Oleksandr Usyk defeated the British Daniel Dubois in his last fight in July.
Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk has ruled out a fight against young British heavyweight Moses Itauma, but has confirmed that he is training and will return next year.
Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) knocked out Daniel Dubois in July, reclaiming his undisputed heavyweight crown. The victory, achieved at Wembley Stadium, allowed him to regain the IBF belt he had vacated the previous year.
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) ordered Usyk to face interim champion Joseph Parker, but negotiations did not succeed. Usyk claimed an injury and the need for time out of the ring.
Parker will face Fabio Wardley in London on October 25.Moses Itauma defeated Dillian Whyte in August.
Usyk has revealed that he has resumed his training, but will not face Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) in his next fight.
No, I will not fight Itauma. He is young… he is always bothering me. And he himself said that he does not hit grandfathers.
Oleksandr Usyk
The boxer added that he cannot reveal the name of his next opponent due to ongoing negotiations.
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Itauma is considered one of the most promising prospects in world boxing, with 11 knockouts in 13 fights. In his last fight, he achieved a resounding victory by knocking out Dillian Whyte in the first round in August.
Usyk, 38 years old, plans to return to the ring in 2026, but his opponent has not yet been decided.
The boxer stated that he will continue competing until he is 41 years old, and will subsequently build a sports academy to train and educate others.
