World heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk has said he is only interested in boxing two guys, these being the two men he defeated to become unified heavyweight champion: Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. Speaking with Seconds Out, Usyk said it is time for the younger guys to compete. Usyk as we know boxes his rematch with Fury on December 21, and after that, assuming Usyk wins, and assuming Joshua defeats Daniel Dubois on September 21, there could be a Usyk-Joshua III.
No other fights are of interest to the unbeaten two divisision champion who is a certain Hall of Famer of the future.
“Well, this is a rematch with Fury and possibly a third match with Joshua. Only with these two guys is it still interesting, from now on let the youth get fit and work……the logical line is that, apart from Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, I have no desire to box with anyone,” Usyk said.
So, it could be that we will be able to watch and appreciate this special fighter just twice more. If Usyk does defeat Fury again, and if he then fights and defeats AJ a third time and then retires from boxing, Usyk will join the very short list of great fighters who went out without ever having tasted a single defeat. Currently 22-0(14), Usyk, who turns 38 in January, would go out at 24-0 (?) if he did walk away after two repeat wins over Fury and AJ. Having pretty much done it all in the sport – winning an Olympic gold medal, having unified all four world titles at cruiserweight and at heavyweight – Usyk would leave behind some incredible legacy.
But Fury is determined to get his revenge in December, while Joshua still believes he can defeat Usyk if he gets a third go at him. It will be very interesting watching Usyk, a man who has been called a generational talent, close out his stellar ring career.
Does Usyk go out with a spotless, unbeaten record?
Some of the greats who walked away perfect:
Rocky Marciano
Joe Calzaghe
Floyd Mayweather
Ricardo Lopez
Sven Ottke
Andre Ward.
