Oleksandr Usyk has made his thoughts perfectly clear on Wladimir Klitschko‘s potential return to the ring.
Alongside his brother Vitali, Wladimir dominated the heavyweight division for a long period, holding the world heavyweight champion multiple times from 2000 to 2015.
He was unified heavyweight champion for seven years from 2008, before he lost his titles in an upset defeat to Tyson Fury. Klitschko then retired after losing to Anthony Joshua in April 2017, bringing his professional in-ring career to an end after over two decades.
It has emerged in recent weeks though that there have been talks about Klitschko coming out of retirement in order to try and break the record for the oldest world heavyweight champion in history.
That accolade is currently held by George Foreman, who was 46 years and 169 days old when he last held world honours in 1995, while Klitschko is set to turn 49 in March.
“I see Klitschko is here from [his] great country, and I want to ask him a favour. We want to see you one more time in the ring trying to get the chance to have the world championship belt again.”
And Queensberry Promotions Frank Warren confirmed to Boxing News that the former champion had ‘indicated’ he wants another shot at the current heavyweights.
“We have spoken with [Klitschko] a couple of times out in Saudi, especially the last time, and he did indicate that he wanted to come back and fight .”
Current unified world champion Usyk has had his say on the potential return, as Klitschko revealed back in May that his countryman spoke to him and urged him to go ahead with plans to come out of retirement.
“Oleksandr called me recently for my birthday and said ‘listen I wish that your dream will come true and you are going to become the oldest heavyweight champion of the world.’
Usyk defends his titles in a rematch against Fury on December 21, and if he is victorious it is highly unlikely he will fight his fellow Ukrainian Klitschko.
Instead, if Fury wins that would be a more likely opponent for Klitschko if he does come back, or a fight against the winner of the IBF heavyweight title bout between Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker in February.
