Oleksandr Usyk vs. Fabio Wardley - 2026 - Who wins?

[Coco]

how about Kabayel vs. Wardley next? winner gets to meet Usyk

If I were Wardley I'd never fight a dangerous opponent again until I get my title shot. We just saw Parker's shot go up in smoke.

If you're gonna clean out the divisions Top 5. You might as well do it as Champion.

Perhaps Uysk will wait for them to all beat each other, then take the biggest money fight, Fury

[tigermoth87]

Usyk clowns him

But surely Parker is gonna be given a rematch after that disgrace?

[gilgamesh]

The rematch will still be there a year or two from now. No need to rush into that I don't think.

A title shot is something where you've got to strike while the iron is hot.

[golden_labrador]

how about Kabayel vs. Wardley next? winner gets to meet Usyk

If I were Wardley I'd never fight a dangerous opponent again until I get my title shot. We just saw Parker's shot go up in smoke.

If you're gonna clean out the divisions Top 5. You might as well do it as Champion.

and this is how Kash Ali upsets Wardley

[Shirow]

how about Kabayel vs. Wardley next? winner gets to meet Usyk

The winner of Wardley-Parker is a deserving enough fighter, surely? Both of them could’ve sat waiting on their shot but instead took on each other.

Unlike Kabayel, who unfortunately (probably due to his management and lack of pulling power) is in with the ancient Hysa who he should beat up easily.

Parker vs Kabayel makes more sense to me: or Parker in a redemption fight against Joshua. AJ still does numbers, doesn’t he?

It was arguable whether Parker or Kabayel deserved Uysk next so I suppose I can live with Wardley getting the shot even if I'd rather see Agit. But as well as being a much better boxer than joe or Huni, Usyk just doesn't make the mistakes those 2 do.
I think Parker should fight Dubois next. This should have happened already, they are both coming off a loss and an impressive win over the other keeps them in the top contender bracket.

[gregregegg]

Usyk vs wardly next does make sense... its not my favorite thing in the world but worth keeping the belts together for...

Then mabey on the undercard

DDD vs Kabayal
AJ vs fury
parker vs hunter
Moses vs hrgovic
bakole vs zhang
whyte vs chizzy III
joyce vs yoka
ortiz vs allen II
wilder vs torrez jr
Ruiz vs makhamadov.

(If i was jeff bezzos/elon musk/bill gates)

[Ruthless-RKO]

Shame those guys don’t care about boxing

[MasterG]

Usyk vs wardly next does make sense... its not my favorite thing in the world but worth keeping the belts together for...

Then mabey on the undercard

DDD vs Kabayal
AJ vs fury
parker vs hunter
Moses vs hrgovic
bakole vs zhang
whyte vs chizzy III
joyce vs yoka
ortiz vs allen II
wilder vs torrez jr
Ruiz vs makhamadov.

(If i was jeff bezzos/elon musk/bill gates)

"You're gonna need a bigger stadium"

[JC]

If he doesn't get Usyk for whatever reason, Wardley vs Dubois would be a great fight.

[Cyclops]

how about Kabayel vs. Wardley next? winner gets to meet Usyk

The winner of Wardley-Parker is a deserving enough fighter, surely? Both of them could’ve sat waiting on their shot but instead took on each other.

Unlike Kabayel, who unfortunately (probably due to his management and lack of pulling power) is in with the ancient Hysa who he should beat up easily.

Parker vs Kabayel makes more sense to me: or Parker in a redemption fight against Joshua. AJ still does numbers, doesn’t he?

It was arguable whether Parker or Kabayel deserved Uysk next so I suppose I can live with Wardley getting the shot even if I'd rather see Agit. But as well as being a much better boxer than joe or Huni, Usyk just doesn't make the mistakes those 2 do.
I think Parker should fight Dubois next. This should have happened already, they are both coming off a loss and an impressive win over the other keeps the in the top contender bracket.

I make you right that this is a good fight, and one that Parker deserves. But isn't DDD meant to be fighting someone else? I forget who, and it's not in the listings. But I thought I heard Sanchez being mentioned.

