Oleksandr Usyk has drawn a clear line in the sand for the closing chapter of his storied career. The 39-year-old Ukrainian heavyweight champion, undefeated at 24-0 with 15 knockouts and already a two-division undisputed king, confirmed this week that he has exactly three fights remaining before he retires — and he has named the opponents he wants to face.
Speaking to The Ring and other outlets in the wake of the announcement, Usyk laid out his farewell tour in characteristically candid fashion: “Listen, Rico is first. Second, it’s who wins between Wardley or Dubois and then my third fight is my friend Greedy Belly Tyson Fury.”
The plan begins with a spectacle. On May 23, 2026, Usyk will defend his WBC heavyweight title against former Glory kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven in front of the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. It’s a crossover fight that has raised eyebrows across the division, but Usyk insists it fits his vision perfectly. He dismissed concerns about Verhoeven’s boxing pedigree, telling interviewers the bout represents “a real fight” and a fun way to kick off the final stretch.
Just two weeks earlier, on May 9 in Manchester, Fabio Wardley (current WBO titleholder) defends his belt against Daniel Dubois. Usyk has already vacated the WBO crown he once held, clearing the path for this all-British eliminator. Whoever emerges victorious — whether it’s the powerful Dubois or the rising Wardley — will step straight into Usyk’s crosshairs for fight number two. The winner would offer Usyk a chance to chase undisputed status for a third time, something the Ukrainian has already achieved in both cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions.
The grand finale is already written in the stars: a trilogy clash with Tyson Fury. Usyk has beaten the “Gypsy King” twice in Riyadh in 2024 — the first making him the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era, the second sending Fury into a brief retirement. Fury (34-2-1) returns on April 11 against Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but Usyk is already eyeing the rubber match as the perfect curtain-closer against his “greedy belly” rival.
Notably absent from Usyk’s list is rising British star Moses Itauma. The Ukrainian has repeatedly ruled out facing the young phenom, stating bluntly: “No, I’m not going to fight with Itauma because he’s a young guy. I don’t want to break this guy.”
Other names that have circulated — Deontay Wilder, Agit Kabayel (WBC interim and mandatory), or Joseph Parker — appear sidelined by Usyk’s self-imposed timeline. The plan bypasses certain sanctioning-body obligations in favor of the fights he believes will define his exit on his own terms.
At 24-0 heading in, Usyk would finish 27-0 if he sweeps the trilogy, cementing a legacy that already includes victories over Anthony Joshua (twice), Tyson Fury (twice), and a cruiserweight undisputed reign that featured wins over Murat Gassiev and Mairis Briedis. The Giza showdown alone promises to be one of the most visually stunning events in recent boxing history, while the Wardley/Dubois winner and Fury finale could produce massive pay-per-view numbers in Saudi Arabia or the UK.
Usyk has hinted at life after boxing, including possible political ambitions in Ukraine, but for now the focus remains laser-sharp on these three bouts. Boxing fans craving one last look at the master technician in action will get exactly what they want — three carefully chosen tests against a kickboxing legend, a fresh British contender, and the only man who ever came close to solving the Usyk puzzle.
The clock is ticking. May 23 marks the beginning of the end for one of the greatest heavyweights the sport has ever seen.
Muki is a long time boxing fan and enjoys Mixed Martial Arts. He has been writing boxing articles since he was a teen and his favorite fighters of the past are Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Prince Naseem Hamed. Favorite MMA fighters are Khabib Nurmagomedov, Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva and Fedor Emelianenko.