Could Oleksandr Usyk have already fought his last fight?

Sergey Lapin suggests fans may have already seen the undefeated heavyweight champion compete for the final time.

Have we already seen Oleksandr Usyk in the ring for the last time? That’s the question some people are asking right now, after Oleksandr Usyk's advisor, Sergei Lapin, said a few words about the current situation. After Oleksandr Usyk fought Rico Verhoeven in May and successfully defended his title once again, it seems no final decision has been reached yet. Although the German fighter Agit Kabayel has challenged him, and the deadline for this challenge expires on June 30, Oleksandr Usyk ’s team doesn’t seem entirely satisfied with how this fight has come about.

“Agit Kabayel is an excellent fighter, a worthy champion and a man we respect. There is nothing personal here, but fights of this magnitude are not made through social media or public pressure,"

Sergey Lapin said. He went on to comment briefly on the current state of Oleksandr Usyk’s career and why it’s not unlikely that he might simply hang up his boxing gloves. In his words:

“But one thing people should remember: when a fighter has achieved everything Oleksandr has achieved, every appearance becomes special. It is possible that fans have already seen him in the ring for the last time. Or maybe there is still one more chapter left. We will know very soon.”

And he’s absolutely right. Oleksandr Usyk has proven time and time again what kind of boxer he is, and that he’s actually superior to just about everyone. His 25-0-0 record alone reflects his incredible dominance. He’s even fought the biggest names in the heavyweight division twice, like Tyson Fury or Daniel Dubois, and won every title possible. So his decision would by no means be unfounded, since there simply isn’t much left for him to win. Still, it would of course be nice to see him fight one more time.

The good news is we won’t have to wait long for the final answer. According to some reports, the decision will be made this week; until then, we can only speculate anyway. Still, the statements from his advisor point in a certain direction.

Of course, I’d be sad, but I’d totally understand him. As I said, he’s won everything he could win. There’s simply nothing left for him to achieve. And that’s exactly why it would make sense to preserve his incredibly strong record and not take any more risks. It would, of course, be nice to see him fight one more time, but if he doesn’t, I’d understand.