Oleksandr Usyk, the current WBC, WBA, and WBO heavyweight champion, is setting his sights on a unique and ambitious path before he retires. Following his recent victory against Tyson Fury in a unanimous decision last December in Saudi Arabia, Usyk has expressed interest in facing some of the biggest names in both boxing and the UFC.
The 37-year-old boxing icon has revealed his intention to compete in two more matches before hanging up his gloves. The first of these matches involves the winner of the upcoming fight between Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker. This highly anticipated bout is set to take place on February 22 in Saudi Arabia and will see Dubois defending his IBF heavyweight world title against Parker. Usyk has made it clear that the outcome of this fight is a critical component of his retirement plan.
In an intriguing twist, Usyk's retirement plan also includes a potential "show fight" with UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. "First, is who wins the next fight (Dubois vs. Parker) on Feb. 22," Usyk told TNT Sports. "Next? Maybe a show fight with Alex Pereira. Maybe – why not? Alex wants to."
Pereira is scheduled to defend his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 313 on March 8, hosted at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This event will be available on ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews, and ESPN+.
Alex Pereira, who has a rich amateur boxing background, made his professional boxing debut in July 2017, securing a victory by TKO against Marcelo de Souza Cruz in Brazil. Pereira, a former two-division Glory Kickboxing champion, has recently shown a renewed interest in boxing. He previously accepted a callout from Jake Paul and expressed his eagerness to participate in boxing when UFC CEO Dana White discussed the organization's plans to venture into the sport.
As Oleksandr Usyk contemplates his remaining career moves, the potential matchups with Daniel Dubois, Joseph Parker, and Alex Pereira represent significant and exciting challenges. These fights could shape the future of both his legacy and the intersection of boxing and mixed martial arts.
