British rivals Fury and Joshua will meet in a long-awaited showdown at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, and now the WBA ‘super’ or primary title will officially be on the line.
It is a surprise move by boxing authorities, as the WBA already has a ‘regular’ titlist in Murat Gassiev, who had widely expected to be elevated to full champion following Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate the belt. Both Fury and Joshua previously suffered world title losses to Usyk, but this upcoming December encounter presents both men with an immediate and lucrative opportunity to reclaim a championship they have each held in years gone by.
"That is the case at the moment. That’s going to be on the line," Warren, who promotes Fury through Queensberry Promotions, told Sky Sports News.
The stakes for the December 11 clash have added a layer of legitimacy and competitive fire to an already massive domestic encounter. While boxing politics often complicate title pictures, the decision to attach the WBA ‘super’ belt to the bout aligns with the broader ambition of crowning a definitive king in a division that has experienced significant shifting of gold.
"Whoever wins that, they’ve got a version of the belt and the objective, after Usyk vacated all the belts, is to find out who’s the best, who’s going to hold all the belts, who’s going to be the No 1 heavyweight," Warren explained.
The heavyweight division has entered a dynamic phase of rebuilding and restructuring following Usyk’s historic undisputed reign. With the belts scattered, top contenders and former champions are positioning themselves for a clean sweep of the division in the years ahead.
"I’m sure Usyk will be back in next year as well. It’s going to be really, really exciting times," Warren added.
Beyond the Cardiff mega-fight, Warren is currently staging the upcoming high-stakes rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley on Saturday for the WBO heavyweight title. Looking ahead to the strategic landscape of 2027, the veteran promoter has already outlined ambitions to cross-pollinate his roster, with hopes of putting the winner of the Dubois-Wardley clash in the ring against the victor of the Fury-Joshua showdown.
"These guys are all looking to unify the titles and get involved in massive, massive fights in 2027. We made it at Queensberry our mantra to make these fights happen. We’ve got three of the four heavyweight champions on our roster and we’re going to make unification fights next year," Warren said.
"And it would be really, really good for the winner of Tyson and AJ to be involved in that. There are some fabulous fights to be made and the heavyweight division as I keep telling everybody is on fire. You’ve got some fabulous fights. [Dubois-Wardley] will set some big stuff up for the new year."
Dubois welcomes Fury or AJ
The domestic heavyweight scene is further amplified by the confidence radiating from reigning champions on the Queensberry stable. Daniel Dubois, holding the WBO heavyweight title and preparing for his dangerous defense and rematch against Fabio Wardley, has made it clear he has no intention of ducking the winner of the December 11 bout at the Principality Stadium.
Speaking to Sky Sports News ahead of his own weekend assignment, Dubois expressed complete readiness to step up to the next level of elite competition once his immediate business is concluded.
"If they feed me one of them [Fury or AJ], I’ll fight them. Nice appetiser. I’m ready for whoever they throw at me after this," Dubois said.
"I’ll gladly take on the winner of that. I will stake my claim and take on the world, the belts and everything else that comes along with it."
As the winter showdown in Cardiff draws closer, the convergence of former champions, active titleholders, and promotional ambitions points toward a blockbuster conclusion to the boxing calendar, setting the stage for an explosive set of unification battles in the new year.
