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Usyk eyes ‘final chapter’ at cruiserweight against Benavidez

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is eyeing a return to cruiserweight to fight David Benavidez before retiring from boxing, says his adviser.

Published: Saturday, 31 October 2026 at 6:11 PM
Usyk eyes ‘final chapter’ at cruiserweight against Benavidez
Key Things to Know
  • Oleksandr Usyk is targeting a cruiserweight return to fight David Benavidez before retiring in 2027.
  • Usyk's adviser Sergey Lapin stated the Ukrainian plans to win a vacant title before unifying against Benavidez.
  • Usyk vacated his heavyweight belts after defeating Rico Verhoeven in May to stand at 25-0.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk plans to return to cruiserweight in 2027 to fight David Benavidez before retiring, according to his adviser Sergey Lapin. The 39-year-old Ukrainian intends to contest a vacant cruiserweight world title first, setting up an undisputed unification bout against the undefeated American.

Usyk previously dominated cruiserweight before moving to heavyweight in 2019, where he built a 25-0 record and vacated his titles after defeating Rico Verhoeven in May. The 29-year-old Benavidez holds the WBO and WBA cruiserweight belts with an undefeated 32-0 record.

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