Oleksandr Usyk, the unified heavyweight champion with a record of 24-0 (15 KOs), recently revealed his plans for retirement, notably excluding a potential fight with Deontay Wilder.
Usyk’s plan outlines three fights before he hangs up the gloves. He is scheduled to defend his WBC heavyweight title against Rico Verhoeven on May 23rd.
The 39-year-old, who previously vacated the IBF heavyweight title in June last year, indicated who he wants to face in his farewell fight. It would be the 27th outing of his incredible career.
“I will have three more fights. 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.”
While Usyk does expect to face Fury, he does not think he will cross paths with Moses Itauma, the rising star of the heavyweight division.
“No, I’m not going to fight with Itauma because he’s a young guy,” he said. “I don’t want to break this guy.”
Usyk has already defeated Fury twice after his back-to-back victories at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena in 2024, which sent the Brit into a short retirement.
Former WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder has always been one of boxing’s most thoughtful voices on the culture and business of the sport — and ahead of his April 4th fight with Derek Chisora at the O2 Arena, he had plenty to say about what the public gets wrong about fighters, what authentic promotion looks like, and why he belongs to the 1%.
Speaking with Louis Hart of Ring Magazineduring fight week in London, Wilder pushed back against the idea that fighters are simply training machines built for entertainment.
“You got to keep a killer instinct. You got to keep that mindset going because you’re in a dangerous field. We risk our lives for others’ entertainment, all the time. I don’t think people on the outside understand the severity of what we really do. Most time when people see fighters, they think we’re robots — just supposed to train and fight, train and fight, train and fight. No, that’s not it.”
The 1% Who Do What Others Won’t
For Wilder, being a professional fighter is a rare form of human expression that separates him from virtually everyone on the planet.
“We risk our lives for others’ entertainment, and we love to do this. That’s why we do it. We’re the 1%. And it feels good to be of the 1% — to be able to do something that a lot of the world can’t do, or don’t have the heart or the gut to get in there.”
Authentic Promotion vs. Trying Too Hard
Wilder also addressed the state of fight promotion — and offered a pointed critique of the performative beef that’s become commonplace in boxing.
“Every fighter in the business should take a page out of a book of how to promote — because some guys just try too hard, and people know when they see it. But when it’s authentic and genuine, and I can say I love you, you love me and we’re friends, it makes a better fight for everyone. And it keeps the ones around you at ease.”
His point was direct: the Wilder-Chisora dynamic — two men who genuinely respect each other stepping into the ring to compete at the highest level — is a better product than manufactured animosity, and fans can tell the difference.
Control What You Can Control
On managing the noise that surrounds big fights, Wilder kept his philosophy simple:
“I only put energy in the things I can control, and don’t put no energy in the things you can’t control.”
It’s a mindset that has served him through the full arc of a heavyweight career — from debut to fight 50. And heading into London, the Bronze Bomber sounds like a man who has figured out exactly who he is.
Mike Tyson has never been shy about speaking his mind on the sport of boxing, and in a recent interview with Ring Magazine’s Manouk Akopyan, Iron Mike delivered sharp verdicts on the current generation, the era debate, and who he believes is getting robbed by the sport’s power brokers.
Benavidez Being Done Dirty
The most passionate moment of the conversation came when Tyson was asked about David Benavidez, who has long been viewed as one of the most avoided fighters in boxing. Tyson didn’t hold back.
“He’s being done dirty. Benavidez should have got some of those big fights. He hasn’t gotten no big fight. And that’s going to be something that he’s going to have over boxing — they didn’t give him the good fights. If he doesn’t get the money that he’s supposed to have after he finishes boxing, it’s because boxing screwed him. Not because he was too good — because he was too good and boxing didn’t want to give him a break. Those guys would strip guys of their titles. They didn’t want to fight him.”
Benavidez has since moved up to cruiserweight, a division Tyson described bluntly:
“Can I be sincere with you? In that division, nobody knows who the hell the champion is. Nobody.”
The lack of name recognition at cruiserweight, Tyson suggested, only compounds the challenge Benavidez faces in finally getting the profile fight his talent deserves.
Would Usyk Have Survived Tyson’s Era?
