Oleksandr Usyk has distanced himself from a bold plan to stage a boxing match which would break the sport’s attendance record.
Pereira suggested world heavyweight champion Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) is a fighter he is interested in featuring on one of his cards planned for this year.
“Many years ago boxing was the biggest sport in the world, boxers were paid more than Babe Ruth in America at the time, and the heavyweight champion was the king of the world,” Pereira told ESPN.
“We want to try and bring that back where everyone knows who the world heavyweight champion is.”
However, sources close to Usyk have told ESPN that there is no truth to the Ukrainian fighter being involved in iV Boxing’s audacious plan.
What do iV Boxing plan?Getty
Pereira, the CEO of events company iV Boxing, plans 12 cards in 2026 in the United States.
The record-attempt in San Francisco aims to eclipse the 135,132 people that watched Tony Zale vs Billy Pryor in 1941. The intention is to place a ring in front of City Hall at Civic Center Plaza.
Pereira told ESPN that he is working with “a couple of promoters” for the July 11 card which would shut down a large area of San Francisco.
“We will make it affordable or free to attend,” he told ESPN.
Pereira vowed to work with boxing promoters to stage the biggest possible fights, and said “they will be mainly open air shows.”
The events company intends to work with YouTube as its broadcaster.
“Some events will be free, some will be pay-per-view,” Pereira told ESPN.
What are Oleksandr Usyk’s plans for 2026?Getty
Usyk became undisputed at heavyweight when he knocked out Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last year.
But he now holds just the IBF, WBA and WBC belts after vacating the WBO version.
He has named Deontay Wilder as his preferred next opponent.
Wilder, now 40, had a fearsome run as WBC champion which ended in an epic trilogy of fights with Tyson Fury.
He has also lost more recently to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.
Asked if Riyadh Season would promote Usyk’s next fight, his manager Egis Klimas told The National last month: “No, actually, that’s a different group from the United States.”
He added: “It’s very likely [we will see Usyk face Wilder. Because right now we’re working on it, and we’re working on some multi-fight agreement for Oleksandr.”
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Football stadium fight in Germany?
Usyk could find himself defending his belts inside a football stadium in Germany.
Agit Kabayel defended his WBC interim heavyweight champion this month to edge closer to challenging Usyk.
Kabayel’s stock has risen with impressive wins against Zhilei Zhang, Frank Sanchez and Arslanbek Makhmudov before most recently stopping Damian Knyba.
The undefeated German has a popularity in his homeland which offers a reminder of the Klitschko brothers, the Ukrainian duo who defended their championships in Germany so frequently.
Kabayel’s promoter Frank Warren told ESPN: “Usyk is the fight he wants, and it would be a massive football stadium fight in Germany.”