FROM FURY VS AJ TO SMITH VS AZIM: FIVE BRITISH WORLD TITLE CLASHES THAT COULD DEFINE 2025

2025 is just around the corner and despite not the greatest of years for British world champions, a record of 4-8-1 in world title fights for Britain’s men to be specific, next year looks set to be one of the best in recent years with some enticing match-ups in the works both globally and domestically for Britain’s elite. 

We’ve picked out FIVE all-British world title fights that could happen over the next 12 months with some obvious clashes and some questionable ones too.

Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua

I know what you’re thinking, neither are world champions and both lost their last fights. However, there are a couple of ways that this could end up as a world title fight.

Firstly, let’s just acknowledge the fight itself. Whether there is a world title on the line or not, this is still the biggest fight in British boxing history and it’s not even for debate. It sells out Wembley in seconds to the point where it would make an Oasis ticket release look like a long affair. 

A trinket on the line isn’t the be-all and end-all of this fight but it certainly adds to the global market value of it as a whole. 

So, how would we get to that point? Well, the quickest way would be if Tyson Fury was to defeat Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch next month. 

If Fury is once again unsuccessful against the Ukrainian then you will be relying on governing bodies ordering mandatories for Usyk. 

The IBF just called their mandatory which saw Daniel Dubois promoted to full champion in which he made a successful first defence against Joshua. 

Likely to be next is the WBO. Despite Joseph Parker being the current ‘interim’ champ, he is highly touted to face Daniel Dubois in February. Fury is ranked #1 with the WBO and taking into considering his close relationship with Parker and the WBO’s love of a pound note, don’t be surprised to see them call Usyk’s mandatory and then order Fury vs AJ IF the Ukrainian decides to vacate. 

Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley

Now when we talk about phrases such as ‘guaranteed fireworks’ and ‘firefight’ then this is the sort of fight that springs to mind straight away.

38 knockouts from 43 fights combined, these are two young, hungry and more than anything, hard-hitting heavyweights who are nothing but box office.

After defending his world title for the first time in emphatic fashion against Anthony Joshua, it looked as though Dubois would have to fulfill his rematch obligation by rematching AJ in February. However, the former unified world champion has decided to bide his time, which means Dubois is now likely to face Joseph Parker instead. 

IF he gets through that and Wardley, who made the biggest statement of his career by stopping Frazer Clarke in his last fight, stays undefeated, this’ll set up a huge stadium fight next summer potentially at Ipswich’s 30,000-seater Portman Road Stadium. 

What a spectacle that would be.

Joshua Buatsi vs Anthony Yarde

A fight that has quite literally been in the making for years now, similar to Fury vs AJ, it looks increasingly likely that we will FINALLY get Joshua Buatsi vs Anthony Yarde in 2025. 

Again, two fighters who don’t currently hold world titles, we’d be once again relying on Artur Beterbiev to vacate one of his four belts to make this a world title fight. 

Buatsi is currently #1 with the WBC & WBA and Yarde is currently #3 with the same organisations however David Morrell Jr and David Benavidez both hold ‘world titles’ in those organisations too but those two are fighting at the start of Feb so there’s a lot of boxing politics to be figured out if they’re going to go down that route. 

The IBF could be a serious shout with Buatsi at #3 and Yarde at #4 but you’d be relying on Michael Eifert to step aside from his #1 contender spot, which, with an extra zero added to his next pay cheque, is a realistic possibility. 

If a world title isn’t on the line though, this fight will still live up to expectations and a victory will put the winner in pole position for a world title shot against potentially Callum Smith or Beterbiev or Bivol later in the year.

Dalton Smith vs Adam Azim

To the super-lightweight’s now and it’s ANOTHER fight that has been all the talk in 2023 and more so in 2024.

Two of the biggest contenders in world boxing, never mind British boxing, the beef has slowly been growing between these two despite it all starting relatively respectfully.

The fight was ordered for both the British & European title this year however Azim pulled out of purse bids for Dalton’s British title and then vacated his European title instead of fighting the Sheffield man.

As a business decision, it was probably a smart move to help build the hype for this fight and potentially have a world title fight on the line when they do come to blows finally but as boxing fans, these are the fights we want to see whether there’s an intercontinental title on the line or a world title.

IF one of these two lose this year, the momentum for this fight will evaporate. Not that that is right but that’s just the fickle world we live in at the moment. 

However, if both of these continue to climb the rankings early on in the year, hopefully they’ll get in the position to fight it out for a world title in the latter part of 2025.

Sunny Edwards vs Galal Yafai 2

Considering the first fight hasn’t even happened yet, it seems a bit mad that we’re already talking about a second fight between the pair. 

These two though are two of the best fighters this country has seen in a number of years. A former world champion up against an Olympic gold medalist, the first clash between the pair will likely be exciting enough for fans to demand a rematch and maybe even a trilogy. 

On November 30th, they’ll be fighting for the WBC ‘Interim’ World Title. The winner will likely go on to face full champion Kenshire Tejari in early 2025 and if victorious there, don’t be surprised to see them make a voluntary defence against the loser of this fight. 

They’re two likeable and exceptionally talented youngmen and if November 30th is as close as we anticipate it to be, it’ll be no surprised to see them battle it out for a full world title in 2025.

Boxer vs brawler, fasten your seatbelts cause this could be the start of one of the greatest domestic rivalries this country has ever seen.