Oleksandr Usyk targets cruiserweight return in 2027 in blow to Tyson Fury trilogy

Usyk's team director Sergey Lapin said the Ukrainian wants to become undisputed cruiserweight champion again, with David Benavidez the target, in what he called the final chapter of Usyk's career.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Sat 31 Oct, 12:09 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Post by @ringmagazine on X

Oleksandr Usyk plans to drop back to cruiserweight in 2027, a move that ends Tyson Fury's hopes of a third fight with the Ukrainian, who beat him twice in 2024.

Fury has always insisted he should have won both fights and has demanded the chance to set the record straight. He now faces Anthony Joshua in Cardiff in December, while Usyk, who gave up his heavyweight world titles last year, will instead chase a second reign as undisputed champion in the division where he first won all the belts.

Usyk team director Sergey Lapin told Casinostugan that the plan is to fight for a vacant world title first and then face David Benavidez to unify the belts. Lapin said the team sees 2027 as the last year of Usyk's career and that he wants to finish as undisputed champion.

Lapin said: “Usyk has never been a natural heavyweight. Cruiserweight is his home. He loves a challenge, so he moved up, cleaned out the heavyweight division, and now he is coming home to restore order.” Usyk had been expected to stay at heavyweight and had set his sights on a final fight with Deontay Wilder next year, but those talks fell through. He had also said he wanted to face Fury for a third time.

Fury most recently called out Usyk while claiming Joshua would not go through with their £150million fight. Addressing Usyk, he said: “You got the decisions last time; fair play to you.” He added: “do you want to fight me this year, 2026, or are you calling it quits?” Usyk last fought in May, beating kickboxer Rico Verhoeven when the fight was stopped in the 11th round.

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Oleksandr Usyk Tyson Fury Anthony Joshua Deontay Wilder