Usyk Eyes Final Career Chapter At Cruiserweight Against Benavidez

Oleksandr Usyk is planning to move back down to cruiserweight for a unification fight with David Benavidez as the final act of his career, according to his adviser Sergey Lapin.

Usyk, 39, last fought in May, when he beat Rico Verhoeven and then gave up his heavyweight titles.

The former undisputed heavyweight champion had suggested he wanted one more fight — a “last dance” — and it had been expected to take place at heavyweight.

However, Lapin said Usyk now intends to return to cruiserweight in 2027. The plan is for Usyk first to contest a vacant world title, then to face undefeated American Benavidez in a bid to become undisputed cruiserweight champion again.

Lapin said Usyk wants 2027 to be the closing chapter of his career and wants to finish as undisputed champion in the division where he first won all the belts.

Usyk was dominant at cruiserweight for much of his career, winning 16 fights and becoming undisputed champion before moving up to heavyweight in 2019.

At heavyweight he became a two-time undisputed champion, beating Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois twice each, and his professional record stands at 25 fights unbeaten.

Benavidez, 29, has won all 32 of his professional fights. He holds the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles and is scheduled to fight Poland’s Michal Cieslak for the WBC belt on 5 December.

The IBF cruiserweight title is vacant after Jai Opetaia was stripped of it in March.