Gassiev’s victory changes the picture
This victory gives heavyweight boxing another title holder. It also gives us another belt that probably isn’t going anywhere.
Oleksandr Usyk holds the real power at heavyweight. He holds the IBF, IBO, WBO and WBC titles. He beat Tyson Fury twice. He stopped Daniel Dubois. There is no confusion about who is the top man.
On paper, Gassiev vs Usyk is a clean unification. In reality, it feels like a dead end. We’ve been here before. The division has a long history of belts sitting apart as champions surround everyone but each other. The Klitschko era dragged on for years with titles split and fights that never happened. Fans were told to be patient. Nothing has changed.
Gassiev is a strong fighter. He is compact. He hits hard. But his heavyweight run has been quiet until now. Stopping Jeremiah Milton in June didn’t move the needle. Pulev beat, but only a little.
Where Usyk stands
Meanwhile, Usyk doesn’t need him. This is the real problem. Fury still talks like he’s coming back. Deontay Wilder still shows up ringside. Agit Kabayel holds an interim belt and fights Damian Knyba in December. There are names. There are belts. There is noise.
But there is no direction. Unless heavyweight boxing forces clarity, it’s headed for a different holding pattern. One dominant champion. One secondary band. Talked a lot. Very few answers.
Fans have seen this movie before. It did not end with one king.
