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The Heavyweight Road Map: Every Belt, Every Fight, Every Path Through 2026

April 4, 2026 • 4 min read

The heavyweight division has not been this active or this clearly mapped in years. Five fights over the next seven weeks will determine the title picture, the legacy fights, and the next generation. Here is where every major heavyweight stands right now and where each road leads.

The Belts

Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) holds the WBC, WBA Super, and IBF heavyweight titles. He is 39 years old and has not fought since knocking out Daniel Dubois in five rounds at Wembley Stadium in July 2025. Usyk has said he plans three more fights before retiring.

Fabio Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KOs) holds the WBO heavyweight title. He was elevated to full champion in November 2025 after Usyk vacated rather than face him as the mandatory challenger. Wardley earned the position by stopping Joseph Parker in the 11th round at the O2 Arena in October 2025.

Murat Gassiev (33-2, 28 KOs) holds the WBA Regular heavyweight title after stopping Kubrat Pulev in December 2025. The WBC interim title is held by Agit Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs).

The Next Seven Weeks

Five fights between now and late May will reshape the division.

On April 11, Tyson Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) returns from retirement to face Arslanbek Makhmudov (19-1, 19 KOs) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Netflix. Fury has not fought since losing a unanimous decision to Usyk in their rematch in December 2024. A win keeps Fury in the conversation for a Joshua superfight and a potential Usyk trilogy. A loss likely ends his career.

On April 25, Jarrell Miller (27-1-2, 22 KOs) faces unbeaten Lenier Pero (13-0, 8 KOs) at the BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas in a WBA heavyweight title eliminator. The winner positions himself as a mandatory challenger for Usyk’s WBA title. Miller is back with Matchroom after a split decision win over Kingsley Ibeh in January at Madison Square Garden. He has a 10th-round TKO loss to Daniel Dubois, and a majority draw with Andy Ruiz Jr. Pero is a 2016 Olympian and two-time Pan American gold medalist.

On May 9, Wardley defends the WBO title against Daniel Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs) at Co-op Live in Manchester. Dubois held the IBF title before Usyk knocked him out in the rematch. The winner will be positioned for a potential unification with Usyk later in the year. Promoter Frank Warren has said he is open to negotiating that fight.

On May 23, Usyk defends the WBC title against former Glory kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Usyk has said this is the first of his final three fights.

The Legacy Fights

Anthony Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) is the swing piece in the heavyweight picture. He has not fought since knocking out Jake Paul in six rounds in December 2025. Two fights are being discussed for later in 2026, and neither has a signed contract.

Reports from March 31 indicate that Deontay Wilder (45-4-1, 43 KOs) has agreed to face Joshua in Britain, with the fight expected at Wembley Stadium or Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in late summer or early fall. The location has been the primary sticking point in negotiations for years, and Wilder’s willingness to travel to the UK is a shift from his previous position. Wilder won a split decision over Derek Chisora on April 4 at the O2 Arena in London in what was his 50th professional fight.

Separately, promoter Kalle Sauerland said on April 3 that he has heard Joshua vs. Fury is done for Dublin later this year. Frank Warren has said Fury wants to fight Usyk a third time, but Joshua remains a massive commercial option if Fury comes through against Makhmudov on April 11.

If Fury beats Makhmudov, Joshua vs. Fury in Dublin is likely the bigger payday and may happen first. If Fury loses, Joshua vs. Wilder in London becomes the primary fallback. Eddie Hearn has said Joshua is the priority for the Wilder fight but acknowledged negotiations have been slow.

The Next Generation

Moses Itauma (14-0, 12 KOs) is 21 years old and is the highest-ranked young heavyweight in the world. He knocked out Jermaine Franklin in five rounds on March 28 at Co-op Live in Manchester. Franklin had never been stopped before in fights that included Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. Itauma is ranked number one by both the WBA and the WBO.

Promoter Frank Warren has said he is “very confident” that Itauma will fight for a world title in 2026. A fight against WBA Regular champion Gassiev has been discussed, with Gassiev’s promoter publicly confirming readiness. Itauma is also the WBO’s number one contender, which could put him in line for the winner of Wardley vs. Dubois. Warren has said Itauma will return in the summer first before any title fight is finalized.

Itauma’s trainer Ben Davison has said that Itauma would take a fight with Usyk now. Itauma himself has acknowledged a pecking order in the division but has said he considers himself one of the best heavyweights in the world.

Usyk’s Three-Fight Plan

Usyk has publicly outlined the remainder of his career. His first fight is Verhoeven on May 23. His second target is the winner of Wardley vs. Dubois. His third and final fight would be a trilogy with Fury. Warren has said he is open to negotiating Usyk vs. the Wardley-Dubois winner and has confirmed that a Usyk-Fury trilogy remains a real possibility.

If Usyk follows this plan, the final stretch of his career runs through late 2026 and into 2027. The WBA mandatory situation could also factor in depending on the outcome of Miller vs. Pero on April 25.