Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning undisputed heavyweight champion, has announced he will take a well-deserved break from facing British fighters, with New Zealand's Joseph Parker emerging as his next opponent. The 38-year-old Ukrainian has dominated the British boxing scene, defeating Tony Bellew, Derek Chisora, and securing double victories over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois.
Following his latest triumph over Dubois in just five rounds at Wembley, Usyk revealed his plans to rest after an intense training camp. "Now I want to rest," he said. "I can’t say who my next opponent is. I prepared for three and a half months, I have not seen my wife or my family. Every day I lived with my team in a house with 14 guys. Seeing the same faces every day."
Usyk’s dedication to his craft has solidified his position as one of boxing’s elite. A former undisputed cruiserweight champion, he now sets his sights on Parker, the WBO’s mandatory challenger. The 33-year-old New Zealander, who recently defeated Martin Bakole in February, is next in line to challenge Usyk for his four heavyweight titles.
Meanwhile, Daniel Dubois, who suffered his third stoppage defeat at the hands of Usyk, is expected to take a career break to regroup. Promoter Frank Warren emphasized the importance of resilience for the 27-year-old fighter. "He's only a young man. It's not like he took a belting, he got knocked down twice and that was it," Warren said. "But we will see, it's all about resilience, it's about desire and wanting to be the best and - more importantly - learning from your mistakes."
As Usyk prepares to return to the ring after a brief hiatus, the boxing world eagerly anticipates his next move. Whether it’s Parker or another contender, the Ukrainian champion’s dominance in the heavyweight division shows no signs of slowing down.
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