Boxing’s heavyweight division has never been healthier with big fights happening and the division getting an undisputed champion in 2024 – for the first time in a quarter of a century!
The fights that fans have craved for years are finally happening and there are some incredible showdowns coming up as we head deeper into 2025.
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Upcoming boxing fights: Heavyweights
Here is how the heavyweight division currently looks from a scheduling perspective:
Deontay Wilder (43-4-1) vs Tyrrell Herndon (24-5)
Date: Saturday June 27, 2025
Ring walks: 2300 EST, 2000 PST, 0400 UK (June 28), 0500 CET
Venue: Wichita, Kansas
TV: tbc
Odds: –
Many thought we had seen the last of Wilder when ‘The Bronze Bomber’ suffered that beatdown at the hands of Chinese giant Zhilei Zhang last June. That was Deontay’s fourth defeat in his last five fights – spanning over the last five years since his first loss to Tyson Fury in February 2020. It appears that at 38 the man from Tuscaloosa, Alabama is well and truly on the slide and age – in boxing as in all walks of life – waits for nobody. Wilder though is not done yet and will return to action against the 37-year-old journeyman Herndon in the unheralded surrounds of Wichita, Kansas in June. If he cannot get the job done very early here, surely the game is up for one of the most devastating punchers in heavyweight boxing history.
Arslanbek Makhmudov (19-2) vs Ricardo Brown (12-0)
Date: Saturday June 27, 2025
Ring walks: 2300 Eastern Time, 2000 Pacific, 0400 UK (Sunday June 28)
Venue: Quebec City, Canada
TV: ESPN+ (US)
Odds: –
The giant Makhmudov is in danger of falling into ‘opponent’ territory after losing two of this last three fights. His bubble was well and truly burst when he was found out by brilliant German contender Agit Kabayel in a battle of two unbeaten stars in Riyadh in December 2023. A second loss then arrived in Makhmudov’s most recent outing in August 2024, a stoppage defeat by tough Italian Guido Vianello. To say Makhmudov needs this one would be an understatement, and while Brown has an unbeaten record there is not much of note in terms of opponents. Time to get back on track, Arslanbek…
Lawrence Okolie (21-1) vs Kevin Lerena (31-3)
Date: Saturday July 19, 2025
Ring walks: tbc
Venue: London, England
TV: DAZN (UK and US)
Odds: –
Two-weight world champion and now heavyweight contender Okolie, the WBC Silver champion, will defend his title by taking on the former IBO world cruiserweight champion and WBA world heavyweight title challenger Kevin Lerena on the big Usyk vs Dubois 2 show at Wembley Stadium. It’s a key stepping stone fight for the fearsome Okolie against a tough opponent who is now seen as a pretty good yardstick for title contenders/pretenders.
Oleksandr Usyk (23-0) vs Daniel Dubois (22-2) 2
Date: Saturday July 19, 2025
Ring walks: 2200 UK, 2300 CET, 1700 Eastern, 1400 Pacific
Venue: London, England
TV: DAZN (UK and US)
Odds: 1/3 Usyk, 7/2 Dubois, 25/1 Draw
The big showdown is agreed and we will get a second undisputed world heavyweight champion in just over a year. Fourteen months on from winning all the belts with that epic defeat of Tyson Fury, Usyk gets another shot to unify them against Dubois at London’s Wembley Stadium. ‘Dynamite’ meanwhile, now the IBF king, gets a chance for revenge following that bitterly contested defeat by Usyk in Poland in the summer of 2023. It should be a fascinating clash of styles, the brilliance of Usyk against the sheer dynamite power of Dubois. And it will be for all of the heavyweight marbles.
Filip Hrgovic (18-1) vs David Adeleye (14-1)
Date: Saturday August 16, 2025
Ring walks: tbc
Venue: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
TV: Tbc
Odds: –
The fearsome Hrgovic bids to take another step towards world title contention when he faces British star Adeleye in a cracker on the Itauma vs Whyte undercard in Saudi. ‘El Animal’ started the road back from his first pro defeat at the hands of Daniel Dubois by outpointing Joe Joyce in Manchester in April. That win was expected and he will need to dispose of Adeleye in impressive fashion to maintain the momentum as he bids to get back to the very top.
Moses Itauma (12-0) vs Dillian Whyte (31-3)
Date: Saturday August 16, 2025
Ring walks: tbc
Venue: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
TV: Tbc
Odds: –
The brilliant young Moses Itauma steps up in class against former world title challenger Whyte in what should be an absolute barnburner for as long as it lasts in Riyadh. Fans have been clamouring to see ‘Enriko’ in a meaningful fight and that happens here against a man who is still a danger to all – even at the age of 37. An impressive victory and Itauma should be hammering on the door for a potential world title shot.
NB: You can get the latest boxing TV schedules for the major broadcasters by checking out our guides for:
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