Usyk Eyes Deontay Wilder for a Farewell Fight in March 2027

Oleksandr Usyk wants to close the book, and he's picked a dangerous chapter to end it on. The Ukrainian's advisor, Serhii Lapin, has told The Ring's Mike Coppinger that the 25-0 heavyweight is targeting a March 2027 showdown with Deontay Wilder in the United States. If it happens, it's being framed as the final fight of a career that's produced undisputed titles in two weight classes.

The choice is loaded. Wilder is 45-4-1 with 43 knockouts — a 96 percent finish rate that makes him one of the most feared punchers the division has ever seen — even if his recent form has been shaky. He's currently unranked and coming off a split-decision win over Derek Chisora, hardly the version that terrorized the division a few years back. But one clean shot from Wilder can flip any fight, and that's exactly the risk Usyk would be walking into on the way out.

Why Now

Usyk turned 39 and looked mortal last time out. He nearly came unstuck defending his crown against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza in May, rallying late for a controversial round-11 stoppage after being pushed harder than anyone expected. That night seemed to convince him the clock was ticking — that preserving the legacy, and the unbeaten record, mattered more than chasing new mountains.

There's a tension there worth flagging. Usyk says he wants to retire undefeated, yet he's lining up a man with 43 KOs as the send-off. That's not a safe farewell; it's a gamble dressed up as a tribute. Wilder's power gives Usyk exactly the kind of one-punch danger that could turn a curtain call into a career-ender.

The Homecoming Angle

The location adds a nice symmetry. Usyk hasn't boxed in the US since his heavyweight debut against Chazz Witherspoon back in 2019 — seven years of building his empire took place everywhere but American soil. He's spoken before about wanting to fight in New York, which now looks like the frontrunner to stage what his camp is billing as 'The Last Dance.'

Nothing's signed yet, and March is a long way off for a 39-year-old who just went eleven hard rounds. But the intent is clear: Usyk wants to leave on his terms, in America, against a name that still carries weight. Whether that's a fitting finale or a needless risk depends entirely on which Wilder shows up.