It seems that a changing of the guard may be on the horizon for the heavyweight division. And that inevitability has led former heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury, to assess who looks most likely to ascend to the throne over the next few years.
Fury is one of the most decorated boxers in recent memory, having clinched heavyweight belts from the WBO, WBA, WBC, IBO, and The Ring. The Gypsy King was unbeaten after 35 fights, with 34 wins, before he met Oleksandr Usyk for the first time in May last year. Sadly for Fury, the loss to the Ukrainian cost him both his unbeaten record and his WBC title.
Following a failed attempt to win the title back from The Cat last December, Fury officially retired shortly after. However, excitement has swelled once more around a spectacular return, after The Furious One called out Usyk for a trilogy capper. A provisional date has been suggested for April 2026.
But Fury isn’t the only notable heavyweight who has retirement on the brain. Coming up to a year since his loss to Daniel Dubois, it remains to be seen when Anthony Joshua returns to the ring. The 35-year-old isn’t getting any younger and many boxing fans will be questioning whether he’s capable of recapturing the form that made him a two-time unified champion.
Current heavyweight champion, Usyk, is even closer to the 40 mark. The 38-year-old Ukrainian remains unbeaten after 24 fights, having essentially beaten every top contender in the heavyweight division. Having made his fortune and secured his legacy as a generational talent, The Cat may be wondering what’s left to achieve in the sport.
The Future of the Heavyweight Division
Tyson Fury has revealed his tip to take over the division
As these heavyweight greats move closer towards retirement, Fury has speculated on who is best placed to take up the mantle. One boxer grabbing the attention of fans, fighters, and journalists alike is 20-year-old Moses Itauma. The young British boxer is 12-0, having knocked out his last eight opponents in the first or second round. His next fight, an August date with Dillian Whyte, will be his biggest challenge yet. A win against the former world title challenger would significantly boost his future world champion credentials.
However, Fury has pointed to a 26-0 heavyweight who splits the difference between the old guard and emerging talents. At 32, Agit Kabayel is well-placed to ascend to the throne, according to a cautious Fury.
Agit Kabayel’s professional boxing record (as of 23/07/25)
26 fights
26 wins
0 losses
By knockout
18
0
By decision
8
0
“F*** that, f*** fighting him. Agit’s taking over now, it’s takeover time.”
The German fighter won the WBC interim heavyweight title in February, stopping the impressive Zhilei Zhang. Last year, Kabayel ended Frank Sanchez’s 24-fight unbeaten streak, and he also has a 2017 victory over Derek Chisora to his name. Now, in his peak period as a boxer, Kabayel has expressed a desire to fight Usyk. And now, as WBC number one, that tantalising bout looks closer than ever to becoming a reality.
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