Usyk to Vacate All Belts

[Taansend]

Plus going back to win the Cruiserweight title after winning the Heavyweight title is like being married to a Supermodel and ruining the relationship because you're trying to f*ck her significantly less attractive Sister.

Not the best analogy because loads of blokes would do something stupid like that

And they'd regret it. Same as Usyk would if he tries to f*ck the Sister here. Especially seeing as how he's already hit that with the Sister in this case

She was his first. He's never forgotten the thrill.

[DrDuke]

Wha?

The most interesting way to duck Kabayel.

[golden_labrador]

Plus going back to win the Cruiserweight title after winning the Heavyweight title is like being married to a Supermodel and ruining the relationship because you're trying to f*ck her significantly less attractive Sister.

wut

[gilgamesh]

Plus going back to win the Cruiserweight title after winning the Heavyweight title is like being married to a Supermodel and ruining the relationship because you're trying to f*ck her significantly less attractive Sister.

wut

I stand by that analogy dammit

[golden_labrador]

Plus going back to win the Cruiserweight title after winning the Heavyweight title is like being married to a Supermodel and ruining the relationship because you're trying to f*ck her significantly less attractive Sister.

wut

I stand by that analogy dammit

it works if you don't read it

[joshj909]

This is classy

[Ruthless-RKO]

What happens to the WBC, WBA, and IBF titles now?

WBC

Seems the clearest-cut of the vacancies, as the most likely scenario with the WBC is that Kabayel will be named their full champion. This is fair enough; Kabayel (27-0, 19 KO) has held the interim title since February 2025, when he beat Zhilei Zhang to win it, and defended in January against Damian Knyba.

This isn’t guaranteed, but the move to simply elevate Kabayel would be consistent with other recent events of this type, and the WBC clearly see Kabayel as worthy, or the order to face Usyk in the first place could or would have been avoided.

WBA

With the WBA, there is a ready-made “solution,” but we’ll see if it’s what they want. Usyk is vacating their ridiculous “super world” title, and Murat Gassiev already holds the secondary “world” title, which he won from faded veteran Kubrat Pulev last December. Gassiev is set to defend on July 11 against Tony Yoka.

The WBA could just recognize only Gassiev, but he’s not that big of a draw, and these things do matter. End of the day, the sanctioning bodies want good chunks of money from their fees and to be associated with big fights. It’s nothing to do with Gassiev personally, he’s just fought the fights he’s been able to get.

Now, to cover the bases, yes, the WBA did recently elevate David Jimenez from an interim status at super flyweight when Bam Rodriguez moved up, but:

Super flyweight and heavyweight are a different kettle of fish in terms of the money generated, and
Again, dumb as it may sound, “world” and “interim” are classed differently. Different things. The WBA can, in this case, choose to not sanction a “super world” title fight and just go with Gassiev for the time being, but that seems unlikely.
And it seems even less likely that Gassiev would get Rolly Privileges; he’s not going to get the treatment where Rolly Romero was recently elevated to “super world” status for no real reason other than Rolly’s perceived marketability. With Romero, there were not bigger names lurking. There was Jack Catterall and Shakhram Giyasov. Gassiev doesn’t have that situation.

At the moment, Moses Itauma is the WBA’s No. 1 ranked contender. He faces No. 6-rated WBA contender Filip Hrgovic on August 29. As goofy and convoluted as it may seem, that could be sanctioned for the “vacant” WBA “super world” title. They have done dumber things is all I’m saying.

Filling out the Nos. 2 through 5 slots are Jarrell Miller, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Nelson Hysa. Gurgen Hovhannisyan, Danier Pero, Artem Suslenkov, and Efe Ajagba are in the Nos. 7 though 10 slots.

Another option for the WBA could lie with two of those names: Fury and Joshua. If they are to meet late this year as anticipated, the WBA could wait for that and declare that fight to be for a “super world” title, citing their global reputations and accomplishments and stature, etc. Again, they’ve done dumber things.

IBF

The IBF, meanwhile, are often lauded because they follow their set rules, however dumb their rules may be or however bad their rankings. Neither of those things make them unique among the other three major bodies, but yes, they do tend to follow rules.

With the IBF, Frank Sanchez is currently the No. 1-ranked contender, having thumped Richard Torrez Jr in an eliminator in May. The No. 2 slot is vacant. Itauma and Hrgovic are ranked Nos. 3 and 4. That fight could be an eliminator to set up the winner against Sanchez.

