Oleksandr Usyk 'targets Jake Paul fight' after Daniel Dubois showdown
The Ukrainian insists he has not got long left in combat sports but is open to major fights, including a showdown with Paul inside the octagon
Oleksandr Usyk 's long-time friend Sergey Lapin has hinted that the Ukrainian is open to fighting Jake Paul in MMA after his blockbuster contest with Daniel Dubois.
Usyk is scheduled to face Dubois once again on July 19 at Wembley Stadium in London. The pair first met back in 2023, with the Ukrainian emerging victorious by stopping the Brit in the latter stages. The dust-up wasn't without its drama though after Dubois sent 'The Cat' crashing to the canvas in round five, but the knockdown was deemed a low blow - much to the frustration of the Brit.
With Usyk in the twilight years of his career, the 38-year-old has revealed he has two more boxing fights in him before hanging up his gloves once and for all. Should he come away unscathed against Dubois, the Ukrainian is open to a third fight with bitter rival Tyson Fury.
However, a potential clash with Paul in the octagon is potentially on the cards and it is a fight the fans would love to see, according to Lapin. In an interview with Norske Bettingsider, he said: "The Jake Paul fight is a great show. Imagine the announcement - an undisputed boxing champion stepping into the cage to fight under MMA rules against a guy who's beaten several MMA fighters in the boxing ring. That would be something fans would love to see.
"We would need to completely restructure our training camp - bring in wrestling and kickboxing experts to master the techniques needed for the cage. But we saw the reaction from Jake Paul's team - they're into the idea. Usyk said, 'Why not? It's cool - I love challenges.' He even mentioned he used to wrestle and take part in hand-to-hand combat as a kid. It would be a great fight in the cage."
Despite his eagerness to fight the 'Problem Child, Lapin insists that Usyk is solely focused on his upcoming showdown with Dubois this summer. "But right now, our main focus is the undisputed fight on July 19 in London. After that, we'll revisit discussions with Jake Paul's team," Lapin continued.
"Daniel Dubois is a good young guy with a strong punch, but that's where it ends for him. A heavy punch is his main asset. He is a one trick pony. He's had a couple of decent fights, I was even present at his bout against AJ, but let's be honest, Dubois didn't win that fight, AJ simply lost it.
"When you turn to Usyk, he's all about speed, agile footwork, superb boxing lineage, and his timing is impeccable. Boxing is akin to rapid-fire chess – in order to triumph, you've got to anticipate your adversary. With Usyk having scouted Dubois before, he's keyed in on all his aces and faults. Anticipate a mental tussle, with big-hitter Daniel potentially finding himself in a bind, itching to find an exit from the ring due to the colossal pressure he'll certainly face.
"Afterwards, if he still has the desire and ability to continue, why stop ? At 38, that's a normal age in the heavyweight division, as long as you stay in shape, your defence is strong, and you don't take a lot of damage. His condition is excellent. We have a great team - the internal team alone consists of 14 people: doctors, massage therapists, rehab specialists, dietitians, a strength coach, boxing coaches, and more.
"We've built not just a team, but an entire institute focused on health, brain and body development, and rejuvenation. Usyk has the motivation to make history by becoming a three-time undisputed champion. That's worth pursuing. There's no reason to think about retirement now. Let's take it step by step - this has been a long, fascinating journey, and it will end only when Usyk decides it's time. Age doesn't matter in that sense."
Paul himself is also open to the idea after revealing he is still planning to crossover to MMA in the near future. In January 2023, the 'Problem Child' signed a multi-fight deal compete in MMA under the PFL banner. As of yet, he is yet to make his debut in the SmartCage, but has promised that he will start training soon.
"Yeah, I want to be like Holly (Holm) here and test my skills in the cage," he declared when questioned about his future MMA plans. "That's something I'm super, super interested in, and I think it would be a very, very big spectacle. Nate Diaz is still ducking, but we would need to find the right opponent. [Oleksandr] Usyk, maybe."
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