OLEKSANDR USYK proved he can get the better of world champions in the ring AND on the football pitch.
Usyk – the two-time undisputed heavyweight king – is an avid football fan and has dabbled in playing before.
The current WBC, WBA and IBF unified champ has an alliance to FC Polissya – playing in friendlies and even signing a deal with them in 2023.
And Usyk once again stepped foot onto the pitch for a professional friendly against MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps.
Vancouver – who signed 2014 German World Cup winner Thomas Muller last August – also played in the game.
Usyk came on with 20 minutes to go and helped the Ukrainian first-division side to a 2-0 win.
Polissya are third in the Ukrainian Premier League – five points off leaders LNZ Cherkasy.
Usyk, 36, has not fought since knocking out Daniel Dubois, 28, in round five of their rematch in July.
But in November he vacated his WBO title, with Britain’s Fabio Wardley, 31, elevated from the interim title.
Usyk has confirmed he has no more than three fights left in his iconic career and has called out Deontay Wilder for his next bout.
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The Home of Boxing in 2026
There’s a massive year of boxing ahead!
It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring.
Tyson Fury is expected to make his return, Conor Benn is closing in on a world title shot and Fabio Wardley will defend his newly won heavyweight crown.
Canelo Alvarez will be hoping to return after his defeat to Terence Crawford and heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk will also need to defend his straps.
Derek Chisora could fight for the 50th and final time and Daniel Dubois is also on the comeback trail.
A whole bunch of British stars could also take a leap into superstardom, with the likes of Moses Itauma, Hamzah Sheeraz and Adam Azim ready to join the very top of the sport.
Up first we have a massive fight with Stateside superstars Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez meeting later this month in Madison Square Garden.
Here’s all the big fights coming up…
January
- Sat 24 – Raymond Muratalla vs Andy Cruz – IBF lightweight title – DAZN
- Sat 31 – Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson – WBO super-lightweight title – DAZN PPV
- Sat 31 – Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Josh Kelly – IBF super-welterweight title – DAZN
- Sat 31 – Francesca Hennessy vs Ellie Bouttell – BBC2
February
- Sat 7 – Nick Ball vs Brandon Figueroa – WBA featherweight title – DAZN
- Sat 21 – Ryan Garcia vs Mario Barrios – WBC welterweight title – DAZN PPV
- Sat 21 – Leigh Wood vs Josh Warrington – DAZN
- Sun 22 – Claressa Shields vs Franchon Crews-Dezurn – heavyweight unification – DAZN
- Sat 28 – Emanuel Navarrete vs Eduardo Nunez – super-featherweight unification – DAZN
March
But Wilder, 40, has been teasing a bout with Usyk’s former rival Derek Chisora, 42, who is entering his 50th and final fight.
Another name linked with Usyk is Andy Ruiz Jr, 34, the former unified champ who knocked out Anthony Joshua in 2019 before losing the rematch.
Usyk is also in talks to sign with UFC boss Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
White said at a press conference: “We’re talking with everybody we think are the most talented people in the world or have the potential to be the most talented people in the world.”