Past those two, you’re looking down the line at Joshua at No. 5, Bakhodir Jalolov at No. 6 for whatever reason, Fury at No. 7, and Fabio Wardley, Deontay Wilder, and Richard Riakporhe rounding out the top 10. The aforementioned Torrez, Guido Vianello, Justis Huni, Ajagba, and Brandon Moore are the rest of the top 15.

[gilgamesh]

Joshua and Fury will be fighting for one of these belts. You can take that to the goddamn bank.

[Riddick Bowie]

Usyk has ruined boxing.

All the second raters are going to be heavyweight champs now. Creating interims then elevating them to champ instead of the time honoured tradition of having two men contesting a vacant title has further muddied things. Going to take years to sort out the mess, then, because Usyk set the precedent, the cycle will repeat.

And all of it will be DAZN PPV.

This sport has become a freak show for rubes. Lads, get a fire stick or get into a different sport.

[keithmoonhangover]

Joshua and Fury will be fighting for one of these belts. You can take that to the goddamn bank.

You don't think Fury will fight Kabayel for the WBC strap?

[Taansend]

Usyk has ruined boxing.

The fantastic irony of that statement coupled with your username is not lost on me.

Bravo

[Taansend]

So here's what we're going to see this year.

WBC - Kabayel gets upgraded & defends against Fury (this should have been an easy make with both promoted by FW but Fury is Zuffa bound maybe so who knows)

WBA - Gassiev gets upgraded & defends against Big Baby Miller

WBO - Dubois defends against Wardley winning on points this time.

IBF - Itauma v Hrgovic becomes an interim title fight. Or a full on one. AJ fights the winner.

[joshj909]

So here's what we're going to see this year.

WBC - Kabayel gets upgraded & defends against Fury (this should have been an easy make with both promoted by FW but Fury is Zuffa bound maybe so who knows)

WBA - Gassiev gets upgraded & defends against Big Baby Miller

WBO - Dubois defends against Wardley winning on points this time.

IBF - Itauma v Hrgovic becomes an interim title fight. Or a full on one. AJ fights the winner.

Sanchez will face the winner of the Itauma/Hrgovic fight for the IBF if it's not for another belt and they choose not to go for the WBO either.

[Taansend]

You're probably right. I forgot about him.

[Riddick Bowie]

This is classy

The post is written by AI and the gushing tone is cringeworthy.

[Riddick Bowie]

Usyk has ruined boxing.

The fantastic irony of that statement coupled with your username is not lost on me.

Bravo

Riddick Bowe vacating one belt which elevated Lennox Lewis to champion is comparable to this situation?

Not sure this is the zinger you thought it was.

[Taansend]

Usyk has ruined boxing.

The fantastic irony of that statement coupled with your username is not lost on me.

Bravo

Riddick Bowe vacating one belt which elevated Lennox Lewis to champion is comparable to this situation?

Not sure this is the zinger you thought it was.

The Riddick one was MUCH bigger, depriving the world of a superfight involving two prime Heavyweights who'd met in an Olympic final a few years earlier. There was NO reason for him to duck Lewis.

This is just an ageing champion freeing up the belts so he can take a final novelty fight for a few extra $$$. Is he ducking Kabayel? Possibly, but he's already done enough.

So thinking about it, it's a much bigger zinger than I thought it was. Thank you.

[Riddick Bowie]

The fantastic irony of that statement coupled with your username is not lost on me.

Bravo

Riddick Bowe vacating one belt which elevated Lennox Lewis to champion is comparable to this situation?

Not sure this is the zinger you thought it was.

The Riddick one was MUCH bigger, depriving the world of a superfight involving two prime Heavyweights who'd met in an Olympic final a few years earlier. There was NO reason for him to duck Lewis.

This is just an ageing champion freeing up the belts so he can take a final novelty fight for a few extra $$$. Is he ducking Kabayel? Possibly, but he's already done enough.

So thinking about it, it's a much bigger zinger than I thought it was. Thank you.

Sigh.

For your joke to work my username would have to be something like Foreman_vs_Grimsley.

In the context of 1993, ditching one belt and letting a fight with Lennox Lewis build into a Super Fight in 94, 95 made business sense. No party could have foreseen how events ultimately played out.

[gilgamesh]

Joshua and Fury will be fighting for one of these belts. You can take that to the goddamn bank.

You don't think Fury will fight Kabayel for the WBC strap?

No

[Taansend]

Riddick Bowe vacating one belt which elevated Lennox Lewis to champion is comparable to this situation?

Not sure this is the zinger you thought it was.

The Riddick one was MUCH bigger, depriving the world of a superfight involving two prime Heavyweights who'd met in an Olympic final a few years earlier. There was NO reason for him to duck Lewis.

