Oleksandr Usyk, after defeating Daniel Dubois in July, has ruled out a fight with young British heavyweight Moses Itauma, but confirmed that he is training and plans to return to the ring next year.
Usyk, with a record of 24-0 and 15 KOs, regained his undisputed heavyweight crown by knocking out Daniel Dubois in July. This victory allowed him to reclaim the IBF belt, which he had vacated last year, in a fight held at Wembley Stadium.
The WBO had ordered Usyk to face interim champion Joseph Parker, but negotiations did not prosper. Usyk stated that he was injured and needed time out of the ring.
Parker, for his part, will face Fabio Wardley in London on October 25.Usyk has revealed that he has resumed his training, but has no plans to face 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 also mentioned that he cannot yet reveal the name of his next opponent, as negotiations are ongoing.
Boxing opponents Tyson Fury should consider for his return
Undisputed atomweight champion Tina Rupprecht retires at 33
Itauma is considered one of the most outstanding promises in world boxing, with 11 knockouts in 13 fights. In his last fight, he achieved a remarkable victory by knocking out Dillian Whyte in the first round in August.
Usyk, 38 years old, plans to return to the ring in 2026, although it has not yet been decided who his opponent will be.
The Ukrainian boxer stated that he will continue competing until he is 41 years old. Afterwards, he plans to build a sports academy to train and develop other athletes.
