Although Oleksandr Usyk presented his three-fight plan, a recent challenger entered the fight with hopes of taking a shot at the Ukrainian and winning the unified world heavyweight titles.

Next month’s meeting with Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven kicks off what Usyk envisioned as a series of three hand-picked fights before his planned retirement in 2027, with his next dance partner being the winner of Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois.

However, the WBC is expected to demand that Usyk fight mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel in his next fight, and promoter Frank Warren believes he will be stripped of his belt if he fails to face the undefeated German.

Meanwhile, the WBA and IBF titles are not on the line against Verhoeven, which has fight fans wondering whether Usyk could soon be stripped of those belts as well.

Although if Usyk defends the WBA crown, Jarrell Miller will be waiting for him after him on Saturday evening he defeated Lenier Pero in the WBA eliminator final rise to title contention.

I’m talking to Fighting Hub TV after “Gigantic Baby” won, he told Usyk that there was nowhere to run or hide when fighting him.

“He’s a great fighter, man, but when you’re fighting a bully like me, there’s nowhere to run or hide. Usyk doesn’t really have crazy punching power, and he has trouble with guys who punch to the body and throw a lot of punches.”

This performance [against Pero] it was just a taste of what I could do. So the most essential thing is to go back and get the drawing board back. Let’s work and be ready for everyone.

I want Usyk to come back after the Rico fight and I can spank him.

If Usyk loses the WBA title, Miller could find himself in line for a title fight with current WBA Regular titleholder Murat Gassiew, who expected to be promoted to full champion. Although Moses Itauma would probably get the first shot at the proposed scrap with the Russian.

Benavidez enters Saturday’s fight with Gilberto Ramirez in a situation where even a tiny defeat may have a higher price than one defeat in history. Greater opportunities lie ahead, but those plans depend on beating Ramirez cleanly and leaving Las Vegas intact.

Benavidez will meet Ramirez on May 2 in Las Vegas in a fight for Ramirez’s WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles for $79.99. On paper, this is a bold move as Benavidez makes the jump from lightweight heavyweight to challenge an established titleholder who has already established himself in the division.

The pressure on Benavidez goes far beyond physical titles. For months, his name has been linked to huge opportunities at 175 pounds, most notably a clash with Dmitry Bivol. A loss to Ramirez would immediately derail those plans, forcing Benavidez into a rebuilding phase and delaying any significant career moves for the foreseeable future.

Winning in an ugly or narrow way can still invite skepticism. Benavidez is known for his constant pressure and high efficiency, and recently he has had a record of immaculate shots and has been forced to persevere in hard moments. Facing naturally larger opponents makes these defensive mistakes much more steep in the long run.

Ramirez may lack elite strength, but he has the experience and durability of a seasoned cruiserweight. He also enters the ring with much less weight on his shoulders than the challenger. All the pressure to perform rests entirely on Benavidez.

Therefore, the risk for Benavidez is much higher than for the man holding the belts. A victory will ensure that his path to mass fights remains clear, while any other result could immediately ruin his momentum and force him to spend time fighting Ramirez again. Getting stuck twice in the Ramirez fight would be a nightmare for Benavidez.

Jarrell Miller defeated Lenier Pero this weekend at Las Vega to fulfill his world champion dreams, although he may first want to end a long-running feud beyond the title picture

The controversial American heavyweight fighter defeated Olympian Pero over the distancelanding an incredible number of punches en route to a clear unanimous decision victory.

Although winning the final elimination puts him close to a chance to fight champion Oleksandr Usyk, after the fight Miller saw the appeal of an all-American fight with Deontay Wilder.

I’m talking to Fighting Hub TV“Substantial Baby” called for the fight to continue.

“I think if the fans call him out enough, they’ll want to make this fight happen. Everyone says Deontay will beat me, knock me out – there’s only one way to find out. He’s been knocked out multiple times, I haven’t. Let’s make this fight happen. We’re two of the top American heavyweights. We can both get people tuned in. Me and my brilliant speech, him and his weird, dramatic speeches and entrances… I think it would be fun.”

With Miller unlikely to be on Usyk’s radar as the Ukrainian only has a narrow number of fights remaining before he retires, Wilder presents an opportunity to settle a dispute – including claims related to weighty sparring and personal grievances – that has been brewing for years.

Wilder revitalized his career earlier this year with a hard-fought victory over Derek Chisora ​​and will likely miss the opportunity to fight Anthony Joshua as the Briton focuses on a warm-up fight for his fight with Tyson Fury.