This is just an ageing champion freeing up the belts so he can take a final novelty fight for a few extra $$$. Is he ducking Kabayel? Possibly, but he's already done enough.

So thinking about it, it's a much bigger zinger than I thought it was. Thank you.

Sigh.

For your joke to work my username would have to be something like Foreman_vs_Grimsley.

In the context of 1993, ditching one belt and letting a fight with Lennox Lewis build into a Super Fight in 94, 95 made business sense. No party could have foreseen how events ultimately played out.

Bigger sigh.

No. We all saw it for what it was. A blatant duck by a poorly managed fighter.

And over the next 18 months we're going to have some tremendous unification bouts in the Heavyweight division.

[gilgamesh]

The Riddick one was MUCH bigger, depriving the world of a superfight involving two prime Heavyweights who'd met in an Olympic final a few years earlier. There was NO reason for him to duck Lewis.

This is just an ageing champion freeing up the belts so he can take a final novelty fight for a few extra $$$. Is he ducking Kabayel? Possibly, but he's already done enough.

So thinking about it, it's a much bigger zinger than I thought it was. Thank you.

Sigh.

For your joke to work my username would have to be something like Foreman_vs_Grimsley.

In the context of 1993, ditching one belt and letting a fight with Lennox Lewis build into a Super Fight in 94, 95 made business sense. No party could have foreseen how events ultimately played out.

Bigger sigh.

No. We all saw it for what it was. A blatant duck by a poorly managed fighter.

And over the next 18 months we're going to have some tremendous unification bouts in the Heavyweight division.

Plus we have at least 1 more man who will get a crack at Usyk's Lineal status. The transition into the next Heavyweight era is beginning.

[Riddick Bowie]

The Riddick one was MUCH bigger, depriving the world of a superfight involving two prime Heavyweights who'd met in an Olympic final a few years earlier. There was NO reason for him to duck Lewis.

This is just an ageing champion freeing up the belts so he can take a final novelty fight for a few extra $$$. Is he ducking Kabayel? Possibly, but he's already done enough.

So thinking about it, it's a much bigger zinger than I thought it was. Thank you.

Sigh.

For your joke to work my username would have to be something like Foreman_vs_Grimsley.

In the context of 1993, ditching one belt and letting a fight with Lennox Lewis build into a Super Fight in 94, 95 made business sense. No party could have foreseen how events ultimately played out.

Bigger sigh.

No. We all saw it for what it was. A blatant duck by a poorly managed fighter.

And over the next 18 months we're going to have some tremendous unification bouts in the Heavyweight division.

$10m to fight a shot Michael Dokes is being poorly managed?

It's the same principle as Tyson deferring Holyfield after blowing out Carl Williams. He wasn't ducking, it's just the fight would become more lucrative by letting it build. Obviously no one expected Tokyo.

Bowe was box office. Lewis at that time wasn't. Lewis fought Tucker in a half empty Thomas & Mack in Vegas (sold out by Bowe); he fought national hero Frank Bruno in a Cardiff Stadium two thirds empty: he fought Phil Jackson in a near empty Convention Hall, culminating in his failing to sell out the 5,000 seat Wembley Arena in his hometown against Oliver McCall.

That last one was unfortunate because Bowe and Lewis had signed to fight for the WBC title on TVKO in 1995 but Lewis blew it.

Needing selective memory to protect a preferred narrative thirty years after an event says more about you than it does Bowe.

[Taansend]

Needing selective memory to protect a preferred narrative thirty years after an event says more about you than it does Bowe.

You're talking to yourself with that last line

People talk about Lewis as an all time great.

Unfortunately Bowe is mentioned as what could have been.

Poorly managed.

[gilgamesh]

Needing selective memory to protect a preferred narrative thirty years after an event says more about you than it does Bowe.

You're talking to yourself with that last line

People talk about Lewis as an all time great.

Unfortunately Bowe is mentioned as what could have been.

Poorly managed.

Bowe in my opinion is a great fighter. If not All Time great, then right near it. He was definitely poorly managed though that's for sure.

[Taansend]

Needing selective memory to protect a preferred narrative thirty years after an event says more about you than it does Bowe.

You're talking to yourself with that last line

People talk about Lewis as an all time great.

Unfortunately Bowe is mentioned as what could have been.

Poorly managed.

Bowe in my opinion is a great fighter. If not All Time great, then right near it. He was definitely poorly managed though that's for sure.

Bowe was amazing. He had it all. It's a shame he had Rock Newman who did great at initially getting money but not in terms of a long strategy.

I know Riddick Bowie is being a bit irrational about all this, but he shouldn't be. My initial comment was just in jest but he wants a row so he's f*cking getting one