Usyk’s Targeted Opponent For Farewell Fight

Oleksandr Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) intends to have one final fight before he calls it a career, and he’s targeting that final fight to take place by the end of the year in the U.S. against former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (45-4-1, 43 KOs).

Usyk relinquished the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles following his controversial 11th-round stoppage win over kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in May, so he could eliminate any mandatory fight obligations and instead choose his final opponent. While Rico has called for a rematch after an unsuccessful appeal to make the fight a no-contest, Usyk’s plans appear to be on Wilder as he considers The Bronze Bomber to be the final piece of “the big three” heavyweights of his career – the others being Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, who Usyk already beat twice.