OLEKSANDR USYK CONFIRMS RETIREMENT TIMELINE AHEAD OF MAY 23 WBC TITLE DEFENSE
Unified champion Usyk targets the Wardley vs Dubois winner before a "Last Dance" trilogy against Tyson Fury in 2026.
Oleksandr Usyk has always kept people guessing in the wild world of heavyweight boxing, but he’s not being coy about what he wants now. The unified champion wants one last, legacy-defining fight before he calls it quits.
Right now, Usyk holds the WBA, WBO, and WBC heavyweight titles. His eyes are set on Tyson Fury. After years of crushing it first as an Olympic gold medallist, then as an undisputed cruiserweight champ, and later as a dominant heavyweight, Usyk’s already done enough to secure his spot among the boxing greats. But he wants one more last challenge.
Usyk laid out how he wants his career to end in a recent chat with Inside the Ring. He’s not interested in taking on the division’s youngest contenders, like British up-and-comer Moses Itauma. He says he doesn’t want to break a young guy’s career. Instead, he’s looking at more established opponents. Here’s what he spelt out: first, he wants to face Rico. After that, whoever wins between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois. And finally, his friend Tyson Fury, “Greedy Belly", as he calls him.
That’s his roadmap: let Wardley and Dubois settle their business, then face the winner, and finally, go out with a bang against Fury.
Usyk isn’t the only one interested in Fury. Frank Warren, who promotes Fury as well as Wardley and Dubois, told Sky Sports he’s all in for this plan. The idea that Usyk wants to take on the winner of Wardley vs Dubois fires up everyone chasing the top spot. It gives those British heavyweights a real incentive.
As for where Usyk’s next fight happens, who knows? The location’s still up in the air. Boxing’s a global business, and big fights follow deep pockets and safe venues. Usyk says that’s not his problem, though he needs to stay ready. Let the promoters figure out where and when. He just wants a fair stage and a full house.
Saudi Arabia has become the go-to for these big showdowns recently, thanks to big money and global attention. Usyk, though, only cares about landing the right opponent. The venue is secondary.
A fight between Usyk and Fury means everything for heavyweight boxing. Two giants, each with their own era of dominance, meet to decide who’s really the king of the division. Warren admits the British contenders Wardley and Dubois might have to sort out their rivalry first. That’s fine with Usyk. For him, it’s about ending on his own terms, with one fight that really settles the story. Forget belts and paydays; he wants a finish that leaves no questions.
NEW ERA: JON JONES EYES MVP JUMP AS UFC RELATIONSHIP HITS BREAKING POINT
Jon Jones hits back at the UFC, demanding his contract be terminated to pursue new opportunities at Most Valuable Promotions.
Jake Paul says he’s ready to promote Jon Jones if Dana White lets him walk away from the UFC.
Jones wanted a spot on the big UFC White House card in June. He hinted that the promotion even reached out about an appearance. Most people thought they’d finally line him up against Alex Pereira, who just moved up to heavyweight, but Pereira’s fighting Cyril Gane instead.
Then Dana White went public, basically saying Jones is done with the UFC and retired from MMA. That didn’t sit well with Jones. He fired back, demanding a release so he could look at other opportunities.
If he gets out of that ironclad contract, Jake Paul’s new MMA project with Most Valuable Promotions is a real option. Paul’s already signed Jones’ long-time rival, Francis Ngannou, who’s set to fight Philipe Lins on their debut card in May. Now, Paul says he’d happily work with Jones too.
At a press conference, Paul put it out there: “Jon, you’re always welcome to come over to MVP. We’ll get it popping, and we’ll get you paid what you deserve.”
Honestly, Paul trying to lure Jones over feels possible, especially since Jones has wanted to fight Ngannou for years. The fight has been teased both inside and outside the UFC, but it has never materialised.
Paul’s clearly gunning to shake up the UFC’s grip on MMA, so who knows, an offer to Jones could be coming soon.
But can Jones actually fight again? Lately, he’s talked about hip problems that have made people doubt his future. He hasn’t fought since defending his title in November 2024 against Stipe Miocic. Still, he says the injury won’t stop him.
On social media, Jones said, “Yeah, I’ve got arthritis in my hip, and it hurts, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fight. So let me get this straight: if I took the lowball offer, my hip would magically be fine, and I’d be on the White House card? That makes no sense. I even got stem cell treatment last week to be ready, and training camp was supposed to start today. I was getting prepared. If the UFC really thinks I’m finished, I’m asking to be released from my contract right now. No more spin, no more games. Thanks to the real fans who get it.”
REVENGE MISSION: EDDIE HEARN SIGNS UFC CHAMP TOM ASPINALL AFTER LOSING CONOR BENN
Eddie Hearn strikes back: Read about Tom Aspinall signing with Matchroom, Conor Benn’s $15M Zuffa deal, and the Dana White rivalry.
Dana White, the boss at UFC and the man behind Zuffa Boxing, just snagged Conor Benn away from Eddie Hearn. Although if we’re being honest, Benn did a lot of the heavy lifting himself with that $15 million price tag.
White was quick to celebrate, maybe a little too loudly, especially on the UFC side, but Hearn didn’t let him have the spotlight for long. Not even a week later, Hearn fired back by announcing he’d signed UFC heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall to the Matchroom Talent Agency.
This back-and-forth between Hearn and White is turning into one of the more interesting rivalries in combat sports right now.
Zuffa Boxing’s move to grab Benn for a one-fight, $15 million deal definitely made waves. Benn, after all, spent ten years fighting under Hearn’s banner before jumping ship. Hearn hasn’t been shy about how much the move stings, especially since he’s been trading barbs with White nonstop.
But Hearn’s not just sitting around feeling sorry for himself. He went public on Instagram, welcoming Aspinall to the Matchroom squad. “Welcome to the team, UFC Heavyweight Champ @tomaspinallofficial,” Hearn posted. “Time to get what’s yours @matchroomtalentagency.”
It’s just the latest shot in their ongoing feud. White’s been out there calling Hearn soft for getting emotional about Benn leaving. Hearn, never one to back down, fired back in an interview, saying White doesn’t care about his fighters at all.
“I hear people’s comments, like Dana White calling me names and Terence Crawford asking if I actually care about these guys,” Hearn said. “I’m not saying I’m perfect, but we’re not like Dana White and his crew. They don’t give a damn about the fighters.
“Have you ever seen Dana White show any emotion when someone wins? He just hands over the belt, does a press conference, then heads home to his mansion with a cigar and a glass of whisky, thinking, ‘Life is sweet; we just made $800 million this year.’”
So what do you think about Tom Aspinall teaming up with Hearn’s agency? Is this a good move for Aspinall, or is it going to cause problems down the line? Let’s hear your thoughts.
