Oleksandr Usyk has done it all in boxing. He has won gold for his home country of Ukraine. He has been undisputed in two different weight classes. And he has won over millions of fans who feel identified with his courage and relentless attitude.
His last two fights have really amplified those attributes. Usyk took on Tyson Fury twice, and beat him twice, with the last win forcing Fury into a tentative retirement. Before the Fury fights, Usyk had beaten Anthony Joshua twice in a row, then knocked out Daniel Dubois. That win over Dubois could come back to haunt Usyk, as Dubois is angling for revenge in a rematch that appears likely to happen.
Will Oleksandr Usyk fight Daniel Dubois or Joseph Parker next?
But in recent weeks, Joseph Parker has come up as a very real option for Usyk’s next bout. The WBO ordered Usyk to defend his title against Parker, as the latter is the mandatory challenger. No decision has been made, but Usyk will now be faced with a tough decision: Parker or Dubois.
Parker has been on an epic run since losing to Joe Joyce in September of 2022. Since that defeat, he has rattled off six straight wins, three by knockout. Among those wins have been world title bouts against Simon Kean, Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole. Parker has certainly earned his shot at Usyk, but Dubois is tough competition.
Dubois is younger and can already say that he went toe-to-toe with Usyk. In fact, many believe Usyk’s win over him was slightly controversial. Dubois has done well to rebound since that loss, knocking out Jarell Miller, Filip Hgrovic and Joshua in succession.
Whoever Usyk chooses, there’s no doubt the fight will be a spectacle and make boxing fans happy.
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