Oleksandr Usyk Next Fight: The Ukrainian legend laughs in the face of retirement
Oleksandr Usyk restored the four pieces of the undisputed heavyweight crown in July when he knocked out IBF kingpin Daniel Dubois for the second time. The rematch at Wembley Stadium featured such a thorough display from ‘The Cat’ that many were quick to anoint him the greatest heavyweight of all-time.
Wherever you rank Usyk, there is no doubting the two-weight undisputed champion’s next fight will be the talk of boxing. But who is likely to be in the other corner? Read on as we assess Oleksandr Usyk’s next fight.
Usyk vs Wardley Odds
*odds correct at time of publication
What do you get for the man who has everything? In boxing terms, few epitomise that phrase like Usyk. European, World and Olympic gold medals as an amateur. An undisputed cruiserweight champion as a professional. Moved up in weight and became the first ex-200lbs titlist to win the undisputed heavyweight title since Evander Holyfield. Usyk has a perfect 24-0 record and enough accolades to fill several trophy rooms.
Before Usyk has even retired, the 38-year-old also has people champing at the bit to place him in a historical context. It is a curious trend. While contemporaries (and victims) Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury feel like they are nearer the end than Usyk is, the Brits find their legacies in flux as it stands. But after the second Dubois win, fans and pundits fell over each other to determine the still-active Usyk’s place in the history books.
We shall save the cross-generational comparisons for another day. But the fact Usyk was drawing ‘GOAT’ shouts after picking Dubois apart tells you that his next fight will be hotly-anticipated.
For the first time in a while, there is no obvious route. The Fury fight was the long-term target and, once Usyk outpointed ‘The Gypsy King’ in May 2024, the rematch was inevitable. Once ‘The Cat’ had outfoxed Fury once again last December, Dubois jumped into the ring to set the wheels in motion for their rematch. Fight begets fight begets fight.
But after Usyk expertly carved-up Dubois and restored the undisputed crown, there was no headline-grabbing rail-jump, like the Brit’s own challenge to Usyk months prior. Instead, the press was used as a battleground to jockey for position in the champion’s eyeline. As soon as Usyk laughed off the idea of retirement in his post-fight interview, the candidates hit the campaign trail.
Fury was front and centre, of course. The two-time world champion is like a broken record at the moment. Side A contains confident assurances he is retired. Side B is a series of proclamations that he’ll come back to fight pretty much everyone except Anthony Joshua. But Usyk is always the first name out of his mouth.
“Even Dick Turpin wore a mask” was a great line from Fury after Usyk defeated him for a second time, causing the Mancunian to retire (again). But it only really works if there was any doubt about the outcome. Usyk has beaten Fury twice and deserved both decisions.
Trilogies thrive on doubt. They truly sizzle when there is a close, competitive edge that could see the series swing either way. Fury managed to lead the public on a merry dance through a staggering THREE fights with Derek Chisora. Staggering only in how unnecessary the triple helping of one-sided action was. But Usyk is surely smarter than entertaining a fight that would add nothing to his superb legacy.
Joseph Parker did have a shot at the title, or at least the WBO's quarter of it, locked and loaded. The sanctioning body had demanded that Usyk submit to purse bids for a clash with the New Zealander. The Ukrainian applied for special dispensation from the sanctioning body to recover from a back injury before taking the fight.
Here is where matters take a strange turn. The WBO pledged in August to investigate Usyk after a social media video showed him dancing. Usyk’s team quickly backed up his claim with medical reports that are alleged to have made a compelling case for Usyk needing up to two months of rest and therapy on the ailment.
Parker could have taken winter break as he waited for either his title fight or his upgrade to the full belt. But his warrior nature won out and he fought rough-and-ready Fabio Wardley at the O2 in October. After a scintillating heavyweight war where the advantage changed hands readily and viciously, Wardley stopped Parker with an 11th-round barrage against the ropes. All change, please.
The WBO now has Wardley as its interim champion and de facto number-one contender. Given their tightening grip on Usyk, one assumes they will force the issue before long. Whether this leads to Wardley being awarded the freshly-stripped belt or facing 'The Cat' remains to be seen. If the latter scenario takes place, Usyk would be facing British opposition in a pro fight for the ninth time overall and eighth time consecutively. Oleksandr has beaten every single British fighter he has faced. But then, he has beaten every boxer he has faced. Nothing personal, eh lads?
But will Usyk honour his mandatory? Does defending the quad-title at least once matter to him? Everyone knows he is the champion anyway. Sanctioning bodies throughout history have stripped great champions, some almost immediately. But does anyone doubt Lennox Lewis was the undisputed heavyweight boss? That Terence Crawford was the undisputed kingpin at welterweight?
