Wardley has since said he plans to return in April and wants a recognised name attached to that fight. In interviews, he has repeatedly mentioned Usyk and Fury as his preferred opponents, describing both as the kinds of tests that define a reign rather than decorate it.
“I’d more than welcome it,” Wardley said to Sky Sports of Fury. “It would be a fight I’d be hugely up for. He’s one of the top players. Give me a call anytime.”
The problem is that neither man appears interested in moving in Wardley’s direction. Usyk is expected to pursue a limited run of legacy fights, with Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua all ahead of Wardley in commercial value. Fury, meanwhile, is expected to return via a controlled tune-up, with the same two names sitting above all others on his list.
For Fury, the calculation is obvious. Fighting Wardley risks everything and gains little. The money fights already exist. There is no reason to gamble them away.
Wardley has also mentioned Daniel Dubois as a possible alternative, suggesting that a fight later in the year could be built if circumstances allow. But Dubois is coming off a stoppage loss to Usyk and is in no position to take on another high-risk opponent without rebuilding first. From Dubois’ side, it would be a dangerous decision. From Wardley’s, it would still feel like a compromise.
That leaves Wardley in a familiar place for a new heavyweight champion. He has the belt. He has momentum. What he does not yet have is leverage.
Usyk has said he wants to fight three more times before stepping away. Unless one of those plans collapses, Wardley is likely watching from the outside. Fury’s path appears even narrower.
Wardley can call for the biggest names. He probably should. But the division rarely rewards that kind of honesty. For now, the title makes him important. It does not yet make him unavoidable.
Olly Campbell has been covering boxing since 2014, offering readers a clear ringside perspective and thoughtful analysis on many of the sport’s biggest nights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, corner adjustments, and the technical details that shape high-level bouts. Over the years, Olly has reported on major cards in Las Vegas, New York, London, and across the UK boxing circuit, earning a reputation for levelheaded, detail-driven coverage.