Oleksandr Usyk has dismissed a future showdown with rising heavyweight star Moses Itauma.
Itauma, 21, is the number one contender to unified champion, Usyk’s WBA title.
The unbeaten Ukrainian insists he has three fights remaining in his decorated career, starting with former kickboxing champion, Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in Egypt.
The two-time undisputed heavyweight champion has dismissed a bout with Itauma, who faces Jermaine Franklin on March 28 in Manchester and is instead targeting the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois as well as a third meeting with Tyson Fury.
“Three fights [remaining],” the 39-year-old told Inside The Ring.
“I don’t want to fight with Itauma, because it’s a young guy.
“I don’t want to break this guy.
“He’s a guy like me.
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“Rico, this is first.
“Second is who wins [between] Wardley-Dubois and [the] third fight is my friend, ‘Greedy Belly’ Tyson Fury.”
Usyk has already stopped Dubois twice and opted to relinquish his WBO title rather than face Wardley, who will defend that crown for the first time since being elevated to full champion against Dubois on May 9 in Manchester.
Usyk is set to defend his WBC heavyweight championship against Verhoeven, who will fight for just the second time as a professional boxer.
WBC President, Mauricio Sulaiman says he will order the winner to face interim champion, Agit Kabayel and the German’s promoter Frank Warren insists Usyk must face his charge or vacate his title.
“His next fight will be ordered which will be against Agit,” Warren told IFLTV.
“If he doesn’t want to fight Agit, then he’ll have to vacate the belt and he can fight the winner of one of them [Wardley or Dubois].
“But Agit is and deserves and will fight for the world title.
“Whether it’s Oleksandr opposite him or not, he will be there as the challenger for the world title.”
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