Fabio Wardley could secure a world heavyweight title unification with Oleksandr Usyk, but only after he “proves he is at the highest level”.
Wardley first put himself in the frame to challenge Usyk last year when he defeated Joseph Parker to win the interim WBO title.
However, Usyk vacated the WBO title while retaining the WBC, WBA and IBF belts to pursue other options. Next month, the undefeated Ukrainian will face kickboxing superstar Rico Verhoeven in Giza.
Wardley has been promoted to WBO world champion and will box against Daniel Daniel in Manchester this weekend.
But Usyk is still open to a future fight with the hard-hitting Briton. Sergei Lapin, CEO of Usyk’s promotion company Ready to Fight, told Sky Sports: “If Fabio Wardley can prove he’s at the highest level, he can definitely be part of the conversation.”
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Watch as Usyk helps Anthony Joshua train, as arch-enemies become friends and share a laugh. (Video provided by Oleksandr Usyk – Instagram @usykaa featuring @anthonyjoshua)
Defeating Dubois, a former IBF titlist who knocked out Anthony Joshua, could be the ideal way for Wardley to set up a fight against Usyk.
“Being a three-time undisputed heavyweight champion is historic and Oleksandr is always motivated by the biggest challenge,” said Lapin.
“At the same time, we don’t plan based on one name or one outcome. There are some strong candidates in this division, and we’re focused on the biggest and most meaningful fights available.”
In addition to unifying with the WBO titlist, Usyk could also consider facing rising German heavyweight Ajit Kabayer, a mandatory challenger for the WBC heavyweight title, in his next bout.
“Fabio Wardley has an undisputed chance. Ajit Kabayer has a good chance of defending his title,” Lapin said.
“But we don’t like to look too far ahead. Right now we have the fight with Rico Verhoeven and all our focus is on that.”
Usyk, an Olympic gold medalist, is undefeated as a professional. He is already the undisputed champion in the cruiserweight division and has also been the undisputed champion in the heavyweight division twice. His accomplishments are almost unparalleled in modern times.
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Boxing trainer Gary Logan reveals the key to victory between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois in Sunday’s WBO heavyweight bout
“Olexandr has already achieved what very few fighters in history have achieved, so right now it’s not about chasing the title for the sake of it,” Lapin explained.
“Over the years, Oleksandr accepted fights primarily based on their sporting values and often did not focus on the business side. He was building his legacy.
“It’s different now. Both the sports and business elements are important at this stage.”
Lapin added: “He also wants to leave a lasting impact on the sport and help develop the next generation of fighters through projects like ‘Ready To Fight.’
“What drives him is the pursuit of greatness in the broadest sense: taking on the biggest challenges possible, staying at the highest level, and continuing to test himself against the top competitors.”
