The division’s four major titles are currently held by different champions, with Warren promoting three of them, including Daniel Dubois, who defends his WBO belt against Fabio Wardley in London on Saturday. The heavyweight landscape has undergone significant shifts since the historic era-defining fights of recent years, and promoters are already positioning their fighters for the next wave of major clashes.
"The plan is to make the unification fights happen and try to get Usyk back in it," Warren told the 5 Live Boxing podcast, outlining his strategic vision for the coming years. "No-one can say we’re keeping guys apart."
Dubois and Wardley meet at the O2 Arena this weekend, coming just five months after Dubois recovered from two early knockdowns to stop his British rival in the 11th round of a thrilling and punishing encounter in Manchester. That first fight captured the imagination of the British boxing public and established both men among the elite tier of heavyweights. Now, the stakes are even higher as they step back into the ring for what promises to be another explosive chapter in their rivalry.
Warren, who also promotes WBC champion Agit Kabayel and IBF title-holder Filip Hrgovic, believes Saturday’s winner will be in an exceptionally strong position to pursue further world titles and force mandatory positions or unification bouts across the governing bodies.
The Queensberry Promotions boss also revealed that the WBA ‘super’ heavyweight championship will be at stake when Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua meet in Cardiff on 11 December.
"The WBA have put that belt up for them," Warren said regarding the blockbuster domestic showdown. However, the sanctioning body has yet to publicly confirm the arrangement, with Russia’s Murat Gassiev still currently listed as its sole heavyweight world champion on official records.
Gassiev could potentially be relegated to ‘regular’ champion status if the WBA formally awards its primary ‘super’ title to the winner of the Fury-Joshua clash, a move that would streamline the division’s titles further.
The division’s recent history was defined by Usyk, who became the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era when he defeated Fury in a classic encounter in May 2024. The Ukrainian star—who more recently narrowly escaped a major scare against boxing novice Rico Verhoeven in May—has since vacated his world titles, leaving the heavyweight division open to a new generation of ambitious champions and contenders eager to establish their own legacies.
Itauma to return in January after first defeat
Warren also confirmed that British heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma will return to the ring in January as he looks to rebuild his career following his first professional setback and chart a clear path back toward challenging for a world title in 2027.
The 21-year-old suffered his first professional defeat in August when he was stopped in the ninth round by Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic, who claimed the vacant IBF heavyweight title in a dramatic and grueling battle. Itauma had dominated the early rounds of the contest with his trademark speed and combination punching before tiring significantly and ultimately being overwhelmed by his more experienced and physically imposing opponent.
"He’s fighting in January. We’ll be announcing his fight in the next couple of weeks," Warren said, confirming that the young contender is eager to shake off the disappointment of the summer. "We had a constructive meeting a couple of weeks ago. We let the dust settle, talked about what happened against Hrgovic."
The Chatham fighter, who has compiled an impressive record of 14 wins from his 15 professional bouts, with 12 of those victories coming by way of knockout, had been fast-tracked toward a world-title shot after a string of devastating and rapid performances that left opponents dismantled within rounds. Long touted as a future cornerstone and star of the heavyweight division, Itauma now faces a crucial rebuilding process following his initial career setback.
"Moses comes back and has a fight and wants to be in the mix," Warren added, emphasizing the fighter’s unblemished ambition and determination to learn from the defeat. "He’s only 21 and he wants 2027 to be the year he wins a world title."
