Oleksandr Usyk has remained tight-lipped about what his future holds, as Australian rising star Jai Opetaia set his sights on combating the heavyweight world champion.
Usyk and promoter Alex Krassyuk spoke to Sky Sports activities at Saturday night time’s Ring Journal Awards, just below a month after the Ukrainian boxer efficiently defended his unified world heavyweight championships in opposition to Tyson Fury.
Uysk, who has been linked with going through the winner of February 22’s Daniel Dubois-Joseph Parker IBF heavyweight title struggle and has additionally beforehand advised he may drop again right down to cruiserweight stage, stated he was at present having a “rest” and didn’t but know what would in the end come subsequent for him.
Krassyuk then added: “You never know. I have no idea; we have no idea.
“Now it is time to calm down, it is time to take relaxation, after which after Dubois fights Parker, which I believe Parker goes to win, we simply do not know what is going on to occur subsequent. So now it is simply time for stress-free.”
Dubois, who claimed the IBF belt vacated by Usyk when he beat Anthony Joshua final September, has known as for an undisputed showdown with Usyk, who holds the WBO, WBA and WBC belts.
And one other fighter who has now stated he’s keen to tackle Usyk in future is Opetaia, the IBF cruiserweight champion who underlined his rising standing by defending his belt at that stage with a emphatic knockout win over David Nyika in Australia on Wednesday.
Opetaia, 29, is at present seeking to emulate Usyk by changing into the undisputed cruiserweight champion.
Requested if he would leap on the likelihood to tackle Usyk in a heavyweight conflict if a possibility arose, Opetaia stated: “Definitely.
“That is one thing I would take with each arms, a struggle like that. It is a huge alternative for myself.
“Respect to Usyk, I think he’s one of the best fighters of our generation, but I’d love to test myself and move up there.”
At cruiserweight, Opetaia stated he would subsequent welcome a match-up in opposition to unified WBA and WBO world champion Gilberto Ramirez.
“I would love that fight,” he stated.
“I’m chasing unification fights so hopefully one of those.”
