Daniel Dubois’ second-round stoppage of Fabio Wardley gives Oleksandr Usyk another possible opponent for his farewell fight. It also raises a harder question: how much would Usyk gain by beating someone he has already stopped twice?
Dubois retained his WBO heavyweight title on Saturday in London, rebuilding interest in a third meeting with the unbeaten Ukrainian. Usyk stopped him in nine rounds in 2023 and five rounds in their 2025 rematch. Those results leave Dubois needing the fight far more than Usyk does.
At 39, Usyk is choosing how to finish his career rather than working his way toward another championship opportunity. He has already become undisputed champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight, with two victories apiece over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Dubois.
That leaves a shortage of unfinished business.
A proposed Deontay Wilder fight would have offered a recognizable opponent Usyk had never faced. However, those negotiations have reportedly collapsed, with Fury and David Benavidez emerging as alternatives for a possible final appearance.
Fury’s appeal depends heavily on his December 11 fight with Joshua. A strong victory would give promoters something fresh to sell: Fury returning from that British heavyweight clash to take another run at the man who beat him twice in 2024. A defeat would make a third Usyk fight considerably harder to justify.
Dubois has strengthened his own case by stopping Wardley twice this year. Yet beating Wardley does not answer the technical questions Usyk posed in their previous meetings. Dubois would still need to show he can land consistently against Usyk’s movement and avoid being drawn into a fight where the Ukrainian controls the pace.
Benavidez would offer a different opponent and a fresh style, although his ability to compete with Usyk at heavyweight remains untested.
Usyk’s next fight needs more than a famous name or another belt attached to it. A Dubois trilogy would give the younger man a chance to overturn two defeats. The challenge for its backers is explaining why Usyk should spend his final appearance giving him that opportunity.
About the author
Ken Hissner
Ken Hissner is a senior boxing journalist at Boxing News 24 with more than 20 years of experience covering the sport. Known for his ringside reporting, detailed results, and historical perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of boxing across eras.