Sports · Combat Sports · 1 hr ago
Frank Warren plans heavyweight title unification fights for 2027
Promoter Frank Warren wants heavyweight title unification fights in 2027 and hopes former champion Oleksandr Usyk will return.
The division’s four major belts are now held by different champions, and Warren promotes three of them.
Usyk vacated his heavyweight titles after becoming the first undisputed champion of the four-belt era in 2024.
On Saturday, Daniel Dubois will defend his WBO title against Fabio Wardley at London’s O2 Arena, five months after Dubois stopped him in their first fight.
The winner could be well placed to pursue more titles, Warren said.
He also plans a January return for 21-year-old Moses Itauma, who lost for the first time in August and hopes to challenge for a world title in 2027.
Frank Warren plans to stage heavyweight world-title unification fights in 2027 and wants Oleksandr Usyk to return to boxing.
Warren promotes three of the four current heavyweight titleholders, including Daniel Dubois, who is due to defend his WBO belt against Fabio Wardley.
Warren says the winner of Dubois-Wardley could pursue more world titles, while Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are scheduled to meet in Cardiff on 11 December.
Warren also plans a year of heavyweight fights in the United States, with possible bouts involving the winners and losers of major fights and other leading heavyweights.
Moses Itauma is expected to return to the ring in January after his first professional defeat and aims to win a world title in 2027.
- Who
- Promoter Frank Warren plans heavyweight unification fights and hopes Oleksandr Usyk will return.
- What
- Warren wants to stage heavyweight world-title unification bouts in 2027.
- When
- In 2027. Warren also says Moses Itauma will return to the ring in January.
- Where
- The plans include fights in the United States; Warren also cited upcoming bouts in London and Cardiff.
- Why
- Warren says he wants to make unification fights happen and bring Usyk back into the mix.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Moses Itauma was stopped by Filip Hrgovic in the ninth round, suffering his first professional defeat.
Daniel Dubois is due to defend his WBO belt against Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena in London.
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are scheduled to meet in Cardiff.
Warren says Itauma will return to the ring.
Warren plans heavyweight unification fights and hopes Usyk will return.
- Promoter
- Frank Warren
- Planned unification year
- 2027
- Dubois-Wardley venue
- O2 Arena, London
- Fury-Joshua date and venue
- 11 December, Cardiff
- Itauma’s planned return
- January
3 sources
Frank Warren hoping to entice Oleksandr Usyk into 2027 heavyweight unification mix
Warren paints heavyweight unification picture for 2027
Frank Warren calls on Oleksandr Usyk to return and make more boxing history as he plots huge 12 months of heavyweight mega-fights in the United States: 'My door is open'
What people are saying
The plan is to make the unification fights happen and try to get Usyk back in it.
No-one can say we're keeping guys apart.
Jared will be a key part of our US expansion.
The door to all our heavyweights is not just open. It’s off its hinges.