Bellew Backs Usyk to Stop Wilder Early — But Wants Him to Retire

Tony Bellew has picked Oleksandr Usyk to stop Deontay Wilder inside three or four rounds if the pair meet in what's being framed as Usyk's farewell fight. The 39-year-old Ukrainian sits at 25-0 (16 KO), still lineal heavyweight champion, and recently vacated all three of his remaining belts to chase one final outing — with Wilder among the names on his shortlist.

Bellew knows Usyk's work up close. He was the last man Usyk faced as a cruiserweight, losing to him before the Ukrainian moved up to heavyweight and eventually joined Evander Holyfield as the only fighters to hold undisputed status in both divisions. So when Bellew talks stoppage timelines, it carries weight.

There's a caveat, though. Speaking on the Fight Your Corner Podcast, Bellew said he'd rather see Usyk simply walk away. He argued Usyk has already beaten everyone, done it in their own backyards, and has nothing left to prove — but admitted that if the fight happens, he'll watch it, and he expects it to end fast in Usyk's favor.

Why the Question Mark

The hesitation isn't about doubting Usyk's ability. It's about mileage. Last time out he beat Rico Verhoeven by TKO in the 11th, but he looked human doing it — enough that talk of Father Time finally arriving started to stick. That performance seems to have shaped Usyk's own thinking about a single send-off bout rather than another full campaign.

Wilder, meanwhile, remains one of the most dangerous punchers the division has ever seen. His 45-4-1 record includes 43 knockouts, and he's coming off a split-decision win over Derek Chisora. He's unranked now, but 43 KOs means the threat never really leaves the building — one clean shot rewrites any script, even Bellew's.

The fight is being penciled for December or early 2027, and it would mark Usyk's return to the United States for the first time since his heavyweight debut against Chazz Witherspoon back in 2019. If it lands, it's the last chapter of a career that turned an entire era of the heavyweight division into a footnote to his own résumé.