By Quitano Gonzalez
Wed, Sep 2 2026
Oleksandr Usyk’s Next Fight Takes Shape as Heavyweight Star Eyes Final Chapter
Oleksandr Usyk may be approaching the final chapter of his extraordinary boxing career, but the Ukrainian former undisputed heavyweight champion still has several blockbuster options on the table.
Usyk’s most recent appearance came on May 23, when he faced kickboxing superstar Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. What looked on paper like a straightforward crossover event turned into a far more competitive contest. Verhoeven pushed Usyk hard for much of the fight before the bout was stopped late in the 11th round.
Since then, speculation about Usyk’s next opponent has intensified. The biggest question is whether the 39-year-old will return for another traditional heavyweight challenge or choose a major-name farewell fight before walking away from boxing.
The situation surrounding Usyk changed dramatically during the summer.
Rather than continuing to defend the world titles he had collected during his historic heavyweight run, Usyk decided to vacate his championships. The move opened the door for a new generation of heavyweight contenders and left the division without the dominant champion who had controlled it for several years.
For Usyk, however, the decision appears to be less about stepping away from the sport immediately and more about controlling the final stage of his career.
Reports earlier this year indicated that Usyk wanted several more fights before retirement. More recent comments have suggested that the number could be reduced, with the Ukrainian describing his future in terms of a final “last dance.”
That makes his next opponent particularly important.
Before Usyk vacated his belts, Agit Kabayel was widely regarded as the most logical sporting opponent.
The unbeaten German heavyweight had earned a mandatory position with the WBC and was repeatedly mentioned as the fighter Usyk would have to face if he wanted to continue holding the title. Kabayel entered 2026 with an impressive record and momentum following stoppage victories over Zhilei Zhang and Damian Knyba.
Kabayel’s appeal is easy to understand. He is undefeated, technically sound and has developed into one of the division’s most dangerous body punchers. He also represents a genuine heavyweight challenge rather than another crossover spectacle.
At one point, negotiations between the two camps were moving toward a potential purse bid, with the WBC setting a deadline for an agreement. The subsequent decision by Usyk to vacate his belts changed the situation considerably.
Even without a championship at stake, Kabayel could still be one of the strongest choices for Usyk’s next fight.
There is also unfinished business with Rico Verhoeven.
The Dutch kickboxing legend entered the first meeting with only limited professional boxing experience, yet he managed to make Usyk work throughout the contest. Verhoeven has since made it clear that he wants an immediate rematch.
From a sporting perspective, a second fight would be easy to sell. Verhoeven has already shown that he can create problems for Usyk, while the Ukrainian would have an opportunity to answer questions raised by his performance in Giza.
There is also a commercial argument. Their first fight attracted enormous attention because of the unusual matchup and the spectacular Egyptian setting. A rematch would provide an established storyline rather than introducing another opponent from scratch.
Still, Kabayel would arguably offer Usyk a more meaningful boxing test.
Then there is Tyson Fury.
A third fight between Usyk and Fury has been discussed repeatedly since their two historic encounters. Usyk won the first meeting by split decision in May 2024 and followed it with another victory by unanimous decision in December of the same year.
Fury has since returned to boxing and defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov by unanimous decision in April 2026, proving that retirement was not necessarily the end of his career.
However, Fury currently has another enormous target. His long-awaited fight with Anthony Joshua remains under negotiation, with promoter Frank Warren recently saying that the uncertainty should be resolved soon. Fury has indicated that he intends to fight in November regardless of whether Joshua ultimately signs the deal.
That makes a Usyk trilogy difficult to arrange immediately, but not impossible later.
The uncertainty surrounding Usyk’s future is also creating plenty of interest among Australia online casino and sports betting audiences.
Major boxing events traditionally generate a large betting market, with fans looking at potential matchups, outright winners and other fight-related markets. A hypothetical Usyk versus Kabayel or Usyk versus Fury trilogy would almost certainly attract significant attention from sportsbooks and betting platforms.
For boxing fans, however, it is worth keeping the distinction between sports analysis and gambling clear. Odds can change rapidly as negotiations develop, and they should never be treated as a prediction of what will actually happen inside the ring. Anyone choosing to gamble should check local laws and use licensed operators where betting is legal.
What could happen next for Usyk
Several realistic scenarios remain on the table:
The most intriguing factor is that Usyk no longer needs another victory to establish his legacy. He has already beaten Anthony Joshua twice, defeated Fury twice and conquered both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions.
At this stage of his career, Usyk has the rare luxury of choosing a fight based almost entirely on what he wants from his final chapter.
A matchup with Kabayel would test whether Usyk can still operate at the highest technical level against a younger, unbeaten heavyweight. A rematch with Verhoeven would settle the questions created by their first encounter. A third fight with Fury would offer the biggest possible conclusion to one of the defining rivalries of the modern heavyweight era.
For now, there is no officially confirmed opponent or date for Usyk’s next appearance. What is clear is that the Ukrainian remains one of boxing’s biggest attractions, even after stepping away from the championship picture.
The heavyweight division is moving into a new era, but Usyk still has the opportunity to decide how the old one ends. And if his next fight really is the beginning of the final chapter, boxing fans can expect the announcement to be every bit as significant as the fight itself.