[golden_labrador]

Usyk vs wardly next does make sense... its not my favorite thing in the world but worth keeping the belts together for...

Then mabey on the undercard

DDD vs Kabayal
AJ vs fury
parker vs hunter
Moses vs hrgovic
bakole vs zhang
whyte vs chizzy III
joyce vs yoka
ortiz vs allen II
wilder vs torrez jr
Ruiz vs makhamadov.

(If i was jeff bezzos/elon musk/bill gates)

I'd pay for that.

an all-heavyweight card. The Rumble in the Desert

[Ruthless-RKO]

Business partner of Oleksandr Usyk sees no sense in a fight with Fabio Wardley

The friend, business partner and former promoter of Oleksandr Usyk believes the world heavyweight champion should follow the lead of the division’s previous peerless king, Lennox Lewis, and walk away at the top. Alex Krassyuk, who up until this year was Usyk’s promoter and remains close with the 38-year-old, said there is no reason for a fight with Fabio Wardley, now the consensus leading contender following Saturday’s victory over Joseph Parker.

“I am public in my [opinion], I want Usyk to retire as fast as possible,” Krassyuk told Boxing King Media. “I was even against his fight with [Daniel] Dubois, but okay, that made some sense to become three-time undisputed.”

Usyk won that fight emphatically in five rounds atop a huge event at Wembley Stadium. There has been plenty of speculation about what comes next for the two-division champion but Krassyuk, who continues to work closely with Usyk on the fighter’s other business interests, remains steadfast in his belief that his friend should leave the fighting behind. Particularly if his leading challenger is Wardley, a fighter Krassyuk believes is not well-known enough to generate a fitting purse.

“Give me one – not two, not three – but one reason to fight Wardley. With all respect to this guy, with all the credit to him, but I am thinking from Usyk’s perspective,” Krassyuk went on. “Even money is not the reason – unless a miracle happens and the magician comes in the helicopter with all the money and distributes it to try and conquer the land of boxing and paying, I don’t know, 50 million to Usyk. Then it might make sense.

“Otherwise, it does not make sense. Why should he risk everything that he gained over the last 13 years? If he loses, people will remember his loss only. Lennox Lewis is the best role model for this; it is better to leave one hour [early] than two minutes [too late].

“I am on the same page as many people who think about this strategically. The status of Usyk being undisputed, and being unbeaten, will stay with him until the end of his days.”

Krassyuk inferred that Usyk, a devoted family man, would struggle to find the motivation for a challenge like Wardley at this point in his decorated career.

“If [Usyk] has the motivation to get up at 5 o’clock in the morning, train three times, be away from his family for three or four months, to work hard, then probably yes, it makes sense [to continue fighting]. But will it bring him what he’s expecting to [earn]?

“Again, with all respect to Fabio Wardley, he is not a big name, it will be a fight between Usyk and an opponent, not generating [enough money at the] gate and Usyk taking a hard, stupid risk. It makes no sense.

“This is not me being an advisor or anything like that, it is just my way of thinking.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[big lennox]

Business partner of Oleksandr Usyk sees no sense in a fight with Fabio Wardley

The friend, business partner and former promoter of Oleksandr Usyk believes the world heavyweight champion should follow the lead of the division’s previous peerless king, Lennox Lewis, and walk away at the top. Alex Krassyuk, who up until this year was Usyk’s promoter and remains close with the 38-year-old, said there is no reason for a fight with Fabio Wardley, now the consensus leading contender following Saturday’s victory over Joseph Parker.

“I am public in my [opinion], I want Usyk to retire as fast as possible,” Krassyuk told Boxing King Media. “I was even against his fight with [Daniel] Dubois, but okay, that made some sense to become three-time undisputed.”

Usyk won that fight emphatically in five rounds atop a huge event at Wembley Stadium. There has been plenty of speculation about what comes next for the two-division champion but Krassyuk, who continues to work closely with Usyk on the fighter’s other business interests, remains steadfast in his belief that his friend should leave the fighting behind. Particularly if his leading challenger is Wardley, a fighter Krassyuk believes is not well-known enough to generate a fitting purse.

