Usyk to Vacate All Belts

[Ruthless-RKO]

Oleksandr Usyk is eyeing a fight against Deontay Wilder or former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones in late 2026/early ‘27 in the USA, Usyk’s advisor Serhii Lapin tells @ringmagazine. Wilder is his preferred option. Usyk has accomplished everything except … a major USA fight.

[gilgamesh]

I definitely prefer Wilder of those 2 options.

[joshj909]

Oleksandr Usyk is eyeing a fight against Deontay Wilder or former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones in late 2026/early ‘27 in the USA, Usyk’s advisor Serhii Lapin tells @ringmagazine. Wilder is his preferred option. Usyk has accomplished everything except … a major USA fight.

Jon Jones would look TERRIBLE in boxing

[gilgamesh]

You'd think so.

[deadpan]

I wonder if scumbag Jones is referenced so that when it is Wilder the sting is a little less. "At least it's a boxer..."
I'm a big Usyk fan but if he bows out with Rico and Deontay it's the most underwhelming swan song of a dominant champ I can remember.

[chinarich]

I wonder if Usyk will drop down to CW and fight for the CW belt again

WBC Bridgerweight to become a three division champion

[KiwiRider]

If Usyk ducks Kab it gives Kab a fair chance of becoming the next champ and retiring undefeated.

I don't see that kinda talent in Kabayel.

I do Gil
Only because I don't see it in anyone else after Uysk leaves the mix. There is a huge drop off in talent after the champ vacates.
Maybe if Fury was younger, maybe if Itauma has proved himself, it's all if's and maybes.

[gilgamesh]

If Usyk ducks Kab it gives Kab a fair chance of becoming the next champ and retiring undefeated.

I don't see that kinda talent in Kabayel.

I do Gil
Only because I don't see it in anyone else after Uysk leaves the mix. There is a huge drop off in talent after the champ vacates.
Maybe if Fury was younger, maybe if Itauma has proved himself, it's all if's and maybes.

Kabayel's got an aggressive style. I'd like to see him vs Dubois. I'll bet that'd be an action bout.

[Riddick Bowie]

Needing selective memory to protect a preferred narrative thirty years after an event says more about you than it does Bowe.

You're talking to yourself with that last line

People talk about Lewis as an all time great.

Unfortunately Bowe is mentioned as what could have been.

Poorly managed.

Yes, his career got cut short because he got brain damaged. His skills diminished because he was a self destructive idiot like Tyson rather than being poorly managed. He walked away from a brief pro career with an absolute fortune, which I imagine is all gone.

But yes, do give him a good kick while he's down.

[jtourettes]

This is classy

Super classy. Love it.

[jtourettes]

I wonder if scumbag Jones is referenced so that when it is Wilder the sting is a little less. "At least it's a boxer..."
I'm a big Usyk fan but if he bows out with Rico and Deontay it's the most underwhelming swan song of a dominant champ I can remember.

It’s shit but his record will show that he fought all the big names of his era. Much like calzaghe with bhop and jones, but at least bhop actually went on to a purple patch after.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Oleksandr Usyk confirms he will retire after next fight

Oleksandr Usyk, who last month relinquished his three heavyweight belts, has reaffirmed that he will have one more bout and then retire.

Talking to the BBC, the 39-year-old was asked if his ‘last dance’ could end up being multiple bouts.

“No, no, no,” Usyk said. “Last is only one. Not three last, not five last. It is only one."

In May, Usyk struggled during his bout with kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.

He would eventually win in the 11th round to take his record to 25-0 (16 KOs). That the contest went that long, and the Ukrianian struggled so much against a novice opponent, surprised many observers.

“After [my next] fight I say ‘thank you, everyone. Appreciate.”

Usyk has achieved it all. After winning Olympic gold in 2012 he went on to dominate at cruiserweight, claiming all four belts before he repeated the feat, twice, at heavyweight.

Fellow veteran Deontay Wilder is thought to be the frontrunner to be the Ukrainian’s last dance partner.