Usyk’s last dance: Wilder, Verhoeven or Fury for final fight?

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, 39, plans to retire from boxing but wants to have one last fight. The Ukrainian fighter relinquished all of his championship belts in June, thus removing the obligation to defend titles and allowing him to select his final opponent. Usyk has referred to this bout as his "last dance," indicating that it will be the climax of his professional career. However, the identity of Usyk's final opponent remains uncertain.

In June, Usyk expressed his desire for a December bout in New York against the former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. Wilder, who held the WBC heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020, defeated 10 opponents in world championship bouts and recorded 32 consecutive knockout victories. Despite Usyk's previous interest in fighting Wilder, a bout has not materialized due to the lack of substantive negotiations between the two teams.

If negotiations with Wilder fail, another attractive option could be a rematch with Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven. Verhoeven gave Usyk a competitive fight in May before losing by knockout with just one second remaining in the 11th round. Verhoeven has repeatedly shown interest in a rematch, which would likely generate significant interest among fans.

A third possible opponent for Usyk is former WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. Usyk won both of their previous bouts, although they were competitive. BKB (Bare Knuckle Boxing) CEO David Tetreault has expressed his willingness to organize a bare-knuckle fight between Usyk and Fury, mentioning that he has already spoken with representatives of both fighters without receiving a categorical rejection.

However, a conventional boxing trilogy remains a possibility as well, as Fury had been planning a fight against Anthony Joshua in the United States, which has not yet materialized.