A respectable decision by Usyk. Let the others fight for the belts while you select your ideal swan song (which, let's face it, will be Fury 3). He looked his age last fight, so I'm not going to accuse him of ducking anyone at this stage of his career. It will be sad to see him go.
My guess is he's going to rematch Rico. Since Rico isn't really a true contender, it's best to let the belts go and let the real contenders duke it out for the belts rather than hold up the division. The Rico rematch seems more like a personal contest than anything else since Usyk embarrassed himself so badly.
I suspect he'll be signing with Zuffa so he can make more money fighting easier opponents. Just might be the kick in the ass the alphabelts need.
Chisora was so exhausted after 3 that he kept falling over, and the "Hardest hitting heavyweight in Boxing History" still couldn't KO him.
He's still the lineal champion and the rematch constitutes a lineal title shot if it were to occur. In practice nothing has changed. He's lineal and the ABC's are ABC's and he's ducking the ABC's. The ABC's can not get true legitimacy until either Usyk retires or they fight him. And Usyk knows this. He is selling keepawayism as stepping out of the way when he's doing the exact opposite. Usyk is going to extend his reign a few years but he knows he's reached the end of his grace with the ABC orgs so he's cutting them loose. But he's lineal he doesn't get his crown from them. They can rubberstamp his crown but they can't take it away.
I wouldn't be shocked if he then starts challenging the new title holders to win belts again and be 2 time champ at the weight Or maybe I am reading it wrong and he will retire as undefeated chanp
Well i am not sure Mr Usyk would not have thought his performance against Mr Verhoeven went to plan, although of course he got the win. That was my reason to say "Mr Verhoeven sure was a wake up call to Usyk"
There's only one Heavyweight Champion of the World & it's STILL Usyk. Usyk controls the Heavyweight Championship. The alphabet bodies don't. If Zuffa now controls Usyk, guess who's running the sport?