It would be hard to argue against Oleksandr Usyk being the most dominant boxer in the heavyweight division right now after another victory to add to his unbeaten record. The latest came at Wembley Stadium against Daniel Dubois by way of fifth-round stoppage on the 19th of July. Despite another superb display, however, Eddie Hearn believes one man might have what it takes to overcome the heavyweight.
It was a victory that left little able to question the Ukrainian’s pedigree as the gold standard in the division, following on the back of the infamous low blow incident in August 2023 in Poland by Dubois on Usyk that overshadowed the fight on show. Many of boxing’s greats argued that the punch should not have been classified as illegal, and led to the Brit going so far as to claim he was “cheated” out of the win on the night.
The convincing victory in London that followed in the inevitable rematch went a long way to rectifying the doubt regarding Usyk’s status as one of boxing’s modern-day greats in the eyes of his doubters, now a three-time undisputed champion thanks to the victory – a first in the four-belt era.
Oleksandr Usyk Next Fight
He name-dropped four fighters after beating Daniel Dubois
The 38-year-old southpaw will seemingly take his time to select the man who will have the unenviable task of stopping him; unsurprisingly, many names have already been speculated – another go at the returning Tyson Fury, Brit Anthony Joshua, or a mouthwatering clash with New Zealand’s Joseph Parker, who Lennox Lewis believes has the best chance of dethroning the undefeated Ukrainian.
But while all three of these men could cause difficulties for the undisputed heavyweight to contend with, boxing promoter, Eddie Hearn, interestingly named another fighter by the name of cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia as the man who could best Usyk if given the opportunity when he spoke to ESNEWS.
Eddie Hearn Names Fighter Who Could Beat Oleksandr Usyk
“I’m looking down the road, Jai is humble. He’s committed to the cruiserweight division, but for me, one of the best of all time was Usyk. He became undisputed, moved up, and became undisputed at heavyweight. The medium focus right now is every belt in the division and the long-term focus is to fight Usyk for the unified heavyweight world championship. I believe he is the only fighter who can give Usyk a real fight over the next 12-18 months.”
| Oleksandr Usyk & Jai Opetaia‘s professional boxing records (as of 22/07/2025) |
|
Oleksandr Usyk |
Jai Opetaia |
| Fights |
24 |
28 |
| Wins |
24 |
28 |
| Losses |
0 |
0 |
It’s an interesting potential scenario. Both men are unbeaten and dominating their respective divisions. Australian Opetaia’s record currently stands at an unbeaten 28 fights, 28 wins, zero losses, while Usyk has 24 wins to his name and zero defeats. Hearn’s observation on what transpired for Usyk in his career to date, winning it all before moving up to the heavyweight class, could well be a precursor for what is to come in the future for another of the cruiserweight division’s dominant talents.
Although what happens next in the story of Usyk’s boxing career is anyone’s guess, the upcoming fight, be it against Parker, Fury, Joshua, Opetaia, or someone else, promises to be box office.
