End of era? Ukraine's Usyk may unexpectedly end his career after controversial fight
Oleksandr Usyk (photo: Getty Images)
Unified world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is considering the option of ending his professional career, according to The Mirror.
Heavy triumph in Giza and opponent’s appeal
Last month, Oleksandr Usyk defended his title in a bout against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.
The fight near the Egyptian pyramids turned out to be one of the most difficult in the Ukrainian’s career — Verhoeven put up fierce resistance, and the decisive moment came in the 11th round, when the referee stopped the fight one second before the final bell, recording a technical knockout.
Verhoeven’s team later filed an official appeal over the alleged premature stoppage of the bout, but it was rejected, and the belts remained in Ukraine.
After this fight, calls within boxing circles have increasingly grown for the 39-year-old Usyk to retire at the peak of his success.
Final verdict by the end of the week
Usyk’s team is currently holding official negotiations regarding a WBC title defense against mandatory challenger German Agit Kabayel (the organization’s deadline is set for June 30).
However, Serhii Lapin emphasized that Usyk already owes nothing to anyone, and his final decision about his sporting future will be announced in just a few days.
"Agit Kabayel is an excellent fighter, a worthy champion and a man we respect. There is nothing personal here, but fights of this magnitude are not made through social media or public pressure," the promoter said.
"Oleksandr has spent his entire career proving who he is. At this stage, the question is no longer what Usyk owes anyone. The question is what kind of event can be built? It is possible that fans have already seen him in the ring for the last time. Or maybe there is still one more chapter left. We will know very soon," Lapin noted.
