Usyk hints that he might not be done after three more fights.
In the future, Oleksandr Usyk will be seen as one of the fighters who defined the 2020s decade. Where he will stand specifically is anyone’s guess, but he is undoubtedly a generational figure of this era.
For many, he has surpassed the likes of Wladimir Klitschko and Vasiliy Lomachenko as the greatest boxer from his country of Ukraine, and the only question now regards how much longer he can go on for.
While Usyk has fought the very biggest names in each division he has resided in, there remain a number of dangerous contenders for him to possibly test the longevity of his ability against.
And the fact remains that despite his skill, Usyk can’t escape the fact that he is now 39, the age at which his countryman Klitschko started to slow down.
History as a whole shows that there aren’t many heavyweight champions who keep on performing at Usyk’s age, and people have detected a possible downslide in the fact his next opponent is Rico Verhoeven, a legendary kickboxer with only one professional boxing match.
Ahead of that showdown (which takes place in a little under two weeks’ time), Usyk sat down for an interview with Ade Oladipo, and he was quizzed on the recent claim that he will only be having two more fights after the Verhoeven bout before he retires from boxing.
When asked if this will 100% be the case, Usyk replied, “Not hundred percent … but three fights, and finish.”
Fans have been asking for Usyk to face WBC mandatory Agit Kabayel, who is viewed as the most worthy challenger for the champion. But outside of this, a fight against Moses Itauma has also been one many have expressed interest in.
It is ultimately up to Usyk to choose what he will do next, with the matter of Verhoeven needing to be dealt with first.
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