Odds correct at time of publishing.
If the titles themselves mean much to Usyk, then there are a couple of other wrinkles. The IBF are currently touting about for someone to fight Frank Sanchez in an eliminator. Former Sanchez victim Efe Ajagba and hot British prospect Moses Itauma have both turned down the assignment, with unbeaten American Richard Torrez next on their list. But the snail’s pace with which the red-belted brand are getting their house in order suggests Usyk has some wiggle-room with the sanctioning body usually the most strip-happy when it comes to their belts.
Agit Kabayel is the WBC interim boss. Parker was rightly talked about as the most deserving heavyweight challenger, with this man is a close second. Now Wardley has vanquished the New Zealander, one could argue Kabayel stands alone. The German has beaten Arslanbek Makhmudov, Sanchez and Zhang in his last three outings. Kabayel is on a stoppage streak stretching back five years. If boxing was fair (I’ll give you a second to stop laughing) then Kabayel 100% deserves a shot. He's out in Germany in January against an opponent yet to be named, which will either strengthen or, as Parker found out, hamper his case.
Admittedly, Kabayel is a hard sell commercially when compared to the faded famous faces of Fury, Joshua and even Deontay Wilder, who recently recorded a first win for three years. He is also not the favoured choice of someone who, while not strictly a boxing figure per se, might have more sway over the sport than anyone.
Of course I am talking about Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi Entertainment Minister. If you are unaware, he is who the humble fighters and promoters address as “His Excellency” during Saudi fight cards. Here was me thinking they were just really excited to see Eminem at ringside.
Turki owns and operates The Ring magazine and the boxing events promoted by the company, alongside staging Riyadh Season boxing cards. The 44-year-old wields more power than anyone else in boxing today. So when he anoints his preferred challenger for Usyk’s crown, the world listens.
The Saudi boxing overlord has anointed Moses Itauma as his preferred challenger for Usyk. On the one had, you can see his point. The Slovakia-born British southpaw is 13-0 with 11 knockouts and for a while there was fanciful talk of him beating Mike Tyson’s record as youngest heavyweight champion ever.
That fantasy was thankfully swerved. The 20-year-old needs seasoning before a tilt at the world crown. A first-round knockout win over veteran world title challenger Dillian Whyte did little to quell the clamour though. ‘The Body Snatcher’ was employed to give Itauma some serious rounds in his first proper test. But the youthful knockout machine destroyed him.
As impressive as that victory was, any fight between Itauma and Usyk would be a mismatch. Why risk the prospect suffering the kind of chastening beating Dubois took? Usyk has made accomplished and dangerous world champions look silly. Imagine what he would do to a kid with 26 pro rounds under his belt? That is only two rounds more than Usyk has spent fighting Fury alone.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Turki usually gets what he wants, but hopefully common sense prevails here. Itauma is out again in December, with an opponent yet to be announced. Chisora fights separately on the same card in what is being billed as his final fight. But his upset victory over fringe contender Otto Wallin in February was promoted as Derek’s last fight in the UK. In December, he fights in Manchester again. So it is not outside the realm of possibility that Itauma and Chisora will face off next year if both win. A litmus test against ‘Del Boy’ is a far better avenue for Itauma than a boxing lesson from Usyk.
As is common when you hold every world title; Usyk has options aplenty. A trilogy fight with Fury is unwanted by most, but it would only take a press conference or two to ignite. If they stuck it in the UK instead of Saudi, it would sell out a stadium. Wardley's white collar beginnings and KO-happy style make him an enticing opponent.
Kabayel is in the ‘who needs him?’ club. A superb heavyweight who lacks the name value to justify the risk. His best bet is leveraging his WBC interim title. That organisation is a little better than the WBO at giving the holder a shot. Of its five historic holders, three received the title opportunity it promised while Hasim Rahman was awarded the main WBC title itself when Vitali Klitschko retired through injury.
Truthfully, there is little clamour for any other fights for Usyk as it stands. Joshua had his chance, twice. The likes of Hrgovic, Efe Ajagba, WBA ‘regular’ boss Kubrat Pulev and Lawrence Okolie are highly-ranked. But none of those fights would inspire fans.
While no announcement is forthcoming for Usyk’s next fight, there appears to be four main contenders. The winner of Wardley, Kabayel, Itauma or Fury. For most boxing fans, only two of those options make any real sense. So why does it feel like Fury and Itauma are the more likely choices given how the sport seems to work?
You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page and our latest boxing odds here.
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