Usyk's last dance

[joshj909]

We've all discussed this quite heavily in various other threads but if Usyk has one more fight left, as he has hinted at, who would you like to see it against? Or, who would you not mind seeing him against? I imagine it will be early to mid next year so other fights can happen before it gets anounced

[gilgamesh]

Parker and Kabayel are the 2 I'd want to see the most. If Wardley keeps going it'd be great to see him get a shot too. I wouldn't expect him to win, but it'd be cool to see him get the shot anyhow.

[tiny_acres]

If it is not Parker or Kabayel. I want Jalalov

[margaret thatcher]

1. kabayel i think is the most interesting, with his body attack and pressure. could he sap the energy from usyk?

2. parker, on a very good run, very quick hands. although i think stylistically could be a boring fight and i'd give him less chance of winning than kabayel

3. jalolov - kinda a dark horse pick, since he hasnt proven much as a pro. but 2x olympic gold medalist who hasnt lost in years, with excellent physical attributes and some power and skill, would be more intriguing to me than most of the names out there

opetaia used to be my #3 to fight usyk, as battle between cruiser champ generations (fought at hw though), but i think these days his claim to being the man at cruiser is less and less convincing, he needs to step it up and beat zurdo.

wardley mildly interesting with his power, but power isn't a great thing to count on when your opponent has fought top level for years and never even been floored

torrez/itauma good fighters but too early

the rest kinda just meh


ABSOLUTELY NOT ANOTHER REMATCH OR THREEMATCH, gimme any fresh match up over that

[joshj909]

Parker has earned it the most and has looked great recently. Kabayel probably has the best chance of beating him. Jalolov is a wild card as he's untested but he's likely going to be the man to beat in a few years time in the next generation.

No rematches and no money fights. Opetaia if he beats Zurdo would be another good option but only if he does that. Itauma if he beat Whyte then someone else relevant but not before. Wardley if he beats another top opponent too.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

- Usyk with his stellar career and being 39 next year is on record as mentioning his last fight needs to be in Ukraine, obviously a good distance from the shelling.

And I'm on the record as saying Parker has more than earned his shot, plus that would be additional payback on Blubber who made Parker his primary sparmate for the Usyk fight...yeah...make it so

[KiwiRider]

Parker has earned it, and Kayabel is second in line officially.
My preference would be to swap them around and have Kayabel face Uysk, then if Uysk retires afterwards, Parker vs Kayabel.

[joshj909]

I've updated the poll to reflect current events.
I changed my vote from Parker to Wardley. Kabayel (assuming he doesn't lose before then). Itauma and Opetaia up for the third spot depending on who is most worthy by the time it comes around

[gilgamesh]

Wardley, Kabayel and Itauma.

[Lenny Cravats]

I think he should call it a day. He looked sharp in his last fight, but if he gets beaten by Ituama, Kabayel or Wardley, it'll be just another case of a man staying in the game too long.
Going off his run at heavy, there's no way any of these guys beat him. So the only question is, how much damage has time done? And that's not a fight I'm ever interested in seeing.

[Ruthless-RKO]

As much as I’d hate to see him go. How many even retire on top anymore?

He should call it a day.

But I guess that’s his decision.

He probably still beats all the top 15 HW’s

[gilgamesh]

As much as I’d hate to see him go. How many even retire on top anymore?

He should call it a day.

But I guess that’s his decision.

He probably still beats all the top 15 HW’s

How much is retiring on top really worth though? Andre Ward retired on top, and I'm sure there's many times he checks his bank account and thinks twice on that decision.

Retiring unbeaten didn't really boost his legacy all that much either I wouldn't say. Plenty of guys with quite a few losses who had a more memorable and meaningful career than Ward.

Now Usyk has surpassed Ward don't get me wrong, but my point is sometimes the career you could've continued to thrive in is better than the "legacy" that is to be bestowed on you.

[gregregegg]

Usyk is filthy rich. And a legend. It really all comes down to if he still enjoys it or if it’s a chore.

Retire now and he is the best of an era with 100 million…

Fight on and Mabey he can have 200 million… can he improve his legacey? A tiny bit I guess, can he ruin it? A tiny bit I guess.

[Ruthless-RKO]

He definitely earns more money than Ward.

He’s beaten all the top heavyweights TWICE..

Yh there will always be someone that he hasn’t fought or an up and comer, but that’s always gonna be the case.

[Cyclops]

Wardley, Kabayel and Itauma.

Exactly my picks too, in that order.

[chucktaylor]

Riding off into the sunset seems a good option. He has been on such a run and is already an ATG. But, if he has to to have 3 more fights, I'll go with 3 undefeated fighters who represent very different challenges. Take these three 0s and everyone would just have to bow down to the greatness:

Kabayel - top heavyweight contender with a proven record and a high pressure, big body-punching style. It has been said that Usyk doesn't like it to the body (who does?).

Opetaia - Cruiserweight champion, like Usyk, and a super athlete, like Usyk. He would be quicker than most of Usyk's opponents, and with heavyweight level power.

Itauma - young sensation who appears skilled beyond his years. While maybe it's not fair for Itauma to get the fight at this stage, Usyk beating the "next generation" (a PPV headliner; oh, boxing ) on the way out would be a big statement.

[pugilisticspecialist]

My favoured opponents are:

1. Wardley

2. Kabayel

[joshj909]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/articles/cx2e64dyxe3o

It looks like he wants Wilder. Pretty indefensible low risk cash grab.

[gilgamesh]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/articles/cx2e64dyxe3o

It looks like he wants Wilder. Pretty indefensible low risk cash grab.

From a historical perspective, it's the biggest name he could add to his record amongst the current crop, but it's definitely one of the least competitive fights, and yes Wilder is way past it.

I can't sh*t on Usyk too hard for taking one, big money, low risk fight in his career. He's earned one.

[joshj909]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/articles/cx2e64dyxe3o

It looks like he wants Wilder. Pretty indefensible low risk cash grab.

From a historical perspective, it's the biggest name he could add to his record amongst the current crop, but it's definitely one of the least competitive fights, and yes Wilder is way past it.

I can't sh*t on Usyk too hard for taking one, big money, low risk fight in his career. He's earned one.

I can understand that this would be the only heavyweight champion of that generation that he hasn't beat yet (Edit: I forgot about Ruiz and arguably Parker too) but Wilder is way past it and there's a new line of contenders. If they're fighting as soon as January or February then I guess we can forgive him as most other worthy contenders (Wardley and Kabayel) won't be ready by then. It's just the next step down after them is the Itauma's, Jalolov's and Torrez's of the heavyweight scene that I think he will need to beat a couple of rather than just facing the old boys.

[gilgamesh]

Well after Wilder there would really be no old boys left to fight. So he'd have to go for the young fresh contenders.

[Cyclops]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/articles/cx2e64dyxe3o

It looks like he wants Wilder. Pretty indefensible low risk cash grab.

I watched that interview. It seemed like he was joking around when he said he wanted Wilder; like he was tired of answering the question "who's next?" and just pulled Wilder out of the air as something to say.

I don't really care if he fights Wilder to be honest. All fighters deserve an 'easy' one at some point. I don't know who they'd be able to find to bankroll it, though.