While the boxing world continues to turn in anticipation of who unified, four-belt heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk will fight next, a key member of Team-Usyk has put forth a most tantalising proposition.
Wardley vs. Itauma: A Dream Collision
When it comes to which contender fans want to see Usyk grant a shot, it largely seems to come down to two names: Fabio Wardley (the WBO mandatory challenger and, courtesy of his recent, thrilling TKO winning fight with Joe Parker, the one warrior some fans do see as being able to give Usyk nightmares), and Moses Itauma (the red-hot 20 year old all of boxing seems to be talking about right now).
But Usyk Team Director Sergey Lapin has come out with a great idea: the two undefeated British heavyweights fight each other, and then the winner gets a crack at Usyk.
“It would be great to see Fabio face Itauma for the world title. It would be a truly exciting fight and a serious test for both before facing the big boss of boxing,” Lapin said when speaking with Pro Boxing Fans.”
Two British Lions, One Heavyweight Throne
It would indeed be a fascinating fight, and a guaranteed exciting fight, if Wardley, 20-0-1(19) and Itauma, 13-0(11) rumbled. But is this asking too much? Both undefeated fighters know they are sitting pretty as far as getting their shot soon enough, so why would Wardley and Itauma risk things in a major way by fighting each other?
That said, Usyk has to decide who he will fight next, and he has to decide quite soon. Usyk may still be at the top of his game, but a number of young and hungry fighters are lining up to try and take what he’s got. Who should Usyk fight next – Wardley, Itauma, Agit Kabayel (assuming Kabayel gets past Damien Kynba in January), or someone else?