Oleksandr Usyk In "Contact" With Dana White's Zuffa Boxing

Less than a week after signing Jai Opetaia, Dana White and Zuffa Boxing are close to making another major splash in the free agent market.

The upstart promotion is working on a deal with WBC, WBA, IBF and The Ring heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, who remains without a promotional contract. Usyk's team director, Sergey Lapin, recently revealed that they have been in "contact" with Zuffa Boxing, according to talkSport.

"There is contact, there is dialogue, and interest exists," Lapin said, via talkSport. "Details aren't for the public right now. Let's say a few doors are open, and if format, numbers and timing align, the market could see a move nobody expects.

"Everyone has seen what [Dana White] did. He turned old MMA into the global UFC machine. His real power is packaging not just a fight, but an event. If he gets involved, the scale and attention immediately become different."

Usyk has been a free agent since he parted with his longtime promoter, Alexander Krassyuk of K2 Promotions, in June 2025. He has competed once since then, stopping Daniel Dubois in the fifth round to reclaim undisputed status.

Usyk's last three fights have been orchestrated by Turki Alalshikh, who helped White launch Zuffa Boxing. 'The Cat' has worked well with Alalshikh, who could very well have a hand in his negotiations with the new promotion.

Usyk appears to also have a lot of respect for White as a promoter, which is a big deal for him as he makes the final few walks of his career.

Oleksandr Usyk still eyeing Deontay Wilder for next title defense

Regardless of who promotes his next fight, Usyk remains attracted to the idea of fighting Deontay Wilder in his next heavyweight title defense.

Lapin revealed that Usyk's team has had "negotiations" with Wilder, but no contracts have been signed. Wilder has recently been linked to Derek Chisora, with whom he is reportedly set to fight in April.

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Usyk has otherwise been silent since beating Dubois, which marked his sixth heavyweight title victory. He has now beaten the top three heavyweights of the current era — Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dubois — twice each.

Usyk's next title defense after his second win over Dubois was supposed to be against Joseph Parker, who then held the WBO title. However, once the champion got hurt, Parker opted to fight Fabio Wardley instead of waiting and suffered a controversial upset loss.

Without a clear direction, Usyk's immediate future is wide open as he looks to close out his illustrious career. The uncertainty leaves all options on the table, including Wilder, who is just 2-4 since 2020.

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