With this week’s announcement that world heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko has signed for an October 24 match against Tyson Fury in Dusseldorf, Germany, it is a good time to take a more in depth look at the heavyweight division as a whole.
The year of 2015 seems to be heading toward a revival of the heavyweight division. The WBC world title is in the hands of American Deontay Wilder, injecting the heavyweight scene with a new found energy in the United States for the first time in ages. Wilder is scheduled to fight in September and he faces a possible mandatory fight in Alexander Povetkin.
The WBA world title is up for grabs this coming Saturday night in Germany as Ruslan Chagaev (33-2-1) faces off against Francesco Pianeta (31-1-1), and that card also features undefeated up-and-comer Michael Wallisch (14-0) as he fights Fabio Tuiach for the vacant WBO European title.
The recent calendar and upcoming schedule has a worldwide cast of heavyweights looking to position themselves for a shot upward. Finland’s Robert Helenius and Poland’s Mariusz Wach were both top 10 fighters a few years back and are mounting comebacks after long layoffs. Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker are two young, undefeated prospects from England and New Zealand who are vying with Poland’s Arthur Szpilka for a shot at the titles in 2016.
