Oleksandr Usyk, after defeating Daniel Dubois in July, has ruled out a fight against the young British heavyweight Moses Itauma, but confirmed that he is training and plans to return to the ring next year.
Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs), who regained his undisputed heavyweight crown by knocking out Daniel Dubois in July, won the IBF belt in a resounding victory at Wembley Stadium.
The WBO ordered the Ukrainian boxer to fight interim champion Joseph Parker, but negotiations did not prosper, as Usyk declared he was injured and needed time out of the ring.
Parker will face Fabio Wardley in London on October 25.Usyk revealed that he has returned to training, but will not fight against Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) in his next fight.
No, I will not fight Itauma. He is young… he is always provoking me. And he himself said that he does not hit grandfathers.
Oleksandr Usyk
Usyk added that he cannot reveal the name of his next opponent, as negotiations are ongoing.
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Itauma is considered one of the most promising prospects in world boxing, with 11 knockouts in 13 fights. He achieved a remarkable victory in his last fight, a first-round knockout over Dillian Whyte in August.
Usyk, 38 years old, plans to return to the ring in 2026, but an opponent has not yet been decided.
The boxer stated that he plans to continue competing until he is 41 years old, and then he will build a sports academy to train and develop others.