Usyk’s most recent appearance came on May 23, when he faced kickboxing superstar Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. What looked on paper like a straightforward crossover event turned into a far more competitive contest. Verhoeven pushed Usyk hard for much of the fight before the bout was stopped late in the 11th round.
Since then, speculation about Usyk’s next opponent has intensified. The biggest question is whether the 39-year-old will return for another traditional heavyweight challenge or choose a major-name farewell fight before walking away from boxing.
Usyk has already changed the heavyweight landscape
The situation surrounding Usyk changed dramatically during the summer.
Rather than continuing to defend the world titles he had collected during his historic heavyweight run, Usyk decided to vacate his championships. The move opened the door for a new generation of heavyweight contenders and left the division without the dominant champion who had controlled it for several years.
For Usyk, however, the decision appears to be less about stepping away from the sport immediately and more about controlling the final stage of his career.
Reports earlier this year indicated that Usyk wanted several more fights before retirement. More recent comments have suggested that the number could be reduced, with the Ukrainian describing his future in terms of a final “last dance.”
That makes his next opponent particularly important.
Agit Kabayel remains one of the leading options
Before Usyk vacated his belts, Agit Kabayel was widely regarded as the most logical sporting opponent.
The unbeaten German heavyweight had earned a mandatory position with the WBC and was repeatedly mentioned as the fighter Usyk would have to face if he wanted to continue holding the title. Kabayel entered 2026 with an impressive record and momentum following stoppage victories over Zhilei Zhang and Damian Knyba.
Kabayel’s appeal is easy to understand. He is undefeated, technically sound and has developed into one of the division’s most dangerous body punchers. He also represents a genuine heavyweight challenge rather than another crossover spectacle.
At one point, negotiations between the two camps were moving toward a potential purse bid, with the WBC setting a deadline for an agreement. The subsequent decision by Usyk to vacate his belts changed the situation considerably.
Even without a championship at stake, Kabayel could still be one of the strongest choices for Usyk’s next fight.
Rico Verhoeven wants another chance
There is also unfinished business with Rico Verhoeven.
The Dutch kickboxing legend entered the first meeting with only limited professional boxing experience, yet he managed to make Usyk work throughout the contest. Verhoeven has since made it clear that he wants an immediate rematch.
From a sporting perspective, a second fight would be easy to sell. Verhoeven has already shown that he can create problems for Usyk, while the Ukrainian would have an opportunity to answer questions raised by his performance in Giza.
There is also a commercial argument. Their first fight attracted enormous attention because of the unusual matchup and the spectacular Egyptian setting. A rematch would provide an established storyline rather than introducing another opponent from scratch.
Still, Kabayel would arguably offer Usyk a more meaningful boxing test.
Tyson Fury remains the dream scenario
Then there is Tyson Fury.
A third fight between Usyk and Fury has been discussed repeatedly since their two historic encounters. Usyk won the first meeting by split decision in May 2024 and followed it with another victory by unanimous decision in December of the same year.
Fury has since returned to boxing and defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov by unanimous decision in April 2026, proving that retirement was not necessarily the end of his career.
However, Fury currently has another enormous target. His long-awaited fight with Anthony Joshua remains under negotiation, with promoter Frank Warren recently saying that the uncertainty should be resolved soon. Fury has indicated that he intends to fight in November regardless of whether Joshua ultimately signs the deal.
That makes a Usyk trilogy difficult to arrange immediately, but not impossible later.
Online casinos are watching the heavyweight boom
The uncertainty surrounding Usyk’s future is also creating plenty of interest among Australia online casino and sports betting audiences.
Major boxing events traditionally generate a large betting market, with fans looking at potential matchups, outright winners and other fight-related markets. A hypothetical Usyk versus Kabayel or Usyk versus Fury trilogy would almost certainly attract significant attention from sportsbooks and betting platforms.
For boxing fans, however, it is worth keeping the distinction between sports analysis and gambling clear. Odds can change rapidly as negotiations develop, and they should never be treated as a prediction of what will actually happen inside the ring. Anyone choosing to gamble should check local laws and use licensed operators where betting is legal.
What could happen next for Usyk
Several realistic scenarios remain on the table:
- Usyk vs. Agit Kabayel could provide the most credible pure boxing matchup.
- Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven II would capitalize on the unresolved story from Giza.
- Usyk vs. Tyson Fury III remains the biggest legacy fight available to him.
- A different major-name opponent could emerge if Usyk decides his final fight should be built around spectacle rather than rankings.
The most intriguing factor is that Usyk no longer needs another victory to establish his legacy. He has already beaten Anthony Joshua twice, defeated Fury twice and conquered both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions.
Usyk’s final fight could be about legacy
At this stage of his career, Usyk has the rare luxury of choosing a fight based almost entirely on what he wants from his final chapter.
A matchup with Kabayel would test whether Usyk can still operate at the highest technical level against a younger, unbeaten heavyweight. A rematch with Verhoeven would settle the questions created by their first encounter. A third fight with Fury would offer the biggest possible conclusion to one of the defining rivalries of the modern heavyweight era.
For now, there is no officially confirmed opponent or date for Usyk’s next appearance. What is clear is that the Ukrainian remains one of boxing’s biggest attractions, even after stepping away from the championship picture.
The heavyweight division is moving into a new era, but Usyk still has the opportunity to decide how the old one ends. And if his next fight really is the beginning of the final chapter, boxing fans can expect the announcement to be every bit as significant as the fight itself.