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Oleksandr Usyk has said he intends to fight two more times before retiring from boxing, with his ideal first opponent being Daniel Dubois or Joseph Parker.
Usyk became undisputed heavyweight champion – the first in 24 years – by beating Tyson Fury last May. Then, in December, he outpointed the Briton again to retain the unified belts.
Between those results, the Ukrainian vacated the IBF title, meaning interim champion Dubois was elevated to the official title holder. Dubois retained the belt by knocking out Anthony Joshua in September, and he defends the gold against Parker on 22 February.
“I will fight who will win,” Usyk told Sky Sports on Wednesday (12 February). “Joseph Parker, Daniel Dubois, no problem.
“I think two years, one-and-a-half [left in boxing]. I feel great myself. I feel I have two fights to prepare [for], not more – just two.”
After Usyk beat Fury for the second time, the 38-year-old was confronted in the ring by Dubois. Usyk, who previously held the undisputed cruiserweight titles, already holds a win over Dubois, having stopped the Briton in 2023.
On that night in Poland, Usyk climbed off the canvas after suffering a controversial low blow, which Dubois, 27, felt was a legal shot.
“My next fight I’m working towards [is Usyk, after Parker],” Dubois told Sky. “I’m ready for it now. We’ve all got to grow up sometime. Run it back.”
As well as having held two sets of undisputed titles, Usyk is an Olympic gold medalist. The southpaw triumphed at London 2012 before starting a professional career, in which he has stayed unbeaten while defeating Fury and Joshua twice each, as well as Dubois, Derek Chisora, Tony Bellew, Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev.
