What Next for Heavyweight Division After TKV Win? A New Era Opens Up for British Boxing

What Next for Heavyweight Division After TKV Win? TKV Shakes Up the Domestic Scene

On Saturday night in Derby’s Vaillant Arena, the British heavyweight landscape shifted on its axis. Jeamie ‘TKV’ Tshikeva, the polite giant with a reputation for quiet graft, delivered the performance of his life to dethrone Frazer Clarke for the British heavyweight title. Few expected it. Most didn’t predict it. And yet TKV’s points victory over the Olympic bronze medallist felt definitive—calm, controlled, and full of conviction.

In one night, the 32-year-old underdog not only upset Clarke’s world-title hopes but injected new energy into a heavyweight division already overflowing with change. Clarke, now 34, suddenly finds himself at a crossroads, his once straight-line path to the top now blurred by two losses in three fights. While his future remains uncertain, TKV’s is suddenly full of possibilities.

The question now is simple: what comes next for the heavyweight division after TKV’s win? And as it turns out, the answer stretches far beyond the British scene.

Fabio Wardley: The Man Carrying British Heavyweight Hopes

If there is a single figure flying the flag for British heavyweights on the world stage, it’s Fabio Wardley. The 30-year-old champion, a former white-collar fighter with no amateur pedigree, has defied expectations at every turn. Nineteen stoppages in twenty wins tell their own story, with the only blemish a thrilling draw against Clarke in March 2024.

Wardley claimed the WBO interim belt after beating Joseph Parker in October, then became full champion when Oleksandr Usyk chose not to face him. He now stands as the top British heavyweight with genuine world championship credentials.

Reports suggest that in early-to-mid 2026, Wardley may face former IBF champion Daniel Dubois—an all-British showdown that ticks every box: marketable, competitive, straightforward to make thanks to shared promoter Frank Warren.

Veteran Derek Chisora, perennially game for one more war, has also been mentioned after his trilogy fight with Dillian Whyte collapsed again.

But the most mouth-watering matchup? Wardley against 20-year-old phenom Moses Itauma—a fighter many believe is a future unified champion. Itauma is 13-0 with 11 knockouts and looks frighteningly comfortable dismantling seasoned professionals. He faces Jermaine Franklin on 24 January, another test he is expected to pass.

Still, because both Wardley and Itauma share a trainer in Ben Davison, this super-fight feels unlikely in the immediate future. Conflict of interest aside, the team will want Itauma maturing a little more before throwing him in with a champion.

Usyk’s Future: Who Is Left for the Lion of the Division?

Fabio Wardley looks on Heavyweight

Even at 38, Oleksandr Usyk remains the heavyweight division’s most complete fighter—skill, footwork, ring IQ, discipline. He still holds the WBA, WBC and IBF titles after beating Fury, Joshua and Dubois twice each. But the problem is no longer rivals on his level; it’s the lack of credible challengers.

Usyk has ruled out facing Moses Itauma in 2026, which removes the most intriguing generational clash. The IBF, meanwhile, has ordered a final eliminator between American Richard Torrez Jr (14-0) and Cuban technician Frank Sanchez (25-0-1).

Sanchez, famously avoided, has been rejected by Dubois, Itauma and several others who prefer alternative routes. If Torrez accepts and defeats him, the winner could earn an eventual shot at Usyk—but the timeline remains unclear.

One name, however, continues to rise in hushed, respectful tones: Agit Kabayel.

The undefeated German (26-0, 18 KOs) is the WBC interim champion and has built a frightening run of stoppages over top-tier opponents like Zhilei Zhang and Sanchez. Kabayel faces Damian Knyba on 10 January. A convincing win will make it nearly impossible to deny him the title shot he has earned.

For many purists, Kabayel is the one man who could genuinely test the Ukrainian master.

Fury and Joshua: What Comes Next for the Fallen Kings?

Oleksandr Usyk celebrates after beating Daniel Duboi

It has now been fourteen months since Anthony Joshua was dramatically stopped by Daniel Dubois at Wembley—a defeat that rattled the sport. Joshua returns on 19 December to face Jake Paul in Miami, a matchup that elevates his bank balance far more than his boxing legacy.

Meanwhile, Tyson Fury remains officially retired, though promoter Frank Warren insists an announcement is coming soon. The heavyweight world has become accustomed to Fury’s semi-retirements, but with the division in flux, a comeback feels inevitable.

The long-discussed Fury-Joshua showdown is still being whispered for 2026. The fight may no longer be for undisputed glory, but in terms of theatre, spectacle and star power, it still sells out Wembley without breaking a sweat.

Both men are out of their primes—but both remain box-office giants. And boxing is a business before it is a sport.

TKV’s Options: A Champion Suddenly Surrounded by Challengers

After upsetting Clarke, TKV now finds himself with more options than he likely expected.

A rematch with David Adeleye feels almost guaranteed after their controversial and fiery encounter earlier this year. Adeleye fights in Nigeria later this month and has already signalled he wants another crack.

TKV also welcomed the idea of running it back with Clarke.

“We’ll do it in London this time—maybe Wembley,” he said after the fight. “Any time, anywhere.”

Other rising British heavyweights include:

• Dave Allen, always a crowd favourite.

• Johnny Fisher, whose fanbase is one of the loudest and most loyal in the UK.

• Solomon Dacres, another steady climber.

• Lawrence Okolie, the former cruiserweight world champion now making noise at heavyweight.

• Richard Riakporhe, looking to carve a path to a future world-title shot.

The domestic scene is wide open, competitive and full of new narratives.

Confirmed Fights on the Heavyweight Calendar

19 December – Miami, USA
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua

19 December – Nigeria
Lawrence Okolie vs TBC
David Adeleye vs TBC

10 January 2026 – Oberhausen, Germany
Agit Kabayel vs Damian Knyba (WBC interim heavyweight title)

24 January 2026 – Manchester, England
Moses Itauma vs Jermaine Franklin

A Division in Motion, Without a Clear King

TKV’s victory may have been the spark that sets off a fresh wave of change, but the truth is the heavyweight division was already shifting. New champions, returning legends, rising prospects, and a global title picture with more questions than answers — it all makes this one of the most intriguing periods in recent heavyweight memory.

And as TKV stands atop the British scene, Wardley rises on the world stage, and Usyk waits for someone worthy of the throne, the division feels alive again.

One thing is certain: what comes next for the heavyweight division after TKV’s win is a chapter worth watching closely.