Usyk in talks for farewell fight against Wilder in America

Oleksandr Usyk is in talks for a farewell fight against Deontay Wilder in the United States, a matchup that would test both the Ukrainian champion’s exit plan and Dana White’s new foothold in boxing. Sergey Lapin has said Wilder is Usyk’s preferred option for his last professional bout, with the timing being discussed for late 2026 or early 2027.

The fight would arrive after a major reset in Usyk’s career. The 39-year-old remains unbeaten in 25 professional fights, owns Olympic gold and recently vacated the WBA “Super,” WBC and IBF heavyweight titles. He has made clear that he still wants one more fight before retiring, turning the next step into a legacy decision rather than a title defense.

Wilder brings a different kind of value. The 40-year-old former heavyweight world champion is no longer at the peak of his prime, but he remains one of the most recognizable names in the U.S. heavyweight market. That matters in a division where a marquee name can still drive pay-per-view interest, arena demand and sponsor attention even without a belt on the line.

White’s role is what gives the talks broader business weight. He has not ruled out staging Usyk-Wilder on Zuffa Boxing and has said the matchup is possible, putting the bout inside a new promotional structure that could borrow from the UFC model of centralized control. If the fight lands there, it would be one of the biggest heavyweight events tied to White’s boxing venture and a sign that top-level fights may increasingly be built around a smaller number of powerful promoters.

Eddie Hearn has also said he expects Usyk to face Wilder next, adding another signal that the market is moving toward the pairing. Madison Square Garden in New York has been mentioned as a possible venue, which would fit the fight’s commercial logic: an established American stage, a well-known heavyweight and a champion who has already completed nearly everything else in the division. The matchup is being framed as a farewell, but the larger story is whether boxing’s next era is being organized around fewer hands and bigger brands.