wembley, but having been to Wembley to see Dubious v Usyk it's not a fight I would go and see, living too far up north and knowing the logistics of getting away from Wembley.

What we have in England, is no northern stadium that can seat 90k spectators. We need a huge stadium somewhere near Leeds that can fit maybe 100k. I'm not keen on traveling to wembley again, ever to see a sporting event, no matter who is competing.

The London Stadium does 80,000 for concerts, and it is within walking distance from an international overground train station, unlike dogshit Wembley. Why not have it there?

Maybe the owners don't like boxing?

Stratford International is international in name only, currently.

[Cyclops]

A fight against Usyk would sell out Wembley, but having been to Wembley to see Dubious v Usyk it's not a fight I would go and see, living too far up north and knowing the logistics of getting away from Wembley.

What we have in England, is no northern stadium that can seat 90k spectators. We need a huge stadium somewhere near Leeds that can fit maybe 100k. I'm not keen on traveling to wembley again, ever to see a sporting event, no matter who is competing.

The London Stadium does 80,000 for concerts, and it is within walking distance from an international overground train station, unlike dogshit Wembley. Why not have it there?

Maybe the owners don't like boxing?

Stratford International is international in name only, currently.

True that. Same with Ebbsfleet international. Hopefully one day they'll both go to France again. Well, it's still a big proper train station, and one stop from Kings Cross St Pancras, which is still a true international station. And there's the DLR next to Stratford International, the Central Line, Lizzy Line and Overground at Stratford. The point being, it's much better situated than Wembley, which I hate.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[JC]

For the build-up, someone should go and interview all of Wardley's white collar opponents.

Imagine being one of those guys and seeing him go on the fight for the undisputed HW title.

[joshj909]

For the build-up, someone should go and interview all of Wardley's white collar opponents.

Imagine being one of those guys and seeing him go on the fight for the undisputed HW title.

That's actually unique and interesting promo which is actually good rather than them repeatedly telling us 15 times per fight that he was a white-collar boxer. Get them to talk through their fight with him and all the prep then ask them how it's been for them watching him as a pro in the pub with their mates and talking about their colleagues in the office the next day.

[JamesPhilips]

For the build-up, someone should go and interview all of Wardley's white collar opponents.

Imagine being one of those guys and seeing him go on the fight for the undisputed HW title.

lol he didnt fight white collar. Unlicensed yes

[keithmoonhangover]

For the build-up, someone should go and interview all of Wardley's white collar opponents.

Imagine being one of those guys and seeing him go on the fight for the undisputed HW title.

lol he didnt fight white collar. Unlicensed yes

In the media, they keep talking about him coming from a white collar background

[JamesPhilips]

For the build-up, someone should go and interview all of Wardley's white collar opponents.

Imagine being one of those guys and seeing him go on the fight for the undisputed HW title.

lol he didnt fight white collar. Unlicensed yes

In the media, they keep talking about him coming from a white collar background

I know and it’s cringe. The fights I’ve see are no head guard and no vest. Also one of them he fought an ex pro, though I think the pro was a lightweight in his career

[CaptainSpacerod]

A fight against Usyk would sell out Wembley, but having been to Wembley to see Dubious v Usyk it's not a fight I would go and see, living too far up north and knowing the logistics of getting away from Wembley.

What we have in England, is no northern stadium that can seat 90k spectators. We need a huge stadium somewhere near Leeds that can fit maybe 100k. I'm not keen on traveling to wembley again, ever to see a sporting event, no matter who is competing.

Man Utd will soon have 100k

They around 70k now aren’t they? But old Trafford is a shitthole

Yep and 40k of them must come from down south / Scandinavia / the far east

[keithmoonhangover]

lol he didnt fight white collar. Unlicensed yes

In the media, they keep talking about him coming from a white collar background

I know and it’s cringe. The fights I’ve see are no head guard and no vest. Also one of them he fought an ex pro, though I think the pro was a lightweight in his career

I don't know, this looks pretty white collar to me. Plus, I've never heard him once correct anyone when they mention his white collar background.

