What is the best fight for Usyk next?

Bellew. The others won't raise his profile enough where it matters. His promoters should now be plotting a path to a huge Joshua fight in 2020. If Bellew won't take it, go for a fight vs Whyte (if he loses against Parker, I suspect if Whyte wins, we will see Joshua vs Whyte II).

 

Bellew plain and simple!

 

IMO he should another fight in late 2018 vs Bellew @CW in the UK or at home. Shumenov would also be good if Bellew isn't available.

 

He called out Bellew after the fight. Makes sense for both, that will be his next fight.

 

How are they going to find an opponent to fight him?

He starts favourite against virtually all of the top heavies.

No-one decent is going to want to touch him with a 40-foot pole.

Bellew is probably the right opponent first up for him at heavyweight but he's clearly not the right opponent next up for Bellew.

He fights the best opponent they can get for the money his promoters have to spend.

The right fight for Bellew is Fury for the lineal championship.

 

The fact Usyk starts as a favourite isn't a bad thing, as the opponent would feel like there's less to lose. Obviously the ducking culture will make it hard to make a big fight immediately.

Usyk is 31 and needs to fast track to a big fight whilst not going up in weight so fast that he gets caught flat.

Bellew is the best option imo as he is well known, not too big and seems to have the balls to take on someone like Usyk.

He needs 3 fights at HW before he can take on top tier big guys like Joshua, Wilder, Ortiz, Parker, Povetikin etc.

There are arguments that he will get flattened by sheer size but he just fought a very big punching CW and was able to nullify effectively.

Very interested in how this plays out.

 

Big ass Cubano Ortiz is not a fight Usyk or anybody rooting for Usyk having HW success should want.

Bellew makes the business sense. It seems likely almost? I like the above shout out of a random Shumenov bout. As long as it happens in 2018, I'm cool with him doing whatever.

 

AJ & Wilder are committed to other opponents so they're not really in the equation just yet.

And after they meet their commitments to other opponents, they will be committed to each other.

That potentially leaves slim pickings for Usyk who would be a heavy favourite against virtually everyone else.

Perhaps one of the four heavies who goes around next weekend and who has a big set of calzones would be a good first up fight at heavyweight for Usyk.

Doesn't really matter which one b/c they're all decent.

 

I think that's right which is why it could be hard to match him.

I guess it depends on how much money they have to spend on opponents for him.

I think I'd match Usyk with the winner of Chisora v Takam first up at heavyweight.

Either would be a worthy opponent for him & wouldn't cost ridiculous money to get.

 

If Stiverne was to waddle around for 20 seconds still exhausted from climbing over the ring ropes, before falling onto the canvas, it would give Usyk an easy WBC ranking.

 

Bellew or Lebedev if it's as Cruiserweight

It's it's heavyweight a WARM UP fight against someone like Whyte, Pulev,