Change of plans for the unified heavyweight world champion. Oleksandr Usyk had publicly announced, before his latest triumphant bout against Daniel Dubois — which he won by knockout in the fifth round at Wembley — that he intended to fight only two more times before hanging up the gloves. That would have meant just one remaining fight, but the Ukrainian champion has now changed his mind and decided to continue competing until he turns 41.
This raises the chances of seeing, in the future, an epic intergenerational clash between the current holder of all four world titles and the rising star with immense potential, Moses Itauma, who’s climbing the rankings of various organizations with a string of knockouts.
However, such a matchup doesn’t appear to be happening anytime soon. Usyk immediately dismissed Saudi official Turki Alalshikh’s idea of seeing Itauma as his next opponent, stating:
“No, I won’t fight Itauma. He’s young – always teasing me. And he said himself he doesn’t hit grandpas… I’ll fight until I’m 41. Then I’ll build a sports academy – I’ll train there and train others.”
His remarks sparked heated debate between those who find it perfectly reasonable to prioritize more proven and experienced fighters over the young British prospect, and those who accuse Usyk of avoiding risk. But Usyk’s manager, Sergey Lapin, clarified the situation, telling the media that his fighter still has about five bouts ahead of him, and that Itauma could earn his shot if he proves he deserves it:
“I wouldn’t say he doesn’t want to fight Itauma. He’s a promising fighter, and his team has done a good job bringing him to this level and ranking. But if we analyze the heavyweight division, besides Usyk, there are plenty of top fighters.
“Itauma still needs a serious test before facing a legend. Have we seen him go the full 12-round distance? Has he been in dangerous situations in the ring? My answer is no. At this stage, he doesn’t have the tools to beat Usyk.”
The next challenger for the titles will most likely be the winner of the upcoming clash between Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley, taking place this Saturday at the O2 Arena in London.