Oleksandr Usyk’s friend, Alexander Krassyuk, has urged the heavyweight champion to reject a potential fight with Fabio Wardley and consider retirement.

The Ukrainian last competed in July when he stopped Daniel Dubois in the fifth round of their undisputed heavyweight clash at Wembley Stadium in London. Usyk was scheduled to face Joseph Parker next, as the New Zealander had earned a mandatory shot at the heavyweight champion.

Parker risked that opportunity by accepting a fight against Fabio Wardley last weekend. The gamble didn’t pay off, as Wardley secured an 11th-round knockout victory over the former world champion. Elsewhere in boxing, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather are in talks for a rematch next year, with Mike Tyson set to be overlooked.

Following the stunning upset, Wardley is now positioned to challenge Usyk in 2026 – with promoter Frank Warren targeting a March date for the bout.

Just weeks ahead of his rematch with Dubois, Usyk and his former promoter Krassyuk ended their professional relationship in a move that surprised the boxing world. The 38-year-old began his professional career with Krassyuk’s K2 Promotions 12 years ago, following his gold medal triumph at the London Olympics.

Despite the split, the pair have maintained a positive relationship. Krassyuk encouraged his former client to hang up his gloves after defeating Tyson Fury in their second encounter.

In an interview with Boxing King Media, Krassyuk questioned the logic behind Usyk facing Wardley. “I am public in my [opinion], I want Usyk to retire as fast as possible,” he said. “I was even against his fight with [Daniel] Dubois, but okay, that made some sense to become three-time undisputed…

“Give me one – not two, not three – but one reason to fight Wardley. 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.

“Otherwise, it does not make sense. 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]. I am on the same page as many people who think about this strategically. The status of Usyk being undisputed, and being unbeaten, will stay with him until the end of his days.”

He added: “If [Usyk] has the motivation to get up at 5 o’clock in the morning, train three times, be away from his family for three or four months, to work hard, then probably yes, it makes sense [to continue fighting]. But will it bring him what he’s expecting to [earn]? Again, 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.”

Warren, the promoter for British boxer Wardley, is keen to schedule a match with Usyk in the first quarter of 2026, with Wembley Stadium being considered as a possible location. “The fight [between Usyk and Wardley] has been ordered, so there will be a period of negotiations now,” Warren stated.

“And if we can’t reach an agreement, then it will go out for purse bids. I believe we will reach an agreement. The fight won’t be until next year, of course. I think it will be sometime in March… I’d love it to be in the UK, but there are only two places for this fight, and that’s either in Riyadh or here in London, that’s it. I’d do it at Wembley Stadium and it would be a sell-out. You know what you’re getting with Usyk, and you know what you’re getting with Fabio; it’s going to be exciting.

“Fabio has got to be one of the most exciting fighters in the world. As a draw, Fabio is one of the biggest draws in boxing. In his last fight at Ipswich, he drew 27,000 people to a football stadium in heavy rain. Then tonight shows he’s a massive attraction, and it will only get bigger.”