Oleksandr Usyk makes dramatic U-turn as he names final three fight opponents before retirement
Oleksandr Usyk now wants to face Fabio Wardley if he beats Daniel Dubois as part of his final three fights.
Heavyweight great Usyk is now at the back end of his stellar career at the age of 39.
But his next fight has caused quite the stir, announcing he will avoid interest from the traditional ranks to face kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven.
JUST IN: Knockdown: Watch As Claressa Shields Reignites Glove Tampering
Usyk will face him in Egypt in May, after originally snubbing a showdown with Wardley and vacating the title.
The Ipswich native will now face Daniel Dubois in the same month, and the Ukrainian is keen to face the winner as part of his three-fight farewell tour.
He told The Ring: ” “Rico is first, second is whoever wins between Wardley and Dubois and the third fight is my friend ‘Greedy Belly’, Tyson Fury.”
Usyk had previously suggested he is not open to facing Wardley as he believed the bout wouldn’t present a big enough commercial opportunity.
But he has now changed his mind and is clearly open to facing the champion.
Although he could be banking on a third showdown with Dubois, whom he comprehensively beat last July.
As talkSPORT.com revealed, Dubois’ camp are open to the trilogy and believe he still can become the first fighter to beat ‘The Cat’.
A trilogy with Fury almost seems certain in the future, given the ‘Gypsy King’ has decided to return after losing twice to Usyk.
The pair have made regular public exchanges over a third clash, but will hope more belts can be on the line first.
Is Usyk’s fight plan actually going to happen?
Fury is also looking to force his way into a title shot, and Wardley has already agreed a clash if he beats Arslanbek Makhmudov.
This could present an untimely obstacle.
In truth it may also be a challenge for Usyk to enforce the clashes unless he sacrifices his title belts along the way.
And for Usyk to face Wardley or Dubois next, he may be forced to vacate his WBC or WBA belt with pressure from title holders Murat Gassiev and Agit Kabayel.
Gassiev’s camp are already putting pressure on Usyk to be stripped of the title.
And Kabayel has demanded after a long wait that he is next in line as soon as Usyk defends his title.
Promoter Kalle Sauerland has also put pressure on the third belt, the IBF, demanding it is on the line when Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder face off on April 4.
