Parker, Wardley, Kabayel: Who are the interim heavyweight champions after Oleksandr Usyk's latest triumph?

Oleksandr Usyk has united the heavyweight division once again, securing his second reign as undisputed champion after stopping Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.

The Ukrainian defeated his rival inside five rounds on July 19 to reclaim the IBF title he previously relinquished, adding it back among his WBA, WBC and WBO straps.

Victory underlines his place in the pantheon of heavyweight superstars, but much as his first reign was cut short, it is unlikely his second will prove to be much longer too.

This comes down to four competing governing bodies that will each have their own rankings to consider, with a slew of possible challengers lined up to take a title shot.

Usyk was previously forced to step down from the IBF crown after he first united the four belts against Tyson Fury last year, in part because he chose to pursue a rematch.

The move meant that Dubois, then the interim strap holder, was elevated to the full title in his place, subsequently underlining his credentials with a win over Anthony Joshua.

Now, with three interim champions and an alternative belt holder on the scene, there is the real possibility that if Usyk looks elsewhere, one or more could be crowned in lieu too.

Here, DAZN News profiles the contenders currently in possession of these temporary straps - and how they could affect the rest of the division across the rest of 2025.

Who are the current interim champions?

Right now, there are three interim heavyweight champions - WBA interim holder Fabio Wardley, WBC interim holder Agit Kabayel and WBO interim holder Joseph Parker.

Leigh Dawney/Queensberry

Both Wardley and Kabayel won their belts following eliminator victories over Justis Huni and Zhilei Zhang this year, while Parker defeated the latter in March 2024 to take his.

Furthermore, there is the complication offered by the WBA and its dual belts, with both Super and Regular versions. Usyk holds the former while Kubrat Pulev holds the latter.

Currently, there is no IBF interim champion, though it is likely the organisation will look to fill the spot after the loss for Dubois. Derek Chisora is their current top-ranked contender.

Who could be elevated to full champion?

As it stands, none of these fighters are in line to be immediately elevated as such a move can only happen if Usyk relinquishes or is stripped of a specific belt in the near future.

Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

Governing bodies have been known to postpone ordering mandatory defences if the prospect of a unification bout can be made within a realistic window, among other matters.

However, given that the IBF forced Usyk to vacate his title in order to take his rematch with Fury last year, it seems likely the same could happen here before his next bout too.

If this was to happen with either the WBC or WBO, then either Kabayel or Parker would be elevated to full champion. However, it is less clear what would happen with the WBA.

There is no fixed guarentee that Regular champion Pulev would be elevated to the Super belt, just as there is no assurance interim champion Wardley would be elevated either.

One possibility is that both men could be ordered to fight each other, with the victor elevated to the WBA Super title, while the WBA Regular belt is then left vacant for a challenger.

Could Usyk fight any interim champion to prevent vacation?

If Usyk was to make a deal for his next - and likely final - bout in the immediate future against one interim champion, there is a chance the other governing bodies would hold off.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

On paper, there is one standout challenger for the Ukrainian to face in Parker, a former WBO champion himself during a two-year reign before he was stopped by Anthony Joshua.

An impressive career rebuild since saw the New Zealander earn his WBO interim strap last year, and he was set to challenge Dubois for the IBF crown in February 2025 too.

That bout fell through days before after the Briton fell ill, leaving Parker to dismiss Martin Bakole - and he has spent the weeks since pushing to face the winner of Usyk-Dubois 2.

Usyk himself namechecked the star as a potential foe in his post-fight address, but also suggested trilogy bouts with Fury and Joshua could prove to be attractive options for him.

Either would assure a massive gate, but it would be unlikely all four bodies hold off to let him keep his belts, especially when the former is technically retired and the latter is injured.

The Ukrainian also suggested another aging star in Derek Chisora, who is looking for a blockbuster finish to his career in his own farewell bout at some point in the coming months.

'Del Boy' was elevated to mandatory challenger for the IBF belt after his last win, but the organisation has also sanctioned a final eliminator for Filip Hrgovic and Frank Sanchez.

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