When Will Usyk Retire?

Oleksandr Usyk has suggested his retirement plans could change.

The unified heavyweight champion, currently intending to fight three more times before stepping away from the sport, stopped short of committing to that— leaving open the possibility that circumstances could extend his career beyond its current projected endpoint.

Usyk's next fight is scheduled for May 23 in Egypt against kickboxing world champion Rico Verhoeven, a crossover bout that will be followed by two further bouts.

The Options

Daniel Dubois has re-entered the conversation as a genuine target. His eleventh-round stoppage of Fabio Wardley in Manchester — a fight in which he rose from two knockdowns to claim the WBO title — earned him Ring Magazine's number one ranking and positioned him as the most compelling opponent available for Usyk in a unification context. However, Dubois Sr. is not on board with that.

"No, I wouldn't see the point in fighting Oleksandr Usyk again. I would say to Daniel, fight another British heavyweight or someone like Moses, maybe. "But he's not that clever with southpaws, so I wouldn't advise him really to go in with a southpaw until he's had maybe another southpaw fight,” Dubois Sr.

Fury Trilogy

Tyson Fury continues to be linked too. Despite back-to-back losses to Usyk — the first on a split decision, the second by stoppage — Fury has made clear he wants a third fight and continues to be the name Usyk references publicly. Usyk's willingness to keep mentioning Fury suggests the door has not been closed.

“Hi brother, I am ready every time. I’m ready for Las Vegas, New York, Saudi Arabia, anything. “Come on! Greedy belly is my friend,” Usyk

“Greedy Belly is coming for a feast of rabbit pie, get up. First, I will start with the chinless, bum, dosser, Anthony Joshua, and I will knock him out. Then, I am coming back for a rabbit pie. Greedy Belly is ready for some more rabbit pie.

“There is only me, there is nobody else, I am the cash cow. Come on. You want big paydays? It ain’t [against] an Agit Kabayel, it ain’t an Anthony Joshua, it ain’t a [Daniel] Dubois, it’s in ‘The Gypsy King. London, New York, Las Vegas, let’s rock and roll, baby,” Fury said

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr1Ood6dDF4

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