“Give me one – not two, not three – but one reason to fight Wardley. With all respect to this guy, with all the credit to him, but I am thinking from Usyk’s perspective,” Krassyuk went on. “Even money is not the reason – unless a miracle happens and the magician comes in the helicopter with all the money and distributes it to try and conquer the land of boxing and paying, I don’t know, 50 million to Usyk. Then it might make sense.

“Otherwise, it does not make sense. Why should he risk everything that he gained over the last 13 years? If he loses, people will remember his loss only. Lennox Lewis is the best role model for this; it is better to leave one hour [early] than two minutes [too late].

“I am on the same page as many people who think about this strategically. The status of Usyk being undisputed, and being unbeaten, will stay with him until the end of his days.”

Krassyuk inferred that Usyk, a devoted family man, would struggle to find the motivation for a challenge like Wardley at this point in his decorated career.

“If [Usyk] has the motivation to get up at 5 o’clock in the morning, train three times, be away from his family for three or four months, to work hard, then probably yes, it makes sense [to continue fighting]. But will it bring him what he’s expecting to [earn]?

“Again, with all respect to Fabio Wardley, he is not a big name, it will be a fight between Usyk and an opponent, not generating [enough money at the] gate and Usyk taking a hard, stupid risk. It makes no sense.

“This is not me being an advisor or anything like that, it is just my way of thinking.”

I'm in full agreement with Krassyuk.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Yh I mean. Isn’t that one of the reasons people said Parker didn’t deserve it? Cus it’s not a money fight?

Neither is Wardley for that matter.

Who is a money fight?

These HW’s need to get active IMO. Cus very quickly. It might turn into a crap division.

[joshj909]

Yh I mean. Isn’t that one of the reasons people said Parker didn’t deserve it? Cus it’s not a money fight?

Neither is Wardley for that matter.

Who is a money fight?

These HW’s need to get active IMO. Cus very quickly. It might turn into a crap division.

Nobody has made the case of being an undeniable star or the obvious number 2. Usyk should start calling the shots and telling Turki to make some contenders fight it out on his next undercard. Usyk Vs Wardley, Itauma Vs Okolie, Kabayel Vs Jalolov and Torrez Vs Hunter with the promise that the most impressive win will get the next shot while the other winners will fight it out for the next shot.

[gilgamesh]

Wardley seems to always draw a pretty big crowd for now, and I'd think it'll keep getting bigger. He's a bigger draw than Parker I'd think. Not sure who else would be a bigger draw as an opponent for Usyk that Usyk hasn't already beaten.

[londonwar]

Usyk vs wardly next does make sense... its not my favorite thing in the world but worth keeping the belts together for...

Then mabey on the undercard

DDD vs Kabayal
AJ vs fury
parker vs hunter
Moses vs hrgovic
bakole vs zhang
whyte vs chizzy III
joyce vs yoka
ortiz vs allen II
wilder vs torrez jr
Ruiz vs makhamadov.

(If i was jeff bezzos/elon musk/bill gates)

I'd pay for that.

an all-heavyweight card. The Rumble in the Desert

Bakole needs another shot at Hunter
Torrez v Ruiz

Remove Hrgovic, chizzy, whyte and Allen and replace with Bohden Myronets, Terremoana, Huni and Adeleye.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Business partner of Oleksandr Usyk sees no sense in a fight with Fabio Wardley

The friend, business partner and former promoter of Oleksandr Usyk believes the world heavyweight champion should follow the lead of the division’s previous peerless king, Lennox Lewis, and walk away at the top. Alex Krassyuk, who up until this year was Usyk’s promoter and remains close with the 38-year-old, said there is no reason for a fight with Fabio Wardley, now the consensus leading contender following Saturday’s victory over Joseph Parker.

“I am public in my [opinion], I want Usyk to retire as fast as possible,” Krassyuk told Boxing King Media. “I was even against his fight with [Daniel] Dubois, but okay, that made some sense to become three-time undisputed.”

