Oleksandr Usyk is taking his time to decide on his future despite pressure to defend his world titles against Moses Itauma.
Following his recent knockout victory over Daniel Dubois at Wembley, Usyk secured the undisputed heavyweight world champion title for the second time. Although he was mandated to face Joseph Parker next, Usyk has requested more time to make a decision due to an injury.
After Itauma’s quick win over Dillian Whyte, Saudi Arabian boxing chief Turki Alalshikh proposed a matchup between Usyk and the rising British boxer. However, Sergey Lapin, a key figure in Usyk’s team, has urged for patience in making any decisions.
Lapin emphasized that Usyk and their team have always respected potential opponents and the rules of professional boxing. He highlighted Usyk’s historic achievements over the past year and a half, earning him the right to recover from training and injuries and to spend time with his family before deciding on his future.
Itauma, on the other hand, refrained from challenging Usyk directly, expressing his willingness to fight deserving opponents like Agit Kabayel or Joseph Parker. Tyson Fury, who faced Usyk twice last year, believes Itauma is ready to take on the Ukrainian and predicts a comfortable victory for the young boxer.
Fury, a seasoned champion, asserted that boxing is a sport for the young and claimed Itauma would outperform older competitors in the division. He confidently stated that Itauma could defeat established names like Usyk, AJ, and Luis Ortiz, asserting the dominance of young talent in the sport.