Tyson also weighed in on how current heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk would have fared against the warriors of his generation — and he wasn’t entirely sold.
“Holyfield would have gave him a great fight. That’s a different era. You got to kill those guys to beat them. You’re not just going to beat them by being… You got to kill them to beat them. It’s hard to beat these guys without getting a scratch on your face.”
Tyson pointed to the sheer volume of title defenses as a key differentiator between eras.
“We’re different fighters. The fighters of this era should see that and know that we’re different fighters. We were fighting four times a year, defending the title. These guys are defending their title two times, one time every two years.”
Crawford Among the Four Kings?
Asked whether Terence Crawford could have competed alongside Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler in their prime, Tyson offered measured praise.
“There were people back then that weren’t as good a fighter as he was that were champion. He would have done well.”
Tyson also named the fighters he most enjoys watching today: Shakur Stevenson, Keyshawn Davis, Crawford, Naoya Inoue, and Jermall Charlo all earned his stamp of approval.
And despite a career built on ferocious rivalries, Tyson was quick to contextualize any harsh words he may have said about past opponents over the years.
“Whatever I said about them — derogatory — was because I was fighting them. I have the highest amount of respect for those guys I fought.”
Mike Tyson’s comments reflect both admiration for boxing’s past and concern for its present. Ultimately, his remarks underscore a broader point: boxing still has exceptional talent, but the sport must do a better job of delivering the big fights and opportunities that truly allow those fighters to define their legacies.
Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) recently weighed in on who he believes is the best pound-for-pound fighter following Terence Crawford’s retirement.
In an interview with The Ring, Usyk stated he doesn’t consider himself the top fighter, despite holding the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, and The Ring heavyweight titles.
Usyk’s comments come after a distinguished amateur career, including an Olympic gold medal. He is currently ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound by ESPN and The Ring. He is also a three-time, two-division undisputed champion.
Usyk’s Humility
When asked if he is the best pound-for-pound fighter after Terence Crawford retired, Oleksandr Usyk responded:
“Thank you so much to people who think I am the pound-for-pound number one. “But I cannot say it’s me, now maybe it is Shakur.”
Usyk last fought on July 19th, and recorded a KO victory over Daniel Dubois. In his next fight, he will take on kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven in Egypt in May, an opponent who has had one fight in the traditional squared circle ranks in his career.
Boxing legend Mike Tyson is on a mission to fix what he sees as a fundamental crisis in American boxing, and it starts at the grassroots level.
In a wide-ranging conversation with Manouk Akopyan of Ring Magazine, Tyson sounded the alarm on the collapse of amateur boxing infrastructure across the United States, pointing to a shortage of local boxing clubs as the root cause of the country’s declining global competitiveness.
“We’re lacking boxing clubs. At one time in the 80s, they had boxing clubs all over the country, three and four in different cities. The fact is that they’re all dying. They’re talking about taking boxing out of the Olympics. We need more boxing clubs to develop better fighters. The more fighters, the more fights they have, the more experience they become, and the more successful they become professionally.”
The Lomachenko Blueprint
To illustrate his point, Tyson pointed to Vasyl Lomachenko as living proof that amateur volume is everything. The Ukrainian pound-for-pound great turned professional with just four bouts and immediately dismantled elite competition. This is something Tyson attributes directly to the staggering number of amateur fights Lomachenko compiled before going pro.
“He comes to America. He has four pro fights. He wins the world title. Why? Because he got a thousand amateur fights — only 500 that he has on record. That’s why he comes here with four fights and beats everybody like he owns them.”
Tyson then turned the attention on himself. Despite becoming the youngest heavyweight champion in history, he acknowledged that his own limited amateur experience was a real competitive disadvantage against opponents with far more seasoning.
“After three years boxing I’m fighting with these guys — I didn’t have the experience to beat these guys even though I beat them. I’m fighting these guys with 20 fights; these guys got 80, 100 fights.”
The Mike Tyson Invitational
Tyson’s response to this crisis is the Mike Tyson Invitational Amateur Showcase, a three-day event running March 12th–14th in Las Vegas, designed to develop and spotlight the next generation of American talent. Tyson framed the invitational as a personal mission, not just a promotional vehicle.
