The 39-year-old has not competed at the 200-pound cruiserweight limit since 2018. It was during that golden era of his career that he firmly established his legacy by becoming the undisputed king of the division. That unforgettable run culminated in a dominant, wide points victory over Murat Gassiev in Moscow, a masterclass in boxing and conditioning that captured the imagination of the entire combat sports world.
Before dethroning Gassiev to sweep all the major world titles, Usyk defined his cruiserweight reign with a series of high-stakes bouts, most notably a tense and tactical majority decision triumph over Latvian standout Mairis Briedis in the inaugural World Boxing Super Series. Having cleaned out the division entirely, Usyk made the calculated and ambitious decision to move up to the heavyweight division, a jump that many traditionalists worry often diminishes a smaller fighter’s power and durability. Instead, Usyk defied conventional wisdom and carved out an even more extraordinary legacy by becoming a two-division undisputed champion.
His heavyweight ascent reached its pinnacle in 2021 when he put on a tactical masterclass to dethrone Anthony Joshua, stripping the British superstar of his unified WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight titles in front of a stunned crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Demonstrating his superior skill set and unmatched stamina, Usyk repeated the feat in their high-stakes 2022 rematch in Saudi Arabia, cementing his psychological and physical superiority over one of the division’s most dangerous punchers.
The crowning achievement of his heavyweight campaign came when he faced long-reigning WBC champion Tyson Fury in an epic undisputed clash for all four major heavyweight belts. In a grueling, back-and-forth encounter that captivated the globe, Usyk emerged victorious to unify the division, securing his status as a two-division undisputed champion—a rare and legendary feat in the modern era of boxing.
Following that grueling summit, Usyk made a significant career decision this past June to vacate his heavyweight titles. Rather than resting on his laurels, he continued his active schedule by securing a harder-than-expected 11th-round stoppage victory over former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven, demonstrating that his appetite for combat remained entirely undiminished despite the countless wars he has been through inside the ring.
Still, the decorated southpaw intends to fight for only a short while longer, viewing his remaining time in the sport as a victory lap where he can cherry-pick the most lucrative and legacy-defining challenges available. According to recent reports from Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger, Usyk has already mentioned a potential Tyson Fury trilogy and a blockbuster clash with superstar David Benavidez as possible options for his final chapter.
Speaking recently on the Last Stand Podcast, unified cruiserweight champion David Benavidez addressed these swirling rumors and revealed that he would gladly face Usyk at his current fighting weight if the opportunity materialized. Benavidez laid out his thoughts on how such a monumental encounter could be structured and why a drop back down to cruiserweight might offer the most lucrative and prestigious platform for both men.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the matchup, Benavidez noted that the division makes strategic sense for a potential showdown. The point he wanted to make when talking about Usyk is that he does not know if that would ultimately take place at heavyweight or cruiserweight, pointing out that Usyk has already relinquished all his heavyweight belts. In Benavidez’s expert opinion, it would actually be a significantly bigger fight at cruiserweight because, once he captures the WBC title that is currently in his sights, there would be three major belts on the line. Such a championship convergence, he suggested, would likely result in one of the biggest fights in cruiserweight history.
While a potential Usyk showdown could certainly be explored by promotional teams and television networks in the near future, Benavidez has already firmly committed to a busy immediate schedule. The unified champion is slated to face WBC champion Michal Cieslak this coming December in a high-stakes title defense. Furthermore, Benavidez has already verbally agreed to step into the ring with explosive Australian standout Jai Opetaia next year, locking in a sequence of elite fights that keeps him at the forefront of the division’s championship picture. Whether Usyk chooses to retrace his steps down to 200 pounds to test himself against Benavidez, or elects to pursue heavyweight trilogies elsewhere, remains one of the most compelling storylines in boxing as the veteran champion maps out the final fights of his historic career.
