After previously teasing the idea of retirement, The Ring and unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk will continue fighting in 2026.
But the 38-year-old Ukrainian’s preferred opponent may come as a surprise to some.
“I want to definitely continue fighting next year. I will continue boxing. I want to fight Deontay Wilder,” Usyk told Boxing King Media. “For me, I think it is very interesting. [Wilder] is a world champion guy, a very famous guy, this is a strong guy, and he is one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of the last 10 years.”
Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) and Wilder, who held the WBC belt for five years, haven’t really been linked for a fight in recent years because Usyk’s rise beating Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois twice each over the last four years has coincided with Wilder’s descent.
The 40-year-old Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KOs) has lost four out of his last six fights over the last five years, three of which have come via violent stoppages.
After completing his trilogy against Tyson Fury, Wilder appeared faded in fights against Joseph Parker, a unanimous decision loss in December 2023, and Zhilei Zhang, a fifth-round technical knockout loss in June 2024.
Wilder kicked off a comeback campaign with a seventh-round stoppage of outmatched journeyman Tyrrell Herndon on June 27. Wilder planned on staying active in similar tune-up fights, but nothing else has materialized in recent months.
“If Usyk is still around when the time comes, it’s a no-brainer,” Wilder told The Ring during the buildup of the Herndon fight in June. “I think it would be amazing. I’ll fight him if he’s ready. … Next year could be full of surprises. He’s said before that he wanted to fight me, and I hope he still feels the same way.
What he’s done has been great, and I am happy for him. He came in and got opportunities that I couldn’t get because I was dangerous.”
The pool of top-tier opponents Usyk can consider moving forward is a shallow one.
Usyk recently vacated his WBO title instead of facing mandatory challenger Fabio Wardley. The sanctioning body elevated Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KOs) from interim champ to full champion after he rallied and stopped Parker on October 25.
Usyk explained why he chose not to pursue a fight with Wardley.
“Listen, boxing is a sport and a business,” Usyk said. “If Parker won, for me it would be an interesting fight. Wardley won, and it is not an interesting fight for me. I was not surprised by Wardley’s performance. I’ve worked with him, and he’s a good fighter and a great guy. I respect him. Maybe later we can fight in a bigger fight.”
