4 Best Opponents for Oleksandr Usyk's Next Fight

If you didn't already know, you know now. Oleksandr Usyk is not only the best heavyweight in the world today, but he's also in the running for the best of a generation and climbing all-time lists.

So if you haven't seen him, do yourself a favor and take a look.

But do it quickly because the 38-year-old, who improved to 24-0 and regained undisputed status with a second defeat of Daniel Dubois on Saturday, says he wants just one more fight before hanging up the gloves for good.

The B/R combat team dipped its toes into the fight-arranging waters and put together a list of those who'd make sense for the next go-round, breaking them down by who it could be, who it probably will be, who we wish it would be and the opponent choice that would test the seams of the internet.

Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought in the app comments.

Who It Could Be: Tyson Fury

Richard Pelham/Getty Images

Yes, you've heard it before.

Usyk and Fury have already done battle twice with heavyweight titles on the line, first in a fight that unified the four belts in May 2024 and then in a rematch seven months later for which, thanks to boxing's nonsense, only three were up for grabs.

Usyk won both by decisions, scoring a knockdown on the way to a narrow win in the first go-round and subsequently by a less-controversial verdict in the second, which was scored eight rounds to four in his favor by all three judges.

Fury has continued to rail against both results and the idea that he could get another shot was given some credibility on Saturday when his was the first name out of Usyk's mouth when the current champ was asked what might come next.

Competitive? Yes. Interesting? Sure.

But we think the champ could do better.

Who It Probably Will Be: Joseph Parker

Richard Pelham/Getty Images

If you wanted to make a case for a fighter who most deserves a heavyweight title shot, it would probably be Parker. And it's not particularly close.

The 33-year-old New Zealander has undergone a full-scale career renovation since losing to both Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte in 2018, having won 12 of 13 subsequent fights while beating the likes of Derek Chisora (twice), Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole.

The run has elevated Parker to mandatory-challenger status in the eyes of the WBO, so if Usyk plans to maintain his undisputed status going forward, then Parker's is the invitation he's obligated to accept.

"If Oleksandr Usyk is going to truly claim to be the greatest heavyweight of this era, he's got to beat Joseph Parker as well. And he hasn't fought him yet," David Higgins, Parker's promoter, told Sky Sports. "I think it would be silly to go fight guys he's already beaten when Parker's sitting there at No. 1 contender."

Who We Wish It Would Be: Moses Itauma

Mark Robinson/Getty Images

Though both Fury and Parker have belt-wearing pedigree and would be worthwhile challengers for the four-belt champion, we're angling for novelty.

And in this case, that means we're throwing our weight behind Moses Itauma, who has won 10 of 12 fights by KO, stopped each of those in two rounds or fewer and could provide the weight class with a jolt it's not seen in years.

The Slovakia-born Brit won't turn 21 years old until December, which means he'd have a chance to be one of history's youngest heavyweight champs—a mark held by Mike Tyson, who won the WBC title at 20 years, 4 months, 23 days old in 1986.

Itauma is on the schedule for a 12-rounder with ex-title challenger Whyte in August and a win would presumably mean he'd hold on to the elite contender status he already holds with the IBF (sixth), WBA (second), WBC (10th) and WBO (first).

And let's face it, it would make our call for his ascension look a lot better, too.

What Would Break the Internet: Jake Paul

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images

As soon as it became clear Jake Paul was in the building on Saturday, anything became possible in terms of confrontations and calls for future matchups.

The assumption, though, was that the "Problem Child" would continue to angle for a fight with two-time champ Joshua, which he'd apparently accepted in a recent conversation with Saudi financier Turki Alalshikh, pending a response from Joshua.

Then Usyk got involved. Or, to be more accurate, Paul involved him.

The undisputed champ and the social media rabble-rouser went nose-to-nose for a staredown and shook hands after Paul climbed into the ring, and the YouTuber went public afterward with a suggestion that the two get together in an MMA match.

It's difficult to envision either man in a cage or any other non-boxing setup—given neither has had any substantive training outside the ring—but it's no easier to imagine the internet as we know it being able to cope with the traffic if it does get made.

Gentlemen, start your bandwidth.