Usyk first title defence

[Artem]

According to his promouter first title defence could be held in Decemder in Kiev. If we take a look into WBO top-15:

2. Noel Gevor - is going to fight against Larghetti in October and will be unavailable for fight in December.
3. Mairis Briedis - is going to fight against Vallily in October, and after that with winner of Bellew vs Flores fight.
4. Damir Beljo - has perfect record but still untested.
5. Micki Nielsen - is going to fight against Lerena in October and will be unavailable for fight in December.
6. Firat Arslan - has recently won WBO European cruiserweight title so he has to goes up in rating.
7. Krzystof Wlodarczyk - according to rumours he will fight vs Durodola in next fight.
8. Pablo O. Natalio Farias - I don't know who is he and what he does in top-15).
9. Dmytro Kucher - current EBU champ.
10. Michael Hunter - one of the top- prospect in cruiserweight.
11. Murat Gassiev - is going to fight against WBA & IBF champ Lebedev in December.
12. Maxim Vlasov - is going to fight against Mchunu in November and will be unavailable for fight in December.
13. Mataeusz Masternak - has lost all main fights in his career.
14. Thabiso Mchunu - is going to fight against Vlasov in November and will be unavailable for fight in December.
15. Dimitry Kudryashov - I think that he will fight in Lebedev vs Gassiev undercard.

So for December will be available for the fight: Beljo, Arslan, Farias, Kucher, Hunter and Masternak.
I think that with high possibility Arslan will fight for mandatory challenger spot against winner of Gevor vs Larghetti fight.
Farias is noname so he is not a candidate for the fight.
Hunter is a good candidate for Usyk debut in US not for fight in Kiev.
Kucher is also Ukrainian, so possible fight could be easilly sold in Ukraine.
Beljo is a kind of dark horse, but possible fight could be served as a bout of two undefeated punchers.
Masternak - pretty expierenced, good gate-keeper, and good opponent for first home defence.

To sum up all above mentioned, most possible candidates for first defence of the title are Kucher, Beljo and Masternak. Do you have any other thoughts?

[lefty]

Someone shite. Not because of Usyk but just because how boxing is generally.

[Ruthless-RKO]

An easy voluntary defence in his hometown of Ukraine..

[jujigatame]

God those rankings are pure shit. Beljo? Farias? Who the hell are these guys? Even Vlasov is a blown up SMW who hasn't beaten anyone good, ever.

Is Marco Huck a possibility at all? He hasn't had a fight in several months.

[boxing_rocks]

13. Mataeusz Masternak - has lost all main fights in his career.

Masternak it is

[Killer Blow]

Arslan is probably the most credible as he's the European champ, even though he's 45. To be fair, I think he's like Glowacki in the sense that he'll fight the best. But most of the top guys are unavailable, so he can't be blamed for a crap first defence.

[Artem]

Is Marco Huck a possibility at all? He hasn't had a fight in several months.

He has to fight McKenzie on this weekend for IBO belt, but McKenzie has been forced to withdraw from fight on medical grounds. I'd love to see Usyk vs Huck, but Marco is not in top-15 now and I don't believe that K2 Ukraine could pay enough to bring Huck into Ukraine.

[Artem]

Arslan is probably the most credible as he's the European champ, even though he's 45. To be fair, I think he's like Glowacki in the sense that he'll fight the best. But most of the top guys are unavailable, so he can't be blamed for a crap first defence.

Among this top-15 Arslan and Wlodarczyk most worthy opponent. But I think that Arslan will fight Gevor next, they both from Germany and their fight easy to sell there.

[Ruthless-RKO]

When is Drozd coming back? Although I think he wants the winner of Bellew/Flores

[crusader]

Maybe an all-Ukrainian fight with EBU champ Kucher? That seems like it's fairly realistic, and would at least be better than matches against people like Beljo and Farias.

I wonder if they could build a 'Polish revenge' type of fight with Wlod.

[Boxing Writer]

I think it will be Farias just because he is the cheapest one. Farias would be an awful opponent for Usyk, who just dominated one of the best fighters in his division. I think he is by far the weakest opponent from WBO's top-15. I woldn't be surprised if most of the Usyk's first 9 opponents would beat Farias.

[Artem]

I think it will be Farias just because he is the cheapest one.

I hope that K2 Ukraine wouldn't choose him, because it would be hard to sell this fight and explain why they choose him)) I think that Beljo or Kucher will ask affordable price for this fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Can they not have him on the undercard of GGG's December fight? Bit of exposure in the US?

[Artem]

Can they not have him on the undercard of GGG's December fight? Bit of exposure in the US?

CEO of K2 Ukraine told that they had an offer from HBO but with high possibility next fight would be in Kiev. But I think that if they decide to fight in USA Hunter will be the best option.

[Artem]

WBO posted new ratings. Masternak goes out of WBO top 15, and Imre Szello (14-0, 8 KO) enters top 15.
According to K2 Ukraine CEO, now they are considering to dates - on 10th of December in NY, in Golovkin undercard and on 24th of December in Kiev.
I think that If they decide to fight in NY, Hunter will be the best option. Or maybe thay should try to sing Marco Huck, who is currently unranked by WBO. And if they choose Kiev, they should pick someone from trio - Kucher, Beljo and Szello.

[boxing_rocks]

WBO posted new ratings. Masternak goes out of WBO top 15, and Imre Szello (14-0, 8 KO) enters top 15.
According to K2 Ukraine CEO, now they are considering to dates - on 10th of December in NY, in Golovkin undercard and on 24th of December in Kiev.
I think that If they decide to fight in NY, Hunter will be the best option. Or maybe thay should try to sing Marco Huck, who is currently unranked by WBO. And if they choose Kiev, they should pick someone from trio - Kucher, Beljo and Szello.

Who promotes Kucher ? I doubt that they would want to take a guaranteed loss at this point.

[lefty]

Maybe an all-Ukrainian fight with EBU champ Kucher? That seems like it's fairly realistic, and would at least be better than matches against people like Beljo and Farias.

I wonder if they could build a 'Polish revenge' type of fight with Wlod.

I'd quite like the Kutcher fight. That's not a bad matchup.

[Artem]

Who promotes Kucher ? I doubt that they would want to take a guaranteed loss at this point.

As far as I know he is a free agent now. Previously he was fighter of Elite-boxing promotion

[Artem]

Here some update news about Usyk next fight.
K2 Promotions made official offer for Polish cruiserweight Mateusz Masternak (37-4, 26 KOs) to face WBO cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (10-0, 9 KOs) on December 17 in Inglewood, California, on Bernard Hopkins vs Joe Smith Jr. card. Also former IBF and WBC cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (51-3-1, 37 KOs) got an offer from K2 Promotions.

[jujigatame]

Masternak? Well he wasn't the worst name on the list, but also pretty far from the type of opponent the #1 CW in the world should be facing.

[crusader]

Masternak is okay I suppose for a first defense. He doesn't have a big win, but his only legitimate losses are to good opponents in competitive fights, and he won 5 rounds against Bellew not too long ago, so Usyk could at least get a positive comparison point out of it.

[ValMar]

Usyk ought to move up at HW, and fight the best. He is capable to become undisputed HW champion (2019)....

[crusader]

There are good fights at CW....he should at least get a few more nice wins before moving up.

[brilo33]

Usyk is the man bellew is the fight i want to see

[Artem]

Usyk confirms his next fight will be held on December 17 in USA. So I think that soon name of opponent would be officially announced. Masternak tells that he is ready to fight, but as far as he knows - he is not first choice of Usyk team.