Oleksandr Usyk speaks before facing Tyson Fury (Image: Boxing King Media)
has admitted to feeling “sick of boxing” as he prepares for his upcoming mega-rematch with in Saudi Arabia this Saturday.
The Ukrainian sensation clinched victory against Fury in a closely fought contest last year via a split decision. With scorecards reading 115-112, 113-114, and 114-113, Usyk is set to defend his titles in what many see as an ever-diminishing pool of worthy challengers in Riyadh.
Having already outclassed rivals like Fury, , and Daniel Dubois, and dominating the cruiserweight division by 2018, the 37 year old seems to have grown weary of the sport just days before his lucrative clash with Fury. Dismissing concerns over Fury’s larger stature, Usyk emphasised his resilience in a chat : “For me it doesn’t matter,” he said. “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, Oleksandr Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk quashed rumours of the boxer’s retirement, despite Usyk approaching his 40s. “We never had any talks about Usyk’s retirement,” Krassyuk clarified. “There were maybe rumours, maybe someone else was giving their thoughts but we never discussed it. This issue is not an issue for us.”
He further explained that retirement is a personal choice for a fighter, dependent on their drive and willingness to continue the rigorous training regime. “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 five 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.”
Sergey Lapin, Usyk’s coach, has suggested that after potentially “retiring” Tyson Fury, Usyk might explore other combat sports. Earlier this summer, Lapin speculated: “[Usyk] has proven he’s the best of this generation and, once he’s retired Tyson Fury, he will consider his options.”
These options could include moving down in weight or trying something completely different, such as MMA or bare-knuckle fighting. “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 also teased the possibility of Usyk facing UFC legend Jon Jones or having a rematch with Anthony 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.”