Fabio Wardley a possible opponent for Oleksandr Usyk.
So far, Oleksandr Usyk has officially overcome every challenge put in his way. As a result, he has put together one of the most impressive list of accomplishments of any current fighter.
His scheduled fight against Rico Verhoeven has divided opinion. Some believe that the Ukrainian has earned an easy night, while others believe that a title defence against a fighter who made his name as a kickboxer is a bit too easy.
Whichever way you look at it, it is not the first time a heavyweight champion has engaged in an affair more bizarre than is typical. And if Usyk gets past Verhoeven (as he is a heavy favourite to do), his options afterwards are bound to be more attractive to most boxing fans.
The WBC have already stated Usyk must face Agit Kabayel next, but he is not short of options when it comes to challengers.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Sergey Lapin (chief executive of Ready To Fight, Usyk’s promotional company) stated that a fight against Fabio Wardley is certainly on the table.
“If Fabio Wardley proves himself at the highest level,” Lapin said, “he can definitely become part of that conversation.”
Usyk vacated the WBO title at the end of last year, a belt which was then awarded to Wardley. The Briton will defend it against Daniel Dubois in a highly anticipated clash tomorrow night.
Lapin continued, “Becoming a three-time undisputed heavyweight champion would be something historic, and Oleksandr is always motivated by the biggest challenges.
“At the same time, we don’t build our plans around one person or an outcome. There are several strong contenders in the division, and we are focused on the biggest and most meaningful fights available.
“If it’s Fabio Wardley, it could potentially be for undisputed. If it’s Agit Kabayel, it would more likely be a title defence. But we don’t like to look too far ahead. Right now, we have a fight with Rico Verhoeven, and all our focus is on that.”
A fight with Usyk will heavily depend on if Wardley retains his title against Dubois in 24 hours’ time.
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