Usyk Outlines Final Fights Before Retirement

Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 14 KOs) has named the three fights he is planning to have before he calls it a career.

Usyk will face kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in Cairo, Egypt, which will mark his first fight since stopping Daniel Dubois last July to become the undisputed heavyweight champion for the second time, after which he vacated his WBO belt rather than face his mandatory Fabio Wardley, who has since been elevated to WBO champion. However, Usyk shut down suggestions that he is ducking the unbeaten Wardley, stating that after he faces Verhoeven, he wants the winner of Wardley vs. Dubois, which takes place on May 9. The 39-year-old Usyk stated that he also wants the final fight of his career to be a trilogy bout against Tyson Fury, who he beat twice in 2024.

“Listen, Rico is first. Second, it’s who wins Wardley or Dubois. Third fight, it’s my friend ‘Greedy Belly’ Tyson Fury,” Usyk said