WEIGHT Champion Oleksandr Usyk has signed on to the Skills Challenge Promotion.
Saudi Arabia-based promoters today announced that Usyk will be joining the Badou Jack class of cruisers at SCEE.
The 36-year-old is set to defend his belt on August 26 in Wroclaw, Poland against England’s Daniel Dubois. That war took place two days after Ukraine’s Independence Day. Its original date was August 12 but was postponed so the fighting could be closer to the Ukrainian public holiday.
SCEE was founded by Prince Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and promotes wars in the Middle East, mainly outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including Anthony Joshua versus Andy Ruiz II and Oleksandr Usyk versus Anthony Joshua II.
Today’s news is likely to spark more speculation about a rumored heavyweight title fight in the Middle East later this year involving Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua v Deontay Wilder.
Usyk and Fury’s team negotiated for the match to take place on April 29 at Wembley Stadium, but they disagreed on terms.
Usyk’s career and his accomplishments aren’t just based on weight class. Starting off as a heavy cruiser, the talented Southpaw made his professional debut on November 9, 2013, against Felipe Romero. The victory comes after more than a year from the culmination of his amateur success winning a heavyweight gold medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
As of July 2018, Usyk is not only the best heavyweight cruiser in the world, holding all four belts, but also one of the elite weightlifters. His 200 lbs stint ended with a dramatic knock-out against Tony Bellew four months later.
His path to heavyweight glory took him to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London when the Ukrainian boxer shrewdly overcame Anthony Joshua in 12 rounds. Their rematch in Jeddah last year was closer but Usyk still had enough to make the split decision.
