Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk, who recently vacated all his championship belts, is already planning his final fight in his career. The 39-year-old undefeated heavyweight, known as a two-time undisputed world champion, is considering the possibility of holding his farewell bout on US soil.
Who will be Usyk's opponent?
The main candidate for the role of opponent for Usyk's "last dance" is 40-year-old American knockout artist Deontay Wilder. This confrontation promises to be not only the sporting event of the year but also a media phenomenon with huge international resonance.
"Usyk has already stated that he sees Deontay Wilder as the opponent for his last dance. This confrontation has huge potential from sporting, media, and international perspectives," emphasized the director of the Ukrainian's team, Serhiy Lapin.
Wilder's team's reaction
The American's manager, Shelly Finkel, confirmed that Wilder would agree to this proposal without hesitation if the terms are officially put on paper. Thus, both sides are ready for dialogue, and it remains only a matter of organizing the fight details.
Where will the fight take place?
So far, Usyk's team calls the USA the "most logical place" to hold the mega-fight, although the exact date and city are still being discussed. The choice of location will depend on many factors, including logistics, audience, and financial conditions.
A new player on the boxing arena
The main surprise could be the organizers of the show. The Ukrainian's team is conducting direct negotiations at the highest level with the new ambitious company Zuffa Boxing. This project is led by UFC President Dana White, with financial support provided by investors from Saudi Arabia.
The main philosophy of Zuffa Boxing is to change the familiar model of professional boxing and introduce its own system for determining champions, completely abandoning traditional governing bodies (WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO). This could be a revolutionary step in the world of boxing.
What's next?
According to Lapin, no contracts have been signed yet, and Zuffa Boxing is considered one of the potential partners for a large-scale international event. The final structure will depend on which conditions will be better for organizing the show and for the fighters themselves.
Earlier, the details of Usyk's decision to make the title vacant were revealed by the director of his team, Serhiy Lapin. Now all attention is focused on how the situation around the possible fight between Usyk and Wilder will develop.
