UKRAINE’S Oleksandr Usyk was the Boxing News Fighter of the Year in 2018. He did have a remarkable 12 months. He unified the cruiserweight division, won the inaugural World Boxing Super Series and the Muhammad Ali trophy. Then dispatched British star Tony Bellew in a packed arena in Manchester.
Usyk has signed with Matchroom Boxing and speculation mounts as to whether he will move up to heavyweight. The division is in tremendous shape, with Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder dominating the conversation at present. Usyk would be a most welcome addition to the mix.
His next move will be to fight on May 18 in the USA, either at the MGM National Harbour or in Chicago.
His promoter Eddie Hearn told Boxing News, “He’ll return probably May 18, just got to make a final decision of whether that’s against [Denis] Lebedev or whether that’s against a heavyweight. I think that’ll be up in the heavyweight division. They want to move at a decent pace. We’re just finalising that.”
