Oleksandr Usyk took another significant swing at stamping his status as the greatest heavyweight of the era after a 5th-round knockout win over IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois during their rematch Saturday at London's Wembley Stadium.
With victory, Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) notched the undisputed heavyweight title for the second time. Usyk is also a former undisputed cruiserweight king and an Olympic gold medalist for Ukraine, who has twice beaten former titleholders Tyson Fury and
Anthony Joshua.
Heading into the fight, Usyk, 38,
alluded that retirement was around the corner, and that he would fight just one more time after facing Dubois.
Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn, who's promoted Usyk in the past, says the two-division champ should hang up the gloves as there is nothing left for him to accomplish.
"What more is there to do? He should retire," said Hearn. "It was a great performance against Dubois. If he's loving what he's doing, good luck to him – carry on. But what else is there to do? I just can't see him losing. Usyk is the unquestionable No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He is streets ahead of the rest. He's sensational, a genius, a generational great."
The non-committal Usyk kept it coy around what his next move would be.
"Now I want to rest," he said. "I can't say who my next opponent is. I have prepared for three-and-a-half months for this fight, I have not seen my wife or my family. Every day I lived with my team in a house with 14 guys, seeing the same faces every day.
"Now I want a choice of what to do next. I will continue boxing and training, but now I cannot say what is next."
There are credible contenders
in the mix to potentially face Usyk, like WBO interim titleholder and The Ring's No. 3-ranked heavyweight,
Joseph Parker, and No. 4-rated
Agit Kabayel.
But after wiping out Fury, Joshua, and Dubois twice each over his last six fights dating back to 2021, it doesn't appear that there is anyone left on the planet who can beat Usyk.
"I want to see Usyk against Itauma. This is the fight," Turki Alalshikh said after Usyk's win.
Itauma is
The Ring's 2024 Prospect of the Year and is ranked No. 1 by the WBO, No. 2 by the WBA, No. 6 by the IBF, and No. 10 by the WBC.
Itauma (12-0, 10 KOs) doesn't turn 21 until late December, and the southpaw slugger has a huge step-up fight scheduled against Dillian Whyte on Aug. 16. in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to
headline a DAZN PPV next month.
Manouk Akopyan is The Ring's lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.