On July 19, Oleksandr Usyk will box Daniel Dubois at Wembley. After that, the Ukrainian wants to fulfill one more big wish – at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.
Oleksandr Usyk has achieved everything. World cruiserweight and heavyweight champion, Olympic champion, unbeaten in 23 professional fights – the Ukrainian’s boxing career is already legendary. But at the age of 38, the exceptional athlete is also thinking about saying goodbye to the ring. “I don’t often think about the end of my career, but sometimes the thought does cross my mind,” Usyk told Ring Magazine. How many fights does he have left? It’s unclear. He only knows one thing: one big dream is still open.
Before that, however, one last big chapter awaits. On July 19, Usyk will face Daniel Dubois at Wembley – for the first four-belt heavyweight unification ever to be held on British soil. Back in 2023, the Ukrainian defeated Dubois by T.K.O. in round nine. At the time, a controversial low blow caused discussion. Usyk himself takes it in his stride: “That was a dirty punch. For me, that’s in the past.”
The fight against Dubois could be Usyk’s last major appearance on the world stage. Nevertheless, he still wants to fulfill one wish: a home match. “I still want to fight in Kiev in the Olympic Stadium. I don’t know against whom. But that’s my dream.” Oleksandr Usyk has already been successful on the biggest stages in the past. Whether Tottenham, Wroclaw or soon Wembley – the Ukrainian loves the big arenas. Even if he says that he doesn’t go through the fight in his head yet: “I don’t visualize anything. I train, I rest. Then I start in the ring.”
Text by Robin Josten