Boxing

Oleksandr Usyk Teases Boxing Bout With UFC Champion Amid Retirement Talk

Oleksandr Ustk has his eyes on a boxing bout with a UFC champion before he reties.

Grant Young

Oleksandr Usyk in the stands at Wembley Stadium, London on September 21, 2024.
Oleksandr Usyk in the stands at Wembley Stadium, London on September 21, 2024. / IMAGO / PA Images

Oleksandr Usyk has nothing else to prove in the boxing world.

Not only does he boast an Olympic gold medal, a perfect 23-0 professional record with 14 KOs, has been an undisputed champion in both cruiserweight and heavyweight, and is the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 2000, but he has also beaten almost every other great heavyweight of his generation (including Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury twice).

It sounds like Usyk is content with this incredible career, as he admitted that retirement is right around the corner when speaking with Sky Sports on February 12.

"I think two years, one and a half [left in boxing]. I feel great myself. I feel I have two fights to prepare [for], not more. Just two," Usyk is quoted saying about his boxing career.

When asked who he's like to face for these final two fights, Usyk first said, "I will fight who will win, Joseph Parker, Daniel Dubois, no problem." Parker and Dubois go toe to toe on February 22 for Dubois' IBF world heavyweight title.

However, the name Usyk said next was extremely unexpected.

“Next? Maybe a show fight with Alex Pereira. Maybe – why not? Alex [wants to]," he said, per an X post from TNT Sports.

Alex Pereira is the current undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion and has quickly become one of the sport's biggest stars due to his otherworldly punching power and perfect record of delivering fascinating fights.

While Pereira hasn't indicated that his UFC run will end anytime soon, he is 37 years old — and we imagine he'd have a hard time refusing a change to face Usyk if the opportunity presented itself.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Boxing, Women’s Basketball, and the New York Mets for On SI. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years, and he thinks it’s time that Canelo Álvarez fights David Benavidez.