DANCE OF THE HEAVYWEIGHTS
O leksandr Usyk recently turned the heavyweight division on its head with a single announcement. The 39-year-old former undisputed champion stated in June that he was giving up his IBF, WBA and WBC titles and would fight one more time before retiring, which he called his “last dance.” That set in motion a number of significant moves: Agit Kabayel was elevated from the WBC’s interim beltholder to full titlist, making him the first German heavyweight champion since Hall of Famer Max Schmeling almost a century ago. He’s now planning his first defense. A few days later, Murat Gassiev enjoyed a similar fate, as he was elevated from secondary WBA titleholder to full champion. The Russian knocked out Peter Kadiru in the sixth round in his first defense on July 11 in Moscow. The IBF title remains vacant, but the sanctioning body ordered Nos. 1 and 3 contenders Frank Sanchez and Moses Itauma to begin negotiations to fight for the championship, although Itauma must get past Filip Hrgovic on August 29 first. And, to complete the sanctioning body championship picture, Daniel Dubois owns the WBO belt. Usyk played a role in that, too.
believes it is right to give other fighters the opportunity to fight for the titles and move forward. … “Now Oleksandr determines his own path. He no longer has to adjust to mandatory challengers or other people’s plans. If he steps into the ring again, it will only be for a big event that makes sense for him and for the sport.” So where does that leave the division’s elder statesman, who still holds The Ring Magazine heavyweight championship? Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) essentially cleaned out the division in one of the most impressive runs in heavyweight
an elite fighter. And what better way to do that than to upset the great Usyk? The “Bronze Bomber” seemed to be finished after losing a one-sided decision to Joseph Parker in December 2023 and suffering a brutal fifth-round knockout loss against Zhilei Zhang the following June. But he pumped some life back into his career with a seventh- round knockout of journeyman Tyrrell Herndon in June of last year and a gritty split decision victory over Derek Chisora in April. Wilder (45-4-1, 43 KOs) still has big dreams, even at 40. And, of course, he can still punch.
“Wilder is definitely one of the most interesting options,” he said. “His name, his power and his history in the heavyweight division make this fight attractive. … Wilder is a name, danger and real intrigue. He has the punch that can change a fight in one second, and that is exactly what makes this fight interesting for people. “For Oleksandr, it is not just about opponents. It is about challenges and events. A fight with Wilder could be exactly that kind of event.” Of course, Usyk has other potential opponents in mind. For example, his primary backup had been another non-boxer, 39-year-old MMA superstar Jon Jones of the United States, whose popularity would make for a massive event. But Jones made it clear in an interview with The Ring in mid- July that he isn’t interested, saying bluntly, “I am no boxer and don’t really consider Usyk to be a complete fighter. I think the world knows what would happen if we were locked in the same room, and I’ll just leave it at that. The way I respect him in the ring, he should respect me in that cage.” The good news for Usyk is that his first choice is still in play. And there’s more to it than just his desire to make his mark in the U.S. or put together an intriguing matchup. Wilder made 10 successful defenses of the WBC title between 2015 and 2019, his own impressive run. That’s not lost on Usyk, who believes he would cement his legacy by taking down the only remaining accomplished heavyweight of his era he has yet to face. “I don’t agree that this is weak opposition. He is a powerful boxer who deserves this opportunity,” Usyk said. And what if he can’t come to terms with Wilder? Well, Usyk is going to fight someone five or six months from now. It’s anyone’s guess who that might be if he can’t come to terms with Wilder or Jones. Fury one more time? Again, Usyk
history between 2021 and 2025. The former undisputed cruiserweight champ defeated, in succession, Anthony Joshua (twice), Dubois, Tyson Fury (twice) and Dubois again to earn all-time great status. He has absolutely nothing to prove, which is one reason he chose to fight kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven instead of a boxing contender on May 23 in front of the Great Pyramids in
“Maybe one day Oleksandr will decide to teach the young fighters a lesson. ... Let them go their own way, create their own fights and build their own legacy.”
Giza, Egypt. Usyk, evidently uninspired, looked about as old as the iconic wonder of the world before rallying to end the fight by a controversial stoppage in the 11th round. That brings us to today. Usyk has said repeatedly that he would like to face former champion Deontay Wilder in the United States, where he has yet to take part in a major event. He has fought only once in the U.S. as a heavyweight, stopping Chazz Witherspoon in his debut in the division in 2019. “I really want to fight in the United States and put on a big show for the American audience,” Usyk told The Ring early this year. “The last time I fought in the USA was in 2019, but it wasn’t a major event, it was just my heavyweight debut. So when we asked ourselves what I still haven’t done, where there is still unclaimed territory, the answer was obvious.” For his part, Wilder would love the opportunity to prove that he can still be
“[Usyk is] one of the best in the era,” Wilder told Sky Sports. “I do need him to accomplish what I need to accomplish. It can happen, and it will happen. As long as I have the confidence to do what I have to do, it will happen. “I must accomplish what I set forth in the beginning of my career.” And it was clear at the time this magazine went to press that the two parties were deep into talks to make it happen. Lapin declined to say where the negotiations stand, which is typical when parties are discussing a potential big-money deal. But he confirmed the parties are in contact and said they are targeting in December or January in either the United States or Saudi Arabia. “The main thing is that it has to be the right big stage for an event like this,” he said. And Lapin spoke of Wilder as if he were marketing a fight that was already made.
Usyk has already won everything there is to win at heavyweight.
He gave up that organization’s title in November in part because he didn’t want to be forced into a mandatory defense against then-interim beltholder Fabio Wardley, who was subsequently promoted to full champion. Wardley ended up losing his title to Dubois by an 11th-round knockout in a wildly entertaining fight and then quickly exercised a rematch clause in his contract. He and Dubois are expected
to fight again this year, although no contracts have been signed. If you add up all of the above, you get a division in flux, with a number of talented, younger big men – perhaps most significantly the 21-year-old Itauma – hoping to become the next face of the weight class and perhaps the sport. That was part of the reason Usyk decided to give up his hardware.
“Oleksandr gave up the belts first of all because he does not want to keep the division waiting,” Sergey Lapin, Usyk’s adviser, told The Ring for this article. “He has already done a lot in the heavyweight division, and he
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