Oleksandr Usyk Makes Major Move for Final Chapter of Career

Oleksandr Usyk vacated his heavyweight championships back in June. As he approaches the final stages of his career, he aims to take charge of his future.

At 39, he wants the last chapter of his career to be his, not under the thumb of any sanctioning body that wants to dictate his moves. Usyk is regarded by many as the best fighter of this generation and seeks a fight that could ultimately help define the later stages of his career while also cashing in on a lucrative payday.

At heavyweight, he practically cleaned out the division, eliminated worthy challengers to his throne, and rarely faced real danger. The downside of his dominance is that few opportunities remain to earn a substantial payday. Yet, the former champion may have found a workaround that will open eyes around the sport, giving his swan song a jolt.

Usyk dropping to cruiserweight to fight David Benavidez

Uysk's team has revealed that he will not seek a big heavyweight fight next. According to Mike Coppinger, the Ukrainian superstar will drop down to cruiserweight for a megafight with WBA (Super) and WBO cruiserweight champion David Benavidez.

Usyk's move sets in motion a chain of events that could lead to one of the biggest fights in cruiserweight history. Earlier this week, Benavidez confirmed his reps have been in contact with Usyk's, even before the announcement.

Usyk wants to fight Benavidez at his best. He also wants to be undisputed at cruiserweight once again. The IBF title is currently vacant. Usyk’s last nine fights have taken place at heavyweight. His last cruiserweight bout was an eighth-round KO of Tony Bellew in November 2018. https://t.co/Z51GIV4Jiy
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) October 30, 2026

For Usyk to achieve his goal, Benavidez must first defeat Michal Cieslak, the current WBC champion.

The timeline is largely contingent on Benavidez. If he wants his match with Usyk to be an undisputed title fight, he must win the other two major belts and finalize their agreement. The IBF title formerly held by Jai Opetaia is currently vacant.

However, if Usyk expects to be nearing the end of his career within the next year, waiting for Benavidez to capture all the belts first could be too lengthy.

A legacy fight for Usyk

For Usyk, a win would mean something more. Regaining either the unified or undisputed cruiserweight title at 40 would be a phenomenal achievement. Moreover, a win would cement him as the best cruiserweight in boxing history. Most importantly, he would elevate the division even further.

Benavidez poses a threat due to his power and relentless punching, and he has power in both hands, so Usyk must stay sharp.

Usyk last faced Rico Verhoeven, a former kickboxing world champion. The challenger used an unorthodox stance to befuddle the champion. Two judges had the fight tied at five rounds, while the other scored it 6-4 for the kickboxer. In the 11th round, with just one second remaining, the referee stopped the fight, awarding the champion a TKO victory.

Usyk appeared slower and less sharp than in previous years. Given his perceived decline in skills, would he still choose to wait for Benavidez? Usyk finds himself at the end of his boxing journey, facing what may be his last and most challenging obstacle to date.

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