Oleksandr Usyk left Egypt with more questions than answers after his difficult fight against Rico Verhoeven, and attention has already turned toward who could be next for the unified heavyweight champion.
Usyk retained his WBC heavyweight title on Saturday night in Cairo, Egypt, stopping former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven at 2:59 of the eleventh round in the “Pyramids of Egypt” main event. Only Usyk’s WBC title was at stake in the bout.
After ten rounds, two judges had the fight even at 95-95, while the third scored it 96-94 for Verhoeven. With the fight being that close and the ending creating controversy, many fans believe a rematch could be possible.
The fight itself was not viewed by many as entertaining because of the constant clinching from Verhoeven throughout the contest. Referee Mark Lyson issued very few warnings for the holding, despite long stretches where the action was tied up. Some referees may have deducted points or even considered a disqualification if the holding continued after repeated warnings.
Still, the strategy worked for Verhoeven because it slowed Usyk down and prevented him from fighting at the pace fans are used to seeing.
Personally, I would rather not see a rematch because the fight lacked action for long periods, even though the result remains controversial.
Looking at the heavyweight division, there are several possible options for Usyk, who improved to 25-0 with 16 knockouts.
One possibility is a rematch with newly crowned WBO heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, who stopped Fabio Wardley earlier this month to win the title. Usyk previously stopped Dubois in July 2025, though Dubois and Wardley are rumored to be discussing a rematch.
The WBO’s #1 contender is Moses Itauma, the unbeaten southpaw heavyweight based in the UK. A fight between Usyk and Itauma would feature two left-handed fighters, which can sometimes create awkward matchups stylistically.
The IBF title is currently vacant. On Saturday’s undercard in Egypt, Frank Sanchez strengthened his position by stopping Richard Torrez Jr. in two rounds. Sanchez could enter the discussion if the IBF moves forward with its title situation.
The WBC interim champion is Agit Kabayel, who remains unbeaten after recent victories that have pushed him near the top of the heavyweight division. Kabayel has steadily built momentum and now appears to be in a strong position for a title shot.
Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury also remains highly ranked by the WBC despite losing two decisions to Usyk in 2024. Fury recently returned with a stoppage victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov and continues to be linked to major fights.
The WBA also continues to rank former cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev highly. Gassiev lost to Usyk years ago in the World Boxing Super Series final but remains active in the division.
If I had to guess, I would say Kabayel is the most likely next opponent for the 39-year-old Usyk. His position as WBC interim champion, along with recent comments from people around the event in Egypt, make him appear to be the frontrunner for the opportunity.