Usyk won that fight emphatically in five rounds atop a huge event at Wembley Stadium. There has been plenty of speculation about what comes next for the two-division champion but Krassyuk, who continues to work closely with Usyk on the fighter’s other business interests, remains steadfast in his belief that his friend should leave the fighting behind. Particularly if his leading challenger is Wardley, a fighter Krassyuk believes is not well-known enough to generate a fitting purse.

“Give me one – not two, not three – but one reason to fight Wardley. With all respect to this guy, with all the credit to him, but I am thinking from Usyk’s perspective,” Krassyuk went on. “Even money is not the reason – unless a miracle happens and the magician comes in the helicopter with all the money and distributes it to try and conquer the land of boxing and paying, I don’t know, 50 million to Usyk. Then it might make sense.

“Otherwise, it does not make sense. Why should he risk everything that he gained over the last 13 years? If he loses, people will remember his loss only. Lennox Lewis is the best role model for this; it is better to leave one hour [early] than two minutes [too late].

“I am on the same page as many people who think about this strategically. The status of Usyk being undisputed, and being unbeaten, will stay with him until the end of his days.”

Krassyuk inferred that Usyk, a devoted family man, would struggle to find the motivation for a challenge like Wardley at this point in his decorated career.

“If [Usyk] has the motivation to get up at 5 o’clock in the morning, train three times, be away from his family for three or four months, to work hard, then probably yes, it makes sense [to continue fighting]. But will it bring him what he’s expecting to [earn]?

“Again, with all respect to Fabio Wardley, he is not a big name, it will be a fight between Usyk and an opponent, not generating [enough money at the] gate and Usyk taking a hard, stupid risk. It makes no sense.

“This is not me being an advisor or anything like that, it is just my way of thinking.”

I'm in full agreement with Krassyuk.

Same here - I really do not see a good reason to continue. He has all the money he needs for retirement, and he doesn't strike me as being particularly flash either.

He has nothing left to prove, his win over Dubois was him squashing the next generation, not once, but twice. He has outboxed and outfought the leading lights of his division, I guess he still has fights left on his contract with Turki?

[deadpan]

As I've speculated elsewhere, isn't it better for Wazza if Usyk relinquishes and Frank gets to keep a world belt in house for a few years? And at some point Usyk has the option of attempting to unify for a third time if he so chooses.

Usyk-Wardley would fill Wembley/Spurs but so would a round robin series involving Wardley, Itauma, Parker, Fury(!) & Dubois if promoted well. Which it would be.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Negotiations have begun to match Oleksandr Usyk with Fabio Wardley

Talks are underway to match unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk with Fabio Wardley.

The Englishman is coming off a thrilling 11th-round stoppage of the New Zealander Joseph Parker to jump to the head of the heavyweight queue, and he has moved into a position to force Usyk’s hand.

The Ukrainian great last defended his title in July with an impressive second early win over Daniel Dubois.

“At the moment, the deal is Usyk has to defend his WBO title against Fabio, we’re in negotiations,” Warren told Queensberry Promotions. “If we can’t agree terms, it’ll go to purse bids. Whoever wins the purse bids will determine where that fight takes place and the date and contracts will have to be signed. And then Mr Usyk will either sign it or he won’t, if he signs it, we’ve got a fight and if he doesn’t Fabio will become the champion and he’ll fight somebody else.”

Wardley is 20-0-1 (19 KOs), and the 30-year-old is trained by Ben Davison.

“It’s been a Cinderella story as far as Fabio’s concerned, when you look at his background, and what he’s come from with no amateur experience and stepping up a level every time he fights, learning on the job, and he’s done brilliantly,” said Warren. “For Joe Parker, who was ranked the number-two heavyweight in the world, he’ll come again.

"We’ve already corresponded with him, he’ll want to come back and fight and we’ll make a fight for him, maybe there’ll even be a rematch down the road, who knows? There are great fights to be made.”