[JamesPhilips]

In the media, they keep talking about him coming from a white collar background

I know and it’s cringe. The fights I’ve see are no head guard and no vest. Also one of them he fought an ex pro, though I think the pro was a lightweight in his career

I don't know, this looks pretty white collar to me. Plus, I've never heard him once correct anyone when they mention his white collar background.

I guess it all depends on how you define white collar. White collar just used to be genuine office workers who wanted to have a boxing match but with 16oz gloves and and head guards….

It means different things to different people. But to me, if you’re not wearing a head guard and a vest it’s unlicensed.

The media love the narrative though cos it’s a great sounding story "from white collar to world (interim) champ !" Fabio just goes along with it I guess it gets PR.

It’s a bit disingenuous as if he’s he first to ever do it. Plenty of world class and world champs had no amateur career or few fights. Rocky Marciano started at 23 and only had 9 amateur bouts. Thats rarely mentioned oddly. Anthony Mundine had no amateur or white collar or unlicensed yet became world champ. Chris Algieri, no amateur fights.
Billy Conn I think. It’s just not the big story the media make out.

To me the Fabio white collar story is just lazy journalism and an easy story

[Ruthless-RKO]

allegedly: Wardley beating Usyk would be the biggest win ever

Whenever a British fighter steps into the ring with one of the sport’s greats, a standard pre-fight talking point is where a win would rank on a list of British boxing’s greatest nights.

Randolph Turpin’s famous victory over the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson is always brought up, as is Lloyd Honeyghan’s stunning stoppage of the brilliant undisputed welterweight champion Donald Curry.

Fabio Wardley’s promoter, allegedly, believes that if the former recruitment consultant and white collar boxer can overcome a vast gulf in experience and become the first professional to beat undisputed heavyweight champion and pound-for-pound star Oleksandr Usyk, it would overshadow everything that has gone before it.

“If he did that it is – in world boxing – the biggest thing ever.” Warren told The Ring. “Not British, world boxing. No amateur experience. A couple of white-collar fights fighting Joe Blow from Alamo, and then, after 21 fights, he’s the mandatory challenger to Usyk. If Usyk don't fight him, he'll be declared champion.

“It's like Cinderella stuff, and he’s learnt on the job. He’s gone into every fight probably as an underdog and come through them all.”

British boxing has been waiting for a blue collar hero to emerge.

Almost everybody knows somebody like WBO interim champion, Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KOs). Millions of people work 9-5 during the day and chase their own sporting dreams in the evening. Thousands of thrill seeking teenagers and out of shape 40-somethings sign up for charity white collar fights and turn into weekend warriors.

Wardley, of course, was a world class athlete hiding in plain sight, but his story will resonate with almost every sports fan who hears it. And although Wardley himself has mentioned that he believes he has outgrown the white collar tag, it is a story he will have to repeat again and again as he breaks into the mainstream.

“I see him with the people," Warren said, "he's really liked. There's no entourage, he just talks. He's a lovely guy, and I'll tell you what he is, he's a warrior.

“He's got a good heart. What people are also forgetting, he's got a good chin. He took some whacks in that fight [with Parker].

“If he fights Usyk, it’s a crossover fight. Everybody knows Usyk. That's what it would be. If he doesn't, he'll be declared champion, and he'll fight one of the [other] guys.

“It'll be easy to make a fight for him then, because someone would want to fight for the title. Any of those guys, Daniel [Dubois] or anyone. A rematch again with Joseph Parker. I'd watch that again.”

Wardley didn’t pull on a pair of boxing gloves until he was 20 years old, and, given his incredible progress, many have speculated just what he might be capable of had he started training 10 years earlier.

Wardley is clearly a quick learner, and Rob Hodgins and the team at the Ben Davison Performance Centre have done a remarkable job in fettling away his rough edges. But it is his willingness to dig his toes into the canvas and take risks that makes him such a dangerous, unpredictable puzzle.

Fighters like Frazer Clarke, Justis Huni and Parker have spent years sparring and fighting top amateurs and experienced heavyweights only to discover to their cost that Wardley doesn’t react in they way they expect him to.

“He learns,” Warren said. “A lot of them don't expect the angles that the punches come from. It’s not like conventional stuff.

“I'll tell you what I would have liked [against Parker]. He's a good finisher, but that he'd been more accurate as he lets them go. But that's happening.”