Oleksandr Usyk has made it clear he'll keep fighting after becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion. The Ukrainian boxer beat Tyson Fury for the second time in December 2024, adding to his already impressive list of wins.
Usyk, who's 38 and undefeated in 23 fights, has achieved something rare in boxing. He's been the undisputed champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. But he's not stopping there. His goal now is to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champ.
To do this, Usyk will need to win back the IBF title he recently gave up. Daniel Dubois currently holds that belt and will defend it against Joseph Parker later this month. Usyk will likely face the winner of that fight.
One opponent Usyk won't be fighting is fellow Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko. Even though there were rumors about this match-up, Usyk's promoter Alex Krassyuk shut them down quickly. He told IFL TV:
"Usyk and Klitschko will never step into the same ring. Never, ever. No chance whatsoever. Not even a single thought about it."
Klitschko, who's 48 and retired, has been thinking about making a comeback. He wants to break George Foreman's record as the oldest heavyweight champion. But he agrees that fighting Usyk wouldn't be right. He told Ring Magazine:
"With Oleksandr Usyk, could you imagine two Ukrainians gonna fight each other, he's not my brother you know we don't have the same blood and same parents, but he's my countryman and our country is at war and it would definitely send the wrong message."
What happens next in the heavyweight division depends on the Dubois-Parker fight on February 22. Turki Alalshikh, who represents Riyadh Season, is interested in both Klitschko's return and Usyk's attempt to become undisputed champion again.
Usyk's career has been full of big wins. He's beaten top fighters like Mairis Briedis, Murat Gassiev, Anthony Joshua, and Tyson Fury. Now, he's looking to add more names to that impressive list.
