Oleksandr Usyk team manager Sergey Lapin told Sky Sports on Friday that they’ve got one eye on who to fight next, after they welcome kickboxing icon Rico Verhoeven back to a boxing ring.
“If Fabio Wardley proves himself at the highest level, he can definitely become part of that conversation,” Lapin said.
That high level arrives May 9 when the WBO heavyweight world champion puts the belt he first picked up for finishing Joseph Parker back on the line against Daniel Dubois at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester. With a broader body of work that also includes knockout wins over Justis Huni and Frazer Clarke, there may be little left to prove that Wardley does, indeed, belong at the highest level.
He also has something Lapin said Usyk wants — a title. Claiming that WBO belt would mean the Ukraine king would become a “three-time undisputed heavyweight champion” which, for the team, would be “historic.”
Lapin said Usyk “is always motivated by the biggest challenges.”
He added: “At the same time, we don’t build our plans around one name or one outcome. There are several strong contenders in the division, and we are focused on the biggest and most meaningful fights available.”
Another fighter they’re eyeing is Agit Kabayel, a former long-reigning European heavyweight champion who has posted recent wins over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez, and Zhilei Zhang.
“But we don’t like to look too far ahead,” he said. “Right now, we have a fight with Rico Verhoeven, and all our focus is on that.”
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Alan Dawson is Boxing Social’s editor.
He is also a columnist for Uncrowned at Yahoo Sports, and the founder-moderator of Boxing Twitter — a 20,000-strong community on X.
A 17-year sports media veteran, Alan has enjoyed extensive stints at Business Insider as a correspondent, BT Sport as digital editor, and Give Me Sport as combat sports editor.
He is a 2-time Sports Journalist of the Year finalist and has been honored six times by the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Alan grew up near London but is based in Nevada with his young family. Outside boxing he plays 8-handicap golf, hikes, and rides his ebike through the Sierra mountain trails.
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