Staff Reporter.
Undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk could return to the cruiserweight division after his rematch with Tyson Fury in December.
The Ukrainian became boxing’s first four-belt undisputed heavyweight champion with a split decision victory ove Fury in Saudi Arabia in May.
The 37-year-old will face Fury again on 21 December, but could then decide to drop down to cruiserweight again.
“I think maybe after the rematch, I am going to go down in weight to cruiserweight. I want more [fights at] cruiserweight,” Usyk told the ‘3 Knockdown Rule’ podcast.
“Maybe I can be undisputed for a second time in the cruiserweight division, it’s my plan. When I start to prepare for my training camp [as a heavyweight], I have to eat all the time. For me it’s hard, I don’t like it.”
Usyk moved up to the heavyweight division in 2019, having previously been the undisputed cruiserweight champion.
He weighed in at 16st (224lb), the heaviest of his career, for his fight with Fury.
It remains to be seen whether December’s rematch will be for the undisputed championship.
Usyk has requested an exception from the IBF, which has previously said he would be stripped of his title if he did not fight his mandatory challenger.
The sanctioning body is considering Usyk’s request.
Usyk became a heavyweight in 2019 after unifying the cruiserweight division. He remains the only undisputed cruiserweight champion of the four-belt era.
Prior to his triumph against Fury – which extended his unbeaten record to 22 – Usyk had taken wins in the heavyweight division against Daniel Dubois, Joshua twice, Derek Chisora and Chaz Witherspoon.