Oleksandr Usyk is considering a return to cruiserweight, casting Tyson Fury's hopes of a trilogy fight into doubt
Oleksandr Usyk is planning to return to boxing next year, but is considering moving back down to cruiserweight; Tyson Fury had been gunning for a trilogy fight with Usyk after his clash with Anthony Joshua; Usyk has been the undisputed champion at both heavyweight and cruiserweight before
Saturday 31 October 2026 18:42, UK
Oleksandr Usyk may have already had his last fight as a heavyweight.
The great Ukrainian, an Olympic gold medallist, has been an undisputed champion twice over at heavyweight and prior to that also at cruiserweight.
After beating Rico Verhoeven in their WBC title fight in Egypt earlier this year, Usyk, unbeaten as a professional, vacated the titles he held.
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He is anticipating returning to boxing, but could do so back down at cruiserweight.
"Usyk has already cleaned out the heavyweight division. Now he is considering a return to cruiserweight, his natural weight class, to make history again," Serhii Lapin, CEO of Usyk's promotional company Ready To Fight, told Sky Sports.
"He loves challenges, and this could be the next one he'd like to take on."
The possibility of Usyk moving down in weight casts into doubt a third fight with Tyson Fury. Britain's Fury has boxed Usyk twice before. He lost both bouts but has publicly criticised the judge's decision in his second fight with Usyk and called for a third.
Fury wants to box Usyk after his December mega-fight with Anthony Joshua, but the Ukrainian might be considering facing new opponents now.
If he wants to go undisputed yet again at 200lbs, he would have to target imposing champion David Benavidez, who fights Michal Cieslak for the WBC, WBO and WBA cruiserweight belts on December 5.
Watch Chris Billam-Smith fight Cheavon Clarke on the stacked Zuffa Boxing 12 card live on Sky Sports on November 7.
