TNT Sports
‘A fight in 2026? You crazy guy!’ - Oleksandr Usyk will only consider Tyson Fury trilogy bout after Daniel Dubois clash
By
Published 15/07/2025 at 18:52 GMT+1
Three-belt and former undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk will fight IBF champion Daniel Dubois on Saturday, as he looks to collect all four belts at the weight for a second time. Asked to comment on claims from former opponent Tyson Fury that the pair would clash in April 2026 for a trilogy, the Ukrainian would not reveal whether he had such a fight in mind.
Highlights: Usyk beats Fury by unanimous decision to retain titles after engrossing fight
Video credit: TNT Sports
Oleksandr Usyk branded Tyson Fury "crazy" for suggesting they would fight for a third time in April 2026.
Usyk’s next fight is on Saturday night, against IBF champion Daniel Dubois, who was elevated to champion when the Ukrainian decided to vacate the belt.
Originally, Usyk became undisputed champion when he defeated Fury in their first clash in May 2024, and he then retained that status with another points win last December.
The first win saw Usyk crowned as the first ever undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era, when he claimed Fury's WBC strap to add to his IBF, WBA and WBO belts.
In the aftermath of the second loss, Fury retired, but he recently claimed on Instagram that he would be back in April 2026 to fight Usyk once again.
For now, Dubois is the focus of the three-belt champion, not least because when they met in August 2023, the Englishman almost had him down for the count, before the referee gave Usyk the chance to recover after deeming the punch to be a low blow.
Usyk would then go on to win the fight comfortably when he knocked his rival out in the ninth round - but there remains a sense of unfinished business to add to the intrigue ahead of Saturday's score-settler.
Speaking to The Stomping Ground, Usyk said: "I don’t judge Tyson Fury. But I don’t know what’s going on."
He added: "I don’t know, now I don’t think about this. We have a fight in 2026? You crazy guy! After the fight (against Dubois), we speak about it."
- Fury to return from retirement in 2026, promises Alalshikh - 'We have a rabbit to hunt'
- Fury comeback? 'Gypsy King' teases trilogy fight with Usyk at Wembley in 2026
Usyk has said that he would have two more fights before he retires, including this weekend.
At 38 years old, there is likely not a great deal of time left for him to compete, and he risks stepping down with a dent on his currently unblemished record. Of course, fighters are known for their propensity to declare retirement only to return when a big-money offer is made.
A win for Usyk would be the third time that he has become undisputed champion. While he completed the four-belt journey with Fury in 2024, he was also the undisputed cruiserweight champion before he moved up a weight class.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/05/19/3970586-80606428-2560-1440.jpg)
Highlights: Usyk defeats Fury to become undisputed heavyweight champion
Video credit: TNT Sports
His ability to operate at a lighter weight has seen him previously linked with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, who has sporadically fought at 175lbs, though he was defeated against Dmitry Bivol when he tried that in 2022.
Alvarez was tipped to attempt a bout at cruiserweight, and with both fighters approaching the end of their careers, both could be tempted into a finale, which might be more of a spectacle than a credible fight.
Usyk announced himself to the wider boxing world with an upset victory over Anthony Joshua, and having already seen him off comfortably in a rematch, it would be unlikely that a third fight would sell in the manner that a Fury trilogy would.
For Fury's part, he has long been linked with an all-British heavyweight clash against Joshua, with the two tipped to meet when they held the four belts between them.
Should Fury score a win in the mooted trilogy with Usyk, then all eyes would turn to whether the two Britons can finally settle their differences in the ring.
Stream top boxing action on TNT Sports and discovery+
Related Topics
Thoughts?
Advertisement
Advertisement