For Tyson, the connection between amateur development and professional success isn’t theoretical — it’s the story of his own career. He described amateur competition as the most formative period of his life in the sport.
“This is my life. Amateur fighting — fighting is my life. The best time of my fighting career was when I was an amateur, not when I was champion of the world, because there were so many ups and downs, so many desires.”
With boxing’s status at the Olympic Games currently under threat and American heavyweights absent from the gold medal podium since 2004, Tyson’s push for grassroots revival comes at a critical moment for the sport’s long-term health in the United States.
Heading into his 50th professional fight, Deontay Wilder recently took a moment to look back on the message he’d send to his younger self, which is equal parts hard truth and hard-earned wisdom.
Speaking with Louis Hart of Ring Magazine during fight week in London ahead of his April 4th clash with Derek Chisora at the O2 Arena, Wilder opened up about the emotional weight of a milestone that few heavyweight fighters ever reach.
“I would say you’re gonna go through a lot of [sh*t], but stay strong. Keep your faith and hold on and never give up — because so many people are looking up to you. So many people look at you as a mighty man. So many people hold on to your every word, and you’re going to inspire and motivate so many people. Make sure you carry yourself well. Make sure you keep your head up high and your chest stuck out. You’re going to get a lot of nos, but you’re going to get the right people to say yes to you.”
Records Set, Mindsets Broken
Wilder didn’t stop at survival advice. He told his younger self to expect not just hardship but greatness.
“You’re going to set records and you’re going to break records. You’re going to set mindsets of opinions, and you’re going to break mindsets of opinions. But that’s okay — because everybody’s not going to like you, but many will love you. That’s what I would tell myself. But most of all, enjoy it — because nothing lasts forever.”
The Rollercoaster Never Changes
The road to fight 50 has been anything but linear for the Bronze Bomber, and Wilder acknowledged that boxing’s unpredictable rhythm is simply part of the deal.
“Boxing is an emotional roller coaster. It goes up and down, and sometimes in this business — majority of the time — things go slow, and then things will go fast. It’s not an in-between. So you’ve got to capture the momentum while you can. I serve an on-time God, and this is the right moment, the right time and place.”
For Wilder, London and the O2 Arena represent exactly that — a moment of momentum worth seizing. Fifty fights in, with a heavyweight rival across from him who brings his own hard-edged legacy, Wilder isn’t looking back with regret. He’s stepping into the ring with the same hunger he had on day one.
Mike Tyson recently put any remaining doubt to rest as he stated that his exhibition showdown with Floyd Mayweather is happening. Iron Mike also stateed that he’s grateful for every moment of it.
Speaking with Manouk Akopyan of Ring Magazine, Tyson was direct when confirming the fight’s status.
“It’s gonna happen. It’s going to happen. Thank God. I’m so grateful for it.”
Tyson was equally blunt about what fans should expect when the two legends step into the ring. He pushed back on any framing that the event is driven by personal animosity, but made clear he intends to compete seriously.
“I have no animosity. We is boxing. We’re two fighters. We’re boxing. So this is going to be a show. I’m not knocking out anybody. Nobody’s knocking me out. We’re gonna fight. We fight. It’s gonna be a nice show for the people to watch.”
When asked whether there’s anything he wouldn’t do at this stage of his career, Tyson delivered a line that summed up his competitive philosophy perfectly:
“Anything’s possible. Hey, the price is right. I fight a lion.”
For Tyson, the exhibition represents yet another chapter in a late-career arc that has kept him in the public eye well into his late 50s. His last appearance in a boxing ring was a closely watched bout against Jake Paul in late 2024.
With a confirmed date and two all-time legends involved, the April fight figures to generate significant global interest — and Tyson made clear he’s approaching it with the same open-market mentality he’s always had: willing to take on anyone, at any price, in any era.
Eddie Hearn recently responded to Dana White’s criticism of him and Zuffa Boxing, dismissing White’s claims of creating successful boxing shows and arguing that Zuffa Boxing hasn’t achieved anything significant yet. The exchange follows White’s comments at the Zuffa Boxing 04 post-fight press conference.
