Usyk sets Jake Paul terms
Oleksandr Usyk publicly set conditions for a potential crossover bout with Jake Paul, keeping the Paul‑vs‑champion chatter alive even amid heavyweight reshuffles. (bolavip.com) The comments arrived as the sport’s matchmaking landscape continues to morph after recent heavyweight talk. (bolavip.com)
Oleksandr Usyk publicly proposed he would only meet Jake Paul inside an MMA cage once he “closes the book” on his boxing career, tweeting “I’ll be waiting for you in the cage.” (mmajunkie.usatoday.com) Usyk has repeatedly said he expects only two more professional boxing fights before retiring and named the winner of Daniel Dubois vs. Joseph Parker as one potential next opponent. (skysports.com) Usyk reclaimed undisputed heavyweight status with a fifth‑round knockout of Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on July 19, 2025 — a victory that reset his short‑term boxing priorities. (espn.com) Jake Paul suffered a sixth‑round knockout loss to Anthony Joshua on December 19, 2025, a defeat that produced multiple knockdowns and ended the bout at Miami’s Kaseya Center. (espn.com) Paul has since undergone a second surgery to repair a broken jaw and his team has outlined a comeback window in the second half of 2026 or later, which complicates any near‑term crossover with Usyk. (middleeasy.com) That timing matters because Usyk has signalled the MMA option will wait until after his remaining boxing fights, and earlier promotional talk linking Paul to big heavyweight names has shifted toward recovery and rebuilding after the Joshua loss. (dazn.com)
