Oleksandr Usyk has already beaten Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois while showcasing his incredible boxing IQ – after conquering the cruiserweight division 2018 – and has now hinted he is tiring of the sport
Oleksandr Usyk has given Tyson Fury hope by claiming he is “sick of boxing” ahead of their epic rematch in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
The Ukrainian has proven himself as the best heavyweight on the planet after defeating Fury via a split decision in last year’s bout thanks to scores of 115-112, 113-114, 114-113 and will be running out of genuine contenders to his crown should he emerge victorious once again in Riyadh.
Usyk has already beaten Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois while showcasing his incredible boxing IQ – having already conquered the cruiserweight division 2018. Now the 37-year-old has hinted he is tiring of the sport as he prepares for his money-spinning fight with Fury on Saturday.
He was asked if Fury’s noticeably bigger frame and build would made a difference to the fight but Usyk was unfazed. He told Boxing King Media: “For me it doesn’t matter. I have a strong heart, I have desire. I have support from my country and my wife and children. Listen, I am a little bit sick of boxing. Bigger? No problem. I don’t have a message for greedy belly. I have a message my fans, thank you so much for your support for me.”
Earlier this year, Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk addressed speculation Usyk could soon retire but said there were currently no discussions of hanging up the gloves anytime soon despite heading towards his 40s. “We never had any talks about Usyk’s retirement,” said Krassyuk. “There were maybe rumours, maybe someone else was giving their thoughts but we never discussed it. This issue is not an issue for us.
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Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are set to lock horns again on December 21 with the Brit attempting to avenge his defeat by the Ukrainian in May. Victory for Fury could also set up a huge domestic showdown with bitter rival Anthony Joshua next year
“This is always a decision of the fighter. When he feels he has nothing to prove, when he feels he doesn’t want to wake up at 5 in the morning and do three training [sessions] in a day, if he’s fed up with that then it’s probably time for him to hang up his gloves.” Usyk’s coach Sergey Lapin has even predicted Usyk could try his luck at MMA or bare-knuckle after “retiring” Fury. He said earlier this summer: “[Usyk] has proven he’s the best of this generation and, once he’s retired Tyson Fury, he will consider his options.
“Maybe that’s dropping down in weight again, or maybe there’s a wildcard option on the table for him. Be it in the boxing ring, the MMA cage or even Conor McGregor ‘s Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.” Lapin even talked up the possibility of fights against UFC superstar Jon Jones or even a rematch against Joshua.
“Can you imagine Usyk and Jon Jones fighting to prove they’re the baddest man on the planet? “Or maybe it’s a third fight with Anthony Joshua in the MMA cage. Maybe it’s Jake Paul at cruiserweight, although Usyk would need to fight him with one hand behind his back though to make it fair.”
