OLEKSANDR USYK IN TALKS FOR NEXT FIGHT, DENIES MOSES ITAUMA MATCHUP
Undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, 38, plans to fight until he is 41. He is in negotiations for his next bout, with a Tyson Fury trilogy and WBO mandatory Joseph Parker as possibilities.
According to Oleksandr Usyk, he intends to continue fighting until he turns 41. For Usyk, the 38-year-old undisputed heavyweight champion (24-0, 15 KOs), that figure is far from certain. Depending on injuries and the state of his career, everything could change.
The Fury Trilogy Still on the Table
Usyk's back issue has caused a delay in his return to the ring. He claims to be in "negotiations" for a bout, but he does not say who the opponent is. Moses Itauma will not be there. It would be intriguing to observe if Usyk chose an unexpected individual to serve as a tune-up.
It would be entertaining if Tyson Fury and Usyk faced off in a trilogy. Fury, also known as "The Gipsy King", is still upset over his two defeats and is seeking retribution.
There would be a lot of attention if they fought again, with Fury constantly complaining about how he was treated badly in the first two bouts. In an attempt to make his admirers feel sorry for him, he would play the victim. He is extremely wealthy now, even if he won the business in the initial battle. He has more than $160 million, if not more.
WBO Required: Wardley or Parker?
The WBO vs Joseph Parker is currently the requirement that Oleksandr must meet. After his October 25 fight against WBA interim champion Fabio Wardley, the WBO mandatory status can take a different moniker. Wardley's rudimentary slugging technique would make him more susceptible than the other one.
Usyk Expands His Professional Goals
"Until I am forty-one, I will fight." I will then construct a sports academy. According to Oleksandr Usyk via Sky Sports Boxing, "I will train there and train others." He declared, "Next year, and God willing, I will win."
Since discussions are still going on, I am unable to identify the specific party. If I offered you a name, I would be lying," Usyk remarked.
Usyk's desire to compete for another two to three years till he is 41 makes sense. Every bout brings in a ton of money for him. Usyk would get the highest payouts if he faced these guys:
Tyson Fury
Moses Itauma
Joseph Parker
Fabio Wardley
Reasons for Itauma's Wait
"I will not engage in combat with Itauma [next]." He is young and always makes fun of me. He also admitted to himself that he does not strike grandfathers. Moses Itauma was mentioned by Usyk.
Olly Campbell has been providing readers with a distinct ringside perspective and a consistent voice on the biggest nights in boxing since 2015.
TYSON FURY BLASTS ANTHONY JOSHUA AFTER DANIEL DUBOIS STOPS FABIO WARDLEY IN MANCHESTER
Tyson Fury has labelled Anthony Joshua "chinny" after Daniel Dubois secured the WBO heavyweight title against a resilient Fabio Wardley.
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Tyson Fury wasted no time after Daniel Dubois stopped Fabio Wardley this past weekend, using the moment to take a shot at Anthony Joshua.
Dubois picked up his second heavyweight title Saturday night in Manchester, grabbing the WBO belt from Wardley in a wild, bloodied battle that’s already being called a fight of the year candidate.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Dubois, though. He hit the canvas twice in the first three rounds but bounced back hard, battering Wardley late and leaving his face a mess as the final bell sounded.
Wardley never actually went down during the fight, despite looking wobbly near the end. Credit to him for sheer toughness, but Dubois still beat him decisively. This was Dubois’ first victory since his massive upset over Anthony Joshua earlier in 2024, when he floored AJ four times in one night.
On Sunday, Fury chimed in about Dubois’ latest win. With his own fight against Joshua rumoured for later this year on Netflix, Fury saw an opening to stir the pot.
“Just been thinking about Dubois’ crazy fight last night,” Fury said. Dubois fought [Jarrell] Miller, stopped him, but never put him down. He fought. [Filip] Hrgovic stopped him but never put him down. Fought Wardley last night and stopped him, but didn’t put him down. He hit Usyk with bombs but didn’t drop him. But against Anthony Joshua? Drops him five times.”
Fury added, “I’m not saying Joshua’s got no chin, but facts are facts. Take it however you want. Nobody else went down, not Miller, not Hrgovic, not Usyk, not Wardley. But Joshua hits the deck five times? Chinny, get up, slink!”
Fury is coming off a comeback win over Arslanbek Makhmudov and has already signed on to fight Joshua this year. Joshua will warm up first against Albanian heavyweight Kristian Pregna in Saudi Arabia on July 25 before facing Fury.
Promoter Frank Warren says Fury vs. AJ will probably land in October, though Fury might want another tune-up, which could push things back a bit.
As for Dubois, he’s got options. There’s talk of a rematch with Wardley, a chance to settle the score with Usyk in a trilogy, or a domestic showdown with Moses Itauma. Dubois’ dad, Stan, told talkSPORT he’d rather see his son fight another British heavyweight next, not Usyk.
HOW DANIEL DUBOIS SURVIVED TWO KNOCKDOWNS TO STOP A BLOODY FABIO WARDLEY
"I had to dig deep." Read Daniel Dubois' full reaction to his stunning comeback victory against Fabio Wardley in Manchester.
The punch that changed everything wasn't thrown by either of the fighters.
Fabio Wardley came out blazing in his title defence, dropping Daniel Dubois just 10 seconds in. He did it again in the third round, making it look like his big night. But then, something strange happened. As Dubois got up after the fourth round, his trainer, Don Charles, slapped him hard on both cheeks.
That’s when Dubois woke up. “I had to make him realise what he needed to do,” Charles said afterwards. It’s not exactly the kind of thing you see at team-building seminars, but it worked. Dubois turned on, and suddenly Wardley’s reign started to unravel.
Wardley had picked Dubois for the first fight since collecting the WBO belt that Oleksandr Usyk dropped. Honestly, it looked like a smart pick: he dropped Dubois twice and set the tone. But after that slap, Dubois started seeing Wardley’s moves coming; those wild lunges became easier to dodge.
He landed his stiff jab and followed up with savage right hands. Wardley’s jaw somehow took the hits, but his nose was pouring blood, and his right eye was almost swollen shut. He kept pushing forward, showing crazy heart, while Dubois just kept piling on. The fight turned into a brutal spectacle, the kind you can’t look away from.
Wardley got checked twice by doctors but kept fighting. Honestly, it could've stopped before the second-to-last round, when referee Howard Foster finally stepped in. Dubois got his second world title; Wardley, battered and worn, just managed a thumbs up to his mum.
Dubois summed it up later: “I had to dig really deep. When you’re a warrior, you go to dark places. I was nervous at first, all over the place, and had to fight my own battles. That slap woke me up. My dad and everyone were in my corner; I couldn’t let them down.
“Fabio came to fight; he was tough. We were exhausted; it was a real war. I had to use all my skills to win. Great fight, great battle, and I’m No. 1 again.” Sure, Usyk might argue about that, but Dubois proved something; he got up off the canvas and won.
People have called Dubois a quitter since the Joe Joyce fight six years ago. Wardley himself thought Dubois would fold again in Manchester, and for three rounds it looked like he was right until reality snapped Dubois awake.
