Wardley is targeting a spring return, likely April or May, and would prefer his first defence to take place in the UK. He wants the first defence at home, where the crowd and setting are familiar. He earned that position by stopping Joseph Parker late at the O2 Arena last November, the win that moved him into line for the belt.
Nothing has been finalised. Wardley has been open about that. Dates, venues, and opponents remain flexible, and the opportunity will dictate the final decision. What has changed is the margin for manoeuvre. There are no easing fights left.
Moses Itauma currently sits top of the WBO rankings, but his next bout has been pushed back to March. That delay brings other names into focus. The next names in line are not the same kind of fight. Filip Hrgovic and Agit Kabayel are the type who make you work for every clean minute. Zhilei Zhang changes it with size and power, even in a slower fight. Veteran Derek Chisora is the profile option, but he still turns up to trade.
Chisora is the most realistic option right now. The reason is timing, not safety. He is approaching what would be the 50th fight of his career, which adds weight to the discussion. He still brings danger, even with the mileage. If Wardley wants the defence to quiet doubts, Kabayel is the cleaner way to do it than Chisora.
Beyond a first defence, the division tightens quickly. Usyk still holds the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles and controls how the weight class moves. Wardley accepts that a fight with Usyk exists only if Usyk chooses it. It could come quickly. It could just as easily not come at all.
Tyson Fury remains the other name nearby. Fury ended his latest retirement two weeks ago and has already talked about a summer return. Wardley admitted his team tried to poke and prod him into a fight, but Fury appears reluctant to jump straight into danger after a year away.
Wardley is not pretending the belt was taken the hard way. He knows how he became champion. The first defence is where that label starts to matter less.
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