Heavyweight fighter Oleksandr Usyk could hold the key to the division being unified, but he would have to show a degree of patience to do so.
Usyk is the WBO mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua, and his camp have been clear that they wish to fight the four-belt champion in 2021 in order for the 33-year-old Ukranian to get his shot at the titles.
However it is not certain that Usyk would fight Joshua for the chance, as Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has suggested that his fighter could vacate the WBO belt so as not to hold up his unification fight with WBC heavyweight belt holder Tyson Fury. If that happened, Usyk would have to fight another boxer, likely Joe Joyce, to decide the belt’s home.
Usyk was the undisputed cruiserweight champion before moving up a weight class, and has already defeated Dereck Chisora in his new division.
WBO president Paco Valcarcel has said that he would not be prepared to delay a fight between Usyk and Joshua to allow the Fury fights, having already granted two exemptions for Joshua’s rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr. last year and last weekend’s fight with Kubrat Pulev. That leaves the power in Usyk’s hands, and he may be tempted to wait a little longer for any fight with Joshua.
Instead, he could take a placeholder fight against another heavyweight boxer. Not only would that give him the chance to acclimatise to his new division, but he could bargain with both Fury and Joshua to guarantee a fight with whomever is the winner of their fights. That would allow Usyk the chance to become the undisputed heavyweight champion in just his third fight at that weight.
Were Usyk to succeed in his quest to become the undisputed heavyweight, he would then match a feat previously achieved by Evander Holyfield — the last athlete to have been undisputed champion in both divisions.