Oleksandr Usyk‘s future may have just become a lot clearer.
Usyk was last in action in July when he knocked out Daniel Dubois inside five rounds at Wembley Stadium to become undisputed heavyweight champion for the second time.
The Ukrainian had first achieved that honour in 2024 with a split decision victory over Tyson Fury, before vacating the IBF belt to fulfil his rematch with Fury later that year, which this time resulted in a unanimous decision win for the pound-for-pound great.
With all four world titles now back in his possession, fans have been speculating what could be next for Usyk, having already claimed wins over fellow heavyweights such as Anthony Joshua and Derek Chisora.
Joseph Parker appeared to be the frontrunner for Usyk’s next opponent, after becoming the WBO mandatory with wins over the likes of Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole.
A back injury for Usyk means it won’t take place in the immediate future though, with Parker now facing Fabio Wardley at The O2 Arena on October 25.
Instead, it appears that the Ukrainian may have his sights set on a mixed martial arts showdown with Jake Paul, after he responded on social media to Paul’s wish list of a bout at some point in the next few years.
“Good plan, Jake Paul. But I’m not here for 5th place — only first. Soon, I’ll close the book on boxing, and after that, I’ll be waiting for you in the cage. Let’s see if you’ve got the balls or just a hunger for hype.”
An MMA contest between Usyk and Paul has been teased over the past year, with the pair facing off in the ring following Usyk’s victory over Dubois.
For now, Paul’s current focus is on an exhibition match-up against WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis in November, but it seems a fight against Usyk could very well be on the horizon in the near future.
