Albanian heavyweight boxer who stopped in by Joshua’s comeback as Fury looms; prospect with a rising profile in the boxing scene.
Joshua has recovered from an early knockdown to stop Kristian Prenga in the second round in Jeddah, as Fury watched from Thailand. The victory keeps alive a potential Fury showdown and comes after Joshua had paid tribute to friends who died in a Nigerian car crash.
Usyk has vacated the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight belts to allow contenders to fight for them, a move that opens the division and sets the stage for new champions. Kabayel has become WBC champion, while Gassiev is poised to inherit the WBA title; IBF actions point toward Frank Sanchez or Moses Itauma as next contenders. The sport faces a reshuffle as Usyk pivots toward a final, high-stakes bout.