Former undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk intends to drop back down to the cruiserweight division for the final chapter of his professional career. The 39-year-old Ukrainian, who last competed in May with a victory over Rico Verhoeven before relinquishing his titles, is reportedly planning a return to the ring in 2027.
Adviser Sergey Lapin stated that Usyk’s goal is to become an undisputed champion once again in the weight class where he first found major success.
The team is initially targeting a fight for a vacant world title, with the ultimate objective being a unification bout against undefeated American David Benavidez. Lapin described this path as Usyk’s “last dance” in the sport, aiming to conclude his career exactly where he once unified all the belts.
Usyk holds a storied history at cruiserweight, having dominated the division with 16 victories before moving to the heavyweight ranks in 2019. At heavyweight, he further cemented his legacy by becoming a two-time undisputed champion. His undefeated streak stands at 25 fights, featuring notable wins over Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Daniel Dubois, whom he defeated twice each.
His prospective opponent, 29-year-old David Benavidez, remains undefeated through 32 professional contests. Benavidez currently holds the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles and is scheduled to face Poland’s Michal Cieslak on 5 December for the WBC belt. The IBF cruiserweight championship remains vacant following the decision to strip Jai Opetaia of the title in March.
