The undisputed heavyweight champion has nothing left to prove in boxing, but he will not bow out yet. Oleksandr Usyk has said he intends to fight two more times before retiring from boxing, with his ideal first opponent being Daniel Dubois or Joseph Parker. Usyk became undisputed heavyweight champion – the first in 24 years – by beating Tyson Fury last May. Then, in December, he outpointed the Briton again to retain the unified belts.
![[Oleksandr Usyk (left) stopped Daniel Dubois in 2023 after climbing off the canvas]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2023/10/13/10/GettyImages-1641020279.jpg)
Between those results, the Ukrainian vacated the IBF title, meaning interim champion Dubois was elevated to official title holder. Dubois retained the belt by knocking out Anthony Joshua in September, and he defends the gold against Parker on 22 February. "I think two years, one-and-a-half [left in boxing]. I feel great myself. I feel I have two fights to prepare [for], not more – just two.”. After Usyk beat Fury for the second time, the 38-year-old was confronted by Dubois in the ring. Usyk, who previously held the undisputed cruiserweight titles, already has a win over Dubois, having stopped the Briton in 2023.
![[Dubois and Joseph Parker will box in Saudi Arabia on 22 February]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/14/15/newFile-4.jpg)
On that night in Poland, Usyk climbed off the canvas after suffering a controversial low blow, which Dubois, 27, felt was a legal shot. "My next fight I’m working towards [is Usyk, after Parker],” Dubois told Sky. “I’m ready for it now. We’ve all got to grow up sometime. Run it back.”. As well as having held two sets of undisputed titles, Usyk is an Olympic gold medalist. The southpaw triumphed at London 2012 before starting a professional career, in which he has stayed unbeaten while defeating Fury and Joshua twice each, as well as Dubois, Derek Chisora, Tony Bellew, Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev.
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