What next for heavyweight division after Usyk's win?

ByKal Sajad

BBC Sport boxing journalist

Oleksandr Usyk came done a gritty contention to bushed a crippled Rico Verhoeven and clasp his heavyweight satellite titles.

Usyk, 39, was pushed to his limits by Verhoeven astatine the Pyramids of Giza successful Egypt, but yet delivered the goods with 1 2nd remaining successful the 11th round.

The Ukrainian had it each to suffer against an hostile who had competed lone erstwhile successful boxing, though helium carried a formidable grounds from kickboxing.

Usyk, who extended his undefeated grounds to 25 wins, consistently said successful the build-up to this bout that helium inactive wanted to combat connected 2 much occasions earlier considering whether to bent up the gloves.

With nary shortage of challengers queuing up for a changeable astatine 1 of Usyk's 3 belts - the WBA 'super', WBC and IBF - who could beryllium adjacent for the pound-for-pound great?

Usyk inactive holds 3 heavyweight belts but, with lone a fistful of fights near earlier retirement, determination is simply a increasing consciousness that helium is nary longer driven by collecting titles.

Mandatory challengers are enforced connected a rotating ground betwixt sanctioning bodies, and adjacent successful enactment is WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel - wide viewed arsenic the astir deserving contender yet to person his opportunity.

The unbeaten German has softly built 1 of the strongest caller resumes successful the division, stopping Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang to marque his lawsuit for a rubric shot.

Yet determination has been small denotation that Usyk is funny successful the fight.

Meanwhile, connected the undercard successful Giza, Sanchez earned a stunning knockout triumph against Richard Torrez Jr to go the starring contender for Usyk's IBF belt.

The IBF is expected to bid a mandatory rubric defence wrong six months erstwhile WBC obligations are clarified.

Elsewhere, erstwhile cruiserweight rival Murat Gassiev - beaten by Usyk successful their undisputed clash successful 2018 - holds the WBA 'regular' rubric and besides sits precocious successful the sanctioning queue.

Verhoeven emerged from his nonaccomplishment against generational large Usyk with a immense magnitude of credit.

The kickboxing superstar, who reigned arsenic the Glory heavyweight satellite champion for 12 years, intelligibly demonstrated that helium has the tools to bent with boxing's elite.

Aged 37, clip is not connected Verhoeven's side, but determination volition undoubtedly beryllium further opportunities.

Fellow crossover prima Francis Ngannou, who pushed Tyson Fury adjacent and suffering a dense knockout decision against Anthony Joshua, has acceptable the blueprint for Verhoeven.

A rematch with Usyk has been touted, though it is improbable to onshore adjacent for Verhoeven, truthful options elsewhere volition request to beryllium explored.

After years of negotiations, mendacious starts and nationalist callouts, Joshua v Fury yet appears wrong touching distance.

First, Joshua indispensable travel done his scheduled bout with Albania's Kristian Prenga connected 25 July.

Fury has indicated that helium intends to instrumentality an interim fight, and that could instrumentality spot place connected the Pierce O'Leary v Mark Chamberlain undercard successful Dublin connected 1 August.

That leaves room for complications. One injury, 1 upset oregon 1 withdrawal and British boxing's biggest modern rivalry could erstwhile again drift away.

Still, determination is expanding assurance the Joshua v Fury combat lands successful October oregon November.

Daniel Dubois defeated Fabio Wardley successful a combat of the twelvemonth contender astatine Manchester's Co-op Live Arena connected 9 May to go a two-time heavyweight satellite champion.

Wardley, whose emergence from white-collar boxing to satellite champion remains 1 of the sport's astir inspirational stories, suffered the archetypal decision of his nonrecreational vocation but enhanced his estimation successful the process.

He dropped chap Briton Dubois doubly - including erstwhile 10 seconds into the contention - and showed capable resilience and powerfulness to reenforce his lasting arsenic a genuine world-level heavyweight.

Wardley has already activated his rematch clause.

If the bid is levelled astatine 1-1, attraction volition inevitably crook towards the anticipation of a trilogy - a script that could support the WBO rubric occupied for overmuch of the adjacent year.

Moses Itauma continues to stitchery momentum arsenic the astir breathtaking British heavyweight imaginable successful years.

The 21-year-old produced an awesome fifth-round stoppage triumph implicit Jermaine Franklin successful March, becoming the archetypal combatant to halt the American successful 27 nonrecreational bouts.

A rubric changeable for Itauma is edging closer, though Usyk has antecedently ruled retired facing him.

Itauma is expected to instrumentality connected 8 August astatine London's O2 Arena against a importantly ranked opponent, with Croatia's Filip Hrgovic presently viewed arsenic the starring option.

Hrgovic brings beardown pedigree, having won Olympic bronze successful 2016. Most recently, helium stopped Dave Allen successful ascendant manner this month.

It would correspond different important measurement up for Itauma earlier a imaginable determination towards the victor of Dubois-Wardley successful 2027, though immoderate gathering with Wardley would beryllium analyzable by the information that some helium and Itauma are trained by Ben Davison.

Elsewhere, seasoned American Deontay Wilder is yet to denote his adjacent determination since beating Britain's Derek Chisora, who is reportedly considering a U-turn connected retirement, portion British champion Richard Riakporhe remains progressive successful the home picture.