Oleksandr Usyk has reached the point where every decision changes the heavyweight division. With the WBC’s June 30 deadline fast approaching, the unified champion is expected to reveal his next move within days, leaving only three realistic paths ahead.

Usyk can choose to face Agit Kabayelpursue the lucrative Rico Verhoeven rematch, or call time on one of the greatest heavyweight careers the sport has ever seen.

Agit Kabayel

The most attractive option remains WBC mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel.

The WBC has already set June 30 as the deadline for both camps to reach an agreement, meaning a decision cannot be delayed much longer.

It’s the only route that allows Usyk to keep all three heavyweight titles while moving one step closer to another undisputed championship.

It would also create one of Germany’s biggest heavyweight events since the Klitschko era.

With around 1.5 million Ukrainians displaced by the ongoing war now living in Germany, the fight would offer Usyk the closest thing possible to the homecoming he has repeatedly spoken about wanting but cannot currently have in Kyiv.

A stadium event against Kabayel would allow those supporters to watch their national hero in person as he moves one fight closer to boxing history.

Victory would leave one final chapter.

Usyk could then close his career with another meeting against Daniel Dubois. Having already beaten the Briton twice, including becoming the first man to stop him, Usyk would enter that fight as a clear favorite to retire with another defining victory.

Rico Verhoeven

The second option is also the most lucrative.

A rematch with Rico Verhoeven remains one of the biggest money fights available after their controversial clash beneath the Pyramids of Giza.

However, it almost certainly comes at the expense of Usyk’s unified reign.

The WBC has already confirmed Kabayel as the mandatory challenger and would almost certainly move forward without Usyk if the champion bypasses the German.

The IBF presents another obstacle.

Verhoeven is not currently ranked inside the organization’s top fifteen, making it unlikely the sanctioning body would approve the defense. Rather than abandon the rematch, Usyk could choose to vacate one or more of his remaining titles.

The WBA situation is different.

Following Verhoeven’s performance on May 23, the association ranked the Dutchman, meaning the contest could still proceed as a heavyweight world title fight even if the unified championship no longer remains intact.

Retirement

The final option is the one many boxing fans are beginning to suspect has already been chosen.

Usyk has repeatedly stated that retirement is approachingand recent comments from Team Usyk CEO Sergey Lapin have only fueled that belief.

“There’s news I’d like to share, but all in good time. The wait won’t be much longer,” Lapin wrote.

The cryptic message immediately sparked speculation that an end is imminent.

If that announcement is retirement, the curtain will fall on one of the most decorated heavyweight careers of all time.

It would leave the heavyweight division without its king.

The titles would begin changing hands, long-awaited contenders would finally receive their opportunities, and boxing would begin searching for the fighter capable of filling the void left by the champion who conquered cruiserweight before ruling the heavyweight division.

About the Author

Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.