Hearn slammed Zuffa Boxing’s events as ‘bang-average’ or ‘absolute dog crap’ compared to his Matchroom Boxing shows, noting mismatches and poor quality.
White had previously downplayed Hearn as a rival promoter, calling him a manager. The public back-and-forth has included suggestions of resolving differences in a boxing match.
Hearn Blasts White’s Boxing Venture
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show on March 9, 2026, Hearn responded to White’s claims, stating:
“He’s sitting there and spinning the narrative like he’s creating these unbelievable blockbuster shows in stadiums. He ain’t out the garage yet. Literally, four shows in, and absolute bang-average content… They have done nothing at all. And Dana coming out, losing his rag, blood pressure going through the roof, calling me this and calling me that, but not actually doing anything… Show me what you are doing is special.”
Hearn believes that Zuffa Boxing has provided fans with “bang-average content,” so White has nothing to be proud about as he and his very own boxing promotion are not even “out of the garage yet,” as sell-out stadium shows can’t be compared to events at the Meta APEX.
Sammy Contreras, a 21-year-old undefeated lightweight prospect from Los Angeles, has inked a multi-year promotional deal with Top Rank Boxing. Bob Arum expects a “limitless” future for the young boxer.
Top Rank Boxing has faced challenges in 2026 without a broadcast partner, leading to the departure of several talents. The signing of Contreras, who is 5-0 with 2 KOs professionally, signals a renewed effort to build their roster.
Following the deal, Contreras said:
“This moment means everything to me. All the hard work and sacrifice I’ve made every day have led me here with Top Rank. But this is only the beginning. I’m going to keep working, keep sacrificing, and continue proving that I belong here.”
Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum spoke highly of the talented boxer, saying:
“Sammy Contreras is a talented young lightweight with the ability to go very far in this sport. His future is limitless. He has ties to multiple communities, and that will allow him to connect with a wide range of fans. Los Angeles has produced many great fighters and champions, and we expect Sammy to carry on that tradition.”
Contreras’ Amateur Pedigree
Contreras is a 14-time national amateur champion. He began his boxing career at eight and competed in more than 200 amateur bouts, facing the likes of Abdullah Mason, Emiliano Fernando Vargas and Dedrick Crocklem.
He represented the Mexican national team at the youth level in 2016 and represented El Salvador at the 2023 Pan Am Games and 2024 Olympic qualifiers. He has also sparred with Manny Pacquiao and Mario Barrios. Contreras is trained and managed by his father, Sam Contreras.
He is scheduled to fight Cesar Canti in a six-round bout on March 21st, 2026, at the Orange Show Convention Center in San Bernardino, California, on a ProBox TV show.
Devin Haney recently dismissed Rolando “Rolly” Romero’s ‘triangle theory’ regarding a potential fight between them, following claims involving Ryan Garcia. The WBO welterweight champion Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) snubbed Romero’s reasoning, which used Garcia’s results as proof that Romero would defeat Haney.
Romero (17-2, 13 KOs), the WBA welterweight titleholder, defeated Ryan Garcia by unanimous decision on May 2nd, 2025. Romero’s theory suggested that because he beat Garcia, he would also beat Haney.
“Triangle theories don’t work in boxing. Rolly will get bodied by me.” Haney countered with his own chain: “Rolly got bodied by Barroso, Barroso got bodied O’Hara Davies, Davies got bodied by Josh Taylor, Taylor got bodied by Teo, Teo got bodied by Kambosos, all leads back to ME.”
Triangle theory’s don’t work in boxing.. Rolly will get bodied by me.. Rolly got bodied by Barroso, Barroso got bodied O’Hara Davies, Davies got bodied by Josh Taylor, Taylor got bodied by Teo, Teo got bodied my Kambosos all leads back to ME
A unification fight between Haney and Romero has been discussed for later this year, with negotiations currently ongoing. Haney recently secured the WBO welterweight title with a win over Brian Norman Jr. in November last year.
Haney is also the former undisputed lightweight champion. Romero, however, has an overdue WBA mandatory defense against Shakhram Giyasov.
Ryan Garcia is targeting a July 2026 return and is pushing for a rematch with Haney.
