BoxRec

WBC: Kabayel
WBA: Gassiev
IBF: Hrgovic

All tough blokes but for the glamour division this is a desultory lineup.

30 years ago there was a brief hellish period where Bruno, Seldon and Botha held all the silverware, a comparable low -- but the division also had Tyson, Bowe, Lewis, Holyfield, Moorer and Foreman, plus Roy Jones talking about moving up.

Who's going to rescue the division this time? Fury's future is short, Joshua shouldn't be fighting, Usyk is 40.

(I realise I forgot to list Dubois as WBO champ and you all will insist on including the WBO as a major belt now.)

Looks a bit grim out there.

I partly agree, but this is a very early snapshot of three reigns that only exist because Usyk vacated.

Gassiev was elevated and has made one defence against a replacement after Yoka pulled out. Kabayel was elevated and hasn’t defended yet. Hrgovic literally just won the vacant IBF belt.

And their resumes aren’t uniquely bad. Kabayel has Zhang, Sanchez, Makhmudov and Chisora. Hrgovic has Zhang, Joyce and now Itauma. Gassiev was already a unified cruiserweight champion with Lebedev and Dorticos.

Wilder had little beyond Stiverne when he first won the WBC belt and AJ had basically Whyte before beating Charles Martin.

I think part of the “grim” perception is simply that Kabayel, Gassiev and Hrgovic aren’t British or American stars. The names are less glamorous than the actual level.

Absolutely, it's partly because they're not American. Boxing was at its most exciting and prestigious when America was dominant. It's also a totally different style of boxing. A 90s equivalent would've been having Zolkin, Schulz and Mavrovic as champs. Zzzzz.

Read that as Tit List and on opening the thread was disappointed not to see pictures of breasts

At one point in 2006 it was

WBA: Nikolai Valuev
IBF: Chris Byrd
WBC: Hasim Rahman (elevated from interim)
WBO: Siarhei Liakhovich

It looks pretty grim. Anything coming through from the amateurs? Apparently Jalolov is going back for another Olympics SMH

The two prospects I like are Teremoana and Olaniyan

JC wrote: ↑01 Sep 2026, 11:25 At one point in 2006 it was

WBA: Nikolai Valuev
IBF: Chris Byrd
WBC: Hasim Rahman (elevated from interim)
WBO: Siarhei Liakhovich

That's equally repellent. And it led to the unexplainable horrors of the concurrent Klitschko reigns.

What demonic forces might this current lineup of Hrgovic and co conjure up?

JamesPhilips wrote: ↑01 Sep 2026, 12:07 It looks pretty grim. Anything coming through from the amateurs? Apparently Jalolov is going back for another Olympics SMH

The two prospects I like are Teremoana and Olaniyan

Yes, Damar Thomas and Matt Williams from England. Both are good and are quite experienced for their age, Thomas more so internationally. Williams beat Olaniyan last season.

Gassiev might be as beatable as any of them have ever been.

Kabayel is a pretty good and consistent body puncher for a Heavyweight.

Hrgovic isn't much better than Gassiev, and won't last long.

I'd think any of the names of the division are chomping at the bit to get Gassiev or Hrg in the ring.

Riddick Bowie wrote: ↑01 Sep 2026, 10:25 WBC: Kabayel
WBA: Gassiev
IBF: Hrgovic

All tough blokes but for the glamour division this is a desultory lineup.

30 years ago there was a brief hellish period where Bruno, Seldon and Botha held all the silverware, a comparable low -- but the division also had Tyson, Bowe, Lewis, Holyfield, Moorer and Foreman, plus Roy Jones talking about moving up.

Who's going to rescue the division this time? Fury's future is short, Joshua shouldn't be fighting, Usyk is 40.

(I realise I forgot to list Dubois as WBO champ and you all will insist on including the WBO as a major belt now.)

Looks a bit grim out there.

To be fair and pedantic, I dont think Botha was ever world champ. Failed drug test meant he was stripped less than a week after getting it and his world title win annulled.

However, Herbie Hides and Henry Akinwsndes WBO reigns were in this period.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑01 Sep 2026, 13:38 Gassiev might be as beatable as any of them have ever been.

