A fighter’s last dance in boxing has always been a tricky mix of ego, necessity and cash. It is no different for the former undisputed heavyweight king, Oleksandr Usyk.
Late last month, Usyk relinquished his three world championship belts and immediately started talking about a “last dance”, one more fight before walking away for good. The idea of a last dance is perhaps the closest thing we have in boxing to a testimonial.
As his old belts were being distributed – Agit Kabayel got the WBC version, and Murat Gassiev was gifted the WBA edition – and discussed by just about everybody in the boxing business with a pulse, Usyk was talking to the new promotional outfit, Zuffa Boxing.
The new company, which has deep pockets and impeccable connections, is run by Dana White of the UFC, and Turki Alalshikh is also involved – the influential Saudi Arabian financier and boxing fixer. In February of this year, Conor Benn walked away from Matchroom, Eddie Hearn and DAZN to agree a lucrative deal with Zuffa; others have followed Benn’s exact move. It looks like Usyk is the latest.
In a busy week for boxing, the former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder was then mentioned as an opponent for Usyk.
It is a fight that Usyk had previously talked about; Wilder is the last major heavyweight champion from Usyk’s era that he has not beaten.
Usyk holds two wins each over world champions Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois. The trio have held a version of the world title since 2015. Usyk cleaned house, and he considers Wilder the last man standing from that era.
Wilder won the WBC heavyweight title in 2015, defended it 10 times and lost it to Fury in 2020. The American failed to regain the title in a third fight with Fury and then lost his way in the boxing business. There was a spiritual conversion that seemed to strip away his vicious edge, and then he had some personal problems.
His stoppage loss to Zhilei Zhang in 2024 looked like his very own last dance. However, he recently beat Derek Chisora to put himself back in the crazy heavyweight mix. Still, Wilder, who is now 40, has lost four of his last seven fights.
Before vacating his belts, Usyk was linked with a rematch against Rico Verhoeven and a title fight with Kabayel; in May, Usyk struggled for 10 rounds before stopping kickboxer Verhoeven in the 11th round of a terrific fight at the pyramids of Giza. The finish was controversial, and a rematch was discussed, but the Kabayel fight never seemed like a possibility.
However, a fight with Wilder does seem real. In many ways, Wilder might still be the best American heavyweight currently fighting. It would be a coup for Zuffa; a last dance masquerading as a last chance.
Usyk is now 39, unbeaten in 25 fights, and he has nothing left to prove in a business he dominated. Wilder is still a big name; his best days are long gone, but his once legendary power will be used to sell the fight.
It’s certainly not the final fight that fans necessarily want to see Usyk accept, but it is undoubtedly the exit waltz that Usyk deserves.
