The Lawrence Okolie situation is a massive stroke of luck for Itauma. With Okolie likely being removed from the rankings due to his failed drug test, Itauma doesn’t just move up; he becomes the de facto king in waiting for that No. 1 spot. If Oleksandr Usyk moves past Rico Verhoeven on May 23 and decides the Agit Kabayel mandatory isn’t worth the hassle, Itauma is suddenly fighting for a world title before he’s even had 15 fights.
The only real mess is the Fabio Wardley situation. Since they share a gym, that WBO route is effectively closed as long as Wardley has the belt. Unless Daniel Dubois pulls off an upset on May 9, the WBC is truly his only path to a title in 2026.
The danger for Itauma is the date itself, July 25. If the titles don’t settle by mid-June, his team has to pick someone.
Deontay Wilder is the name floating around that carries the most high-risk energy. Wilder is obviously past his best, but as Itauma himself noted, the power is the last thing to go.
Filip Hrgovic is vocal about having Itauma in his contract, but with his May 16 fight against Dave Allen, the turnaround for July is tight.
Itauma is in a rare position where he can afford to let the division come to him. Most 21-year-olds have to take whatever eliminator is thrown their way, but because he’s already held the WBO mandatory position and is a top-three fixture in the WBC, he is essentially holding a winning lottery ticket.
The only real “mess” is the Fabio Wardley situation. Since they share a gym, that WBO route is effectively closed as long as Wardley has the belt. Unless Daniel Dubois pulls off an upset on May 9, the WBC is truly his only path to a title in 2026.
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