Oleksandr Usyk Names His Final Three Fight Opponents

Oleksander Usyk said that he wants three big fights to end out what has certainly been a Hall of Fame career in boxing. Usyk revealed the list Monday on Inside The Ring.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion will next take on Rico Verhoeven, a Dutch kickboxer and legend in the sport, on May 23 in Giza, Egypt, near the base of the Pyramids.
Usyk reveals final three fights
“I will have three more fights. Listen, Rico is first, second it’s who wins between Wardley or Dubois and then my third fight is my friend Greedy Belly, Tyson Fury,” Usyk said.
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Hardcore fight fans might be disappointed he didn’t mention Moses Itauma as a future opponent. However, to be fair, Itauma’s first round against Dillan Whyte (who almost limped to the ring) isn’t enough to earn a fight. A victory over Jermaine Franklin, as good as he is, isn’t enough to earn an Usyk fight either.
Ituama currently holds several minor heavyweight belts and is still building his reputation on the global stage, which means a matchup with Usyk is not yet realistic.
A third fight between Oleksander Usyk and Daniel Dubois, if he wins, isn’t going to appeal to many fans at first glance. However, Dubois did appear to back up Usyk for a moment in their first fight. If Wardley wins, it’s a true Cinderella story of a former white-collar boxer fighting in a unification fight with the lineal title on the line. That might be a big enough storyline to interest Netflix. Or maybe not.

A trilogy with Tyson Fury
A third fight with Tyson Fury will generate the most media and fan attention, and now that Netflix is working on the Arslanbek Makhmudov fight scheduled for April 11, a trilogy with Tyson Fury seems likely. It's a potential “money fight” as well for both men, and Tyson Fury seems focused on getting a rematch.
Usyk also seemed to downplay the skills and capabilities of his kickboxer opponent during the interview as the war of words heats up before the Battle of the Pyramids.
“Yes, Rico is not a good boxer, but, OK, a fun fight? No problem. But I want to fight the winner of the fight between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley [afterwards].” His focus remains clearly on legacy and high-profile matchups, rather than smaller bouts that don’t significantly impact his standing in the heavyweight division.

Joseph Hammond is a veteran sports journalist with extensive experience covering world championship fights across three continents. He has interviewed legendary champions such as Julio César Chávez, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Gennady Golovkin, Oscar De La Hoya, and Bernard Hopkins, among many others. He reported ringside for KO On SI in 2024 for the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk bout in Riyadh - the first undisputed heavyweight championship in 24 years.
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