Usyk's former promoter says fight with Wardley 'makes no sense'

Oleksandr Usyk’s former promoter believes there is no reason for the undisputed heavyweight champion to fight Fabio Wardley.

Wardley emerged as Usyk’s mandatory challenger after beating Joseph Parker in a thrilling battle at the O2 Arena on Saturday night.

He looks set to face Usyk in the first half of 2026, but Alex Krassyuk, who promoted Usyk until earlier this year, has advised the Ukrainian great to turn down the fight unless he is offered a payday that he cannot refuse.

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“Give me one – not two, not three – but one reason to fight Wardley,” Krassyuk said in an interview with Boxing King Media. “With all respect to this guy, with all the credit to him, but I am thinking from Usyk’s perspective.

“Even money is not the reason – unless a miracle happens and the magician comes in the helicopter with all the money and distributes it to try and conquer the land of boxing and paying, I don’t know, 50 million to Usyk. Then it might make sense.

“With all respect to Fabio Wardley, he is not a big name, it will be a fight between Usyk and an opponent, not generating [enough money at the] gate and Usyk taking a hard, stupid risk. It makes no sense.”

Usyk, who will turn 39 in January, recently claimed he will remain in boxing until he is 41, but Krassyuk is keen for him to hang up his gloves sooner rather than later.

He remains in touch with Usyk as his business partner and has made it clear that he would prefer for him to retire rather than risk his unbeaten record against a dangerous puncher like Wardley, who has won 19 of his 21 fights by knockout.

"I am public in my [opinion], I want Usyk to retire as fast as possible,” Krassyuk explained. “I was even against his fight with [Daniel] Dubois, but okay, that made some sense to become three-time undisputed.

“Why should he risk everything that he gained over the last 13 years? If he loses, people will remember his loss only. Lennox Lewis is the best role model for this; it is better to leave one hour [early] than two minutes [too late].”

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