He's never been dropped, I've only seen him wobble once and he's really only a good style matchup for outside fighters. He'd be hell for Itauma.

stujones wrote: ↑01 Sep 2026, 14:15

Riddick Bowie wrote: ↑01 Sep 2026, 10:25 WBC: Kabayel
WBA: Gassiev
IBF: Hrgovic

All tough blokes but for the glamour division this is a desultory lineup.

30 years ago there was a brief hellish period where Bruno, Seldon and Botha held all the silverware, a comparable low -- but the division also had Tyson, Bowe, Lewis, Holyfield, Moorer and Foreman, plus Roy Jones talking about moving up.

Who's going to rescue the division this time? Fury's future is short, Joshua shouldn't be fighting, Usyk is 40.

(I realise I forgot to list Dubois as WBO champ and you all will insist on including the WBO as a major belt now.)

Looks a bit grim out there.

To be fair and pedantic, I dont think Botha was ever world champ. Failed drug test meant he was stripped less than a week after getting it and his world title win annulled.

However, Herbie Hides and Henry Akinwsndes WBO reigns were in this period.

If you're going to be a pedant at least be accurate. Botha was champ for several months. He was still IBF champ while Tyson was thrashing Bruno.

The WBO was a secondary title in the 90s and the undisputed champion didn't need to hold the WBO belt to be undisputed.

Heldenjaeger wrote: ↑01 Sep 2026, 15:04

gilgamesh wrote: ↑01 Sep 2026, 13:38 Gassiev might be as beatable as any of them have ever been.

He's never been dropped, I've only seen him wobble once and he's really only a good style matchup for outside fighters. He'd be hell for Itauma.

Fury, Dubois, Kabayel, Hrgovic, Frank Sanchez, Wardley, Joseph Parker when he returns, Jarrell Miller

All guys I'd pick to beat Gassiev.

Anthony Joshua as shot as he's looked lately would be 50/50 with Gassiev to me.

Riddick Bowie wrote: ↑01 Sep 2026, 15:18

stujones wrote: ↑01 Sep 2026, 14:15

Riddick Bowie wrote: ↑01 Sep 2026, 10:25 WBC: Kabayel
WBA: Gassiev
IBF: Hrgovic

All tough blokes but for the glamour division this is a desultory lineup.

30 years ago there was a brief hellish period where Bruno, Seldon and Botha held all the silverware, a comparable low -- but the division also had Tyson, Bowe, Lewis, Holyfield, Moorer and Foreman, plus Roy Jones talking about moving up.

Who's going to rescue the division this time? Fury's future is short, Joshua shouldn't be fighting, Usyk is 40.

(I realise I forgot to list Dubois as WBO champ and you all will insist on including the WBO as a major belt now.)

Looks a bit grim out there.

To be fair and pedantic, I dont think Botha was ever world champ. Failed drug test meant he was stripped less than a week after getting it and his world title win annulled.

However, Herbie Hides and Henry Akinwsndes WBO reigns were in this period.

If you're going to be a pedant at least be accurate. Botha was champ for several months. He was still IBF champ while Tyson was thrashing Bruno.

The WBO was a secondary title in the 90s and the undisputed champion didn't need to hold the WBO belt to be undisputed.

Even now it's rare to have 3 of the 4 and not be considered The Boss of the division. Though it does happen in rare circumstances. Such as with Spence and Crawford or the Fury/Wilder/Joshua situation of years back which finally worked itself out and now is in need of being worked out again.

Basically impossible to have all the belts due to the WBA's infernal super champ rule.

I hope Dana White liquidates all of them and we return to the glorious days of one champ per division.

Michael Bentt would be my nomination.

A really mediocre professional boxer who got very lucky against Tommy Morrison and flopped badly against Herbie Hide.

THEBUTCH wrote: ↑04 Sep 2026, 16:39 Michael Bentt would be my nomination.

A really mediocre professional boxer who got very lucky against Tommy Morrison and flopped badly against Herbie Hide.

Agree Bentt was terrible but when he won the silly WBO belt Bowe held the WBA and IBF and Lewis the WBC, and those two would be among the best titlists ever.