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.
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.
