I believe that he is just trying to make the point that he deserves time away from boxing, and to an extent I agree. Having four mandatories and having to fight to re-unify belts is ridiculous. There is one world, and there should be one world champion, one #1 contender, and no unifications/re-unifications. That being said, I do hope he fights Parker next, as Parker is by far the most deserving.
Usyk wanted to recover from the grueling training camp he put himself through, and to spend some time with his family. He'll fight the winner of Parker-Wardley, a deserving opponent, in January or February 2026. He may retire after that. I don't think he'll want to fight Fury, Dubois or Joshua again. But Jake Paul in the USA would make for a decent payday to retire with.
I am hoping for Parker next, and then one performative fight like Wilder, Beterbiev, or even Pereira even. Then retire.