Usyk is 24-0 (15 KOs) and has been undisputed champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, where he has twice beaten Dubois, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

[MasterG]

A fight against Usyk would sell out Wembley, but having been to Wembley to see Dubious v Usyk it's not a fight I would go and see, living too far up north and knowing the logistics of getting away from Wembley.

What we have in England, is no northern stadium that can seat 90k spectators. We need a huge stadium somewhere near Leeds that can fit maybe 100k. I'm not keen on traveling to wembley again, ever to see a sporting event, no matter who is competing.

[Ruthless-RKO]

A fight against Usyk would sell out Wembley, but having been to Wembley to see Dubious v Usyk it's not a fight I would go and see, living too far up north and knowing the logistics of getting away from Wembley.

What we have in England, is no northern stadium that can seat 90k spectators. We need a huge stadium somewhere near Leeds that can fit maybe 100k. I'm not keen on traveling to wembley again, ever to see a sporting event, no matter who is competing.

Man Utd will soon have 100k

They around 70k now aren’t they? But old Trafford is a shitthole

[big lennox]

Business partner of Oleksandr Usyk sees no sense in a fight with Fabio Wardley

The friend, business partner and former promoter of Oleksandr Usyk believes the world heavyweight champion should follow the lead of the division’s previous peerless king, Lennox Lewis, and walk away at the top. Alex Krassyuk, who up until this year was Usyk’s promoter and remains close with the 38-year-old, said there is no reason for a fight with Fabio Wardley, now the consensus leading contender following Saturday’s victory over Joseph Parker.

“I am public in my [opinion], I want Usyk to retire as fast as possible,” Krassyuk told Boxing King Media. “I was even against his fight with [Daniel] Dubois, but okay, that made some sense to become three-time undisputed.”

Usyk won that fight emphatically in five rounds atop a huge event at Wembley Stadium. There has been plenty of speculation about what comes next for the two-division champion but Krassyuk, who continues to work closely with Usyk on the fighter’s other business interests, remains steadfast in his belief that his friend should leave the fighting behind. Particularly if his leading challenger is Wardley, a fighter Krassyuk believes is not well-known enough to generate a fitting purse.

“Give me one – not two, not three – but one reason to fight Wardley. With all respect to this guy, with all the credit to him, but I am thinking from Usyk’s perspective,” Krassyuk went on. “Even money is not the reason – unless a miracle happens and the magician comes in the helicopter with all the money and distributes it to try and conquer the land of boxing and paying, I don’t know, 50 million to Usyk. Then it might make sense.

“Otherwise, it does not make sense. Why should he risk everything that he gained over the last 13 years? If he loses, people will remember his loss only. Lennox Lewis is the best role model for this; it is better to leave one hour [early] than two minutes [too late].

“I am on the same page as many people who think about this strategically. The status of Usyk being undisputed, and being unbeaten, will stay with him until the end of his days.”

Krassyuk inferred that Usyk, a devoted family man, would struggle to find the motivation for a challenge like Wardley at this point in his decorated career.

“If [Usyk] has the motivation to get up at 5 o’clock in the morning, train three times, be away from his family for three or four months, to work hard, then probably yes, it makes sense [to continue fighting]. But will it bring him what he’s expecting to [earn]?

“Again, with all respect to Fabio Wardley, he is not a big name, it will be a fight between Usyk and an opponent, not generating [enough money at the] gate and Usyk taking a hard, stupid risk. It makes no sense.

“This is not me being an advisor or anything like that, it is just my way of thinking.”

I'm in full agreement with Krassyuk.

Same here - I really do not see a good reason to continue. He has all the money he needs for retirement, and he doesn't strike me as being particularly flash either.

He has nothing left to prove, his win over Dubois was him squashing the next generation, not once, but twice. He has outboxed and outfought the leading lights of his division, I guess he still has fights left on his contract with Turki?

I wonder if by fighting he continues to raise the profile of Ukraine and makes more money to give to the war effort. I remember Ali being asked what he learned from boxing. He replied, " I learned that stick around long enough, you get whupped".

[big lennox]

I'd like AJ and Fury to retire too. Enjoy the spoils of their Labour. Leave boxing to the youngsters. It's their turn now.