Boxing legend Oleksandr Usyk is planning one final chapter in his historic career — and it won’t be at heavyweight. The 39-year-old former undisputed heavyweight champion is eyeing a return to cruiserweight to fight undefeated American David Benavidez before retiring, according to his adviser Sergey Lapin.
Oleksandr Usyk (Credits: BBC Sport)
Usyk, who last fought in May with a gritty win over Rico Verhoeven before vacating his heavyweight titles, had teased a “last dance” in boxing that was widely expected to come at heavyweight. But Lapin revealed the Ukrainian instead plans to move back down a division in 2027.
Oleksandr Usyk’s final chapter: undisputed cruiserweight again
According to Lapin, the plan has two steps: first, a fight for a vacant cruiserweight world title, then a unification bout against Benavidez. “Oleksandr aims to return to cruiserweight in 2027 and become undisputed again,” Lapin said. “We see 2027 as the final chapter of his career. He wants to finish as undisputed champion in the division where he first won all the belts.”
It would be a poetic full-circle moment. Usyk dominated cruiserweight for most of his career, winning 16 fights and becoming undisputed champion before moving up to heavyweight in 2019. There, he became a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion, beating Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois twice each to stretch his undefeated record to 25 fights.
Who is David Benavidez, Usyk’s target?
The 29-year-old David Benavidez has won all 32 of his professional fights and currently holds the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles. He will face Poland’s Michal Cieslak for the WBC belt on December 5, while the IBF strap sits vacant after Jai Opetaia was stripped of it in March.
A Usyk vs Benavidez undisputed showdown in 2027 would pit two unbeaten champions against each other — and could be the perfect farewell for one of boxing’s all-time greats.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
