Oleksandr Usyk could take on Deontay Wilder in a career finale, and former WBC cruiserweight world champion and opponent of Usyk’s, Tony Bellew, has cast his verdict on that proposed clash.
Usyk fought Bellew in his final outing as a cruiserweight, defending the undisputed title before moving up to the heavyweight division, where he later joined Evander Holyfield by becoming the second fighter to capture the undisputed throne in both divisions.
Last time out, despite defeating Rico Verhoeven, Usyk wasn’t at his scintillating best, as he showed that he is indeed human and that Father Time may well have finally caught up with him.
As a result, the 39-year-old then made the decision to vacate all three of his remaining heavyweight titles and to partake in one final fight, with Deontay Wilder one of his targeted opponents.
Speaking on the Fight Your Corner Podcast, Bellew admitted that he would prefer to see Usyk hang up the gloves than face ‘The Bronze Bomber’, but still fancied the Ukrainian to get the job done early.
“He can do what he wants, he has beat everyone in their backyards, he has done the job and beat everybody, so I understand it.
“Do I want to see it? If I am being realistic, I want to see him walk away but ultimately, I will watch it, but he stops Wilder inside three or four rounds.”
Usyk vs Wilder could take place in either December or early 2027, with Usyk set to return to fight in the United States for the first time since his heavyweight debut – against Chazz Witherspoon in 2019 – for the final outing of his extraordinary career.
