Usyk eyes three more years… will he fight the Parker vs. Wardley winner?

oleksandr usyk announced last week that he wants to fight in his forties as he indicated that he is great boxing Career is not over yet.

The two-time undisputed heavyweight champion has previously hinted that his fighting days are almost done, but has now said he will hang up the gloves at the age of 41.

If he sticks to his claim, Usyk will have three more years before retirement and could be in for some big fights.

He is currently out with a back injury and was out on Saturday night joseph parker And fabio wardley Will face each other for the right to become Usyk’s next mandatory challenger.

It seemed as if Usyk would vacate his WBO title and pursue a more lucrative payday rather than face the winner of Parker vs. Wardley.

But with Usyk insisting he will keep fighting for years to come, has that changed? Let’s assess how Usyk’s decision on his future could affect Wardley and Parker ahead of their intriguing clash at the O2 Arena this weekend.

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How Parker vs. Wardley was created

Parker currently holds the WBO interim heavyweight title, while Wardley holds the WBA equivalent belt.

The WBO was next mandated to be called up and a fight between Parker and Usyk was ordered in July, after Usyk defeated Daniel Dubois to become the undisputed king for the second time.

However, Usyk was given an extended period of negotiations after suffering a back injury, leaving Parker in limbo.

The Kiwi could have sat out the next few months and waited for a shot at Usyk, but he wanted to stay active.

Meanwhile, in June Wardley scored a career-best victory by coming from behind to knock out Justice Hauni on the scorecards.

Since both men needed the fight to continue their momentum, it was decided that they should face each other, with the winner facing the possibility of a possible fight with Usyk.

What happens if Usyk doesn’t fight the winner of Parker vs. Wardley?

Whoever emerges victorious on Saturday night will likely step straight to the microphone and call out Usyk. However, there is no guarantee that they will get their wish.

However, if Usyk chooses to face an alternate opponent, Parker or Wardley would be in a strong position to get their hands on championship gold.

The winner could be immediately elevated to full champion status, with Parker being stripped of his title if he fought anyone else.

The other option is to go straight into fighting for the vacant WBO belt that Usyk left behind.

Britain’s rising star, Moses will be sadCurrently ranked No. 1 by the WBO and could give Parker a fight if he wins.

If Wardley wins this weekend the 20-year-old may have to wait for another title opportunity to present itself as both Britons share the same coach.

Why wouldn’t Usyk fight Parker or Wardley?

Parker is on a fly right now after defeating Deontay Wilder, Xilei Zhang and Martin Bakole in his last three fights.

Wardley has also been in great form and brings incredible knockout power to the table following stoppage wins over Fraser Clarke and Justice Heuni over the last 12 months.

Both men would be worthy challenges to Usyk, but the Ukrainian icon will be fully aware that they are not the biggest names in boxing’s blue-ribbon division.

competition with the trio anthony joshua And tyson fury This would net him a big payday, while also teasing a potential MMA clash with Jake Paul.

If Usyk wants to prioritize financial rewards over defending his title, it would make more sense for him to target guys like Joshua or Fury rather than Parker or Wardley.

Why would Usyk face the Parker vs. Wardley winner?

Usyk vacated his IBF title last year for a rematch with Tyson Fury before regaining the strap in a rematch with Daniel Dubois this summer.

He may now want to retain his undisputed tag rather than drop it again, and to do so he’ll have to fight the winner of Saturday’s main event.

Cleaning out the heavyweight division could also be Usyk’s goal. In his last six fights, he has faced only three men – Joshua, Fury and Dubois.

More challengers have emerged in 2025, and Usyk will look to prove without a doubt that he is the best heavyweight of his era.

Defeating another contender in the form of Parker or Wardley would strengthen that claim and show that Usyk can overcome any opponent he faces.

After confirming that he will fight for the next three years, it is time for him too. Usyk may consider fighting Parker or Wardley next time out before reconsidering a more lucrative fight down the road.

Will the Parker vs. Wardley winner get a chance at Usyk?

Before last week’s announcement, this seemed unlikely.

Many expected Usyk to face only one more fight in 2026 before riding off into the sunset and it was hard to imagine him going against Parker or Wardley.

But now that Usyk has claimed he will fight until he is 41 – which could equate to about five more fights – Parker and Wardley can now feel more confident that they will get their chance at Usyk if they win this weekend.

His chances have also improved after Usyk stressed that he will not be fighting Moussa Itauma any time in the near future.

Saudi boxing chief Turki Allashikh wants to see Itauma take on Usyk, but the latter dismissed any talk of a super-fight.

With Joshua and Fury potentially fighting each other next summer, Usyk is running out of options for his next fight.

Now he could decide to defend his title against Parker or Wardley when he returns to the ring in 2026, making Saturday’s fight even more important.

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