The heavyweight division does not need another belt. That much is obvious.
Zuffa Boxing, preparing to introduce its own championship at the sport’s flagship weight, will immediately raise the same question fans have asked for years: how many titles does one division need?
But this is not just about another strap entering circulation. It is about who might fight for it — and what that would mean for the power structure at the top.
The current landscape is already complicated. Unified champions sit alongside interim holders. Mandatories wait their turn while politics and broadcast alliances dictate timing. For most fans, clarity only exists on fight night.
Adding a Zuffa heavyweight belt risks stretching that picture further unless the right name is attached from the start.
Ajagba Is The Logical Front-Runner
Efe Ajagba strengthened his case with a stoppage victory over former IBF champion Charles Martin at the UFC Apex. For a promotion, building its own internal ladder, Ajagba makes sense as the first contender.
He is active. He is improving. He carries real knockout power and now has a recognizable former titleholder under the Zuffa banner.
If the promotion moved forward with Ajagba as its number one challenger, few would question the matchmaking logic.
The issue is not credibility inside the Zuffa structure. It is credibility across the division.
The Usyk Factor Changes The Conversation
This is where the story shifts.
Oleksandr Usyk is currently between mandatory obligations. With Deontay Wilder stepping away from a WBC title path, Usyk has room to take a voluntary bout before facing Agit Kabayel.
That window matters and could be huge for Zuffa and Dana White.
If the former pound-for-pound king wanted to add another layer to his legacy, becoming Zuffa’s inaugural heavyweight champion would not be a sideshow. It would be a calculated move add further weight to a Hall of Fame career.
Usyk has already unified the heavyweight titles completely – twice – and reshaped the division’s hierarchy. Claiming the first Zuffa belt would not replace those achievements, but it would place him at the center of a new commercial structure before it fully forms.
From Zuffa’s side, the appeal is obvious. White launching his first major heavyweight championship event outside the Apex environment with Usyk involved would immediately elevate the belt beyond “startup” status.
Ajagba brings danger and familiarity for Zuffa fans. Usyk brings legitimacy and history.
Together, the belt gains instant relevance, but only if White, Zuffa, and TKO act fast.
Risk And Reward For Everyone
The downside of any White advances towards Usyk would be that the sanctioning bodies would guard their positions carefully.
A voluntary fight for a new promotional title could invite scrutiny depending on timing. Usyk would need to balance obligation with opportunity, especially with Kabayel positioned as the next significant step in his path.
Financially, Zuffa would have to present an offer strong enough to justify that calculation.
If Usyk is not involved, the introduction of another heavyweight championship will be viewed as further fragmentation. If he is involved, the narrative changes.
The belt would not feel like an addition to clutter. It would feel like a land grab at the right moment and would keep one sole champion in place across the board.
That’s the difference here.
The heavyweight division has always been defined by defining fights rather than organizational charts. If Zuffa can secure one of those fights immediately, the new belt becomes part of the story.
If it cannot, the confusion argument will only grow louder.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.