Oleksandr Usyk drops major retirement hint with Jake Paul response

Oleksandr Usyk has revealed he will soon "close the book on boxing" after responding to Jake Paul's five-year plan.

The Ukrainian has not fought since knocking out Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium back in July. Following the undisputed heavyweight showdown, Usyk has been enjoying some precious time with his family and has recently revealed he suffered some minor injuries against 'Triple D.'

Earlier this year, the 38-year-old set out his retirement plan, claiming he had two more fights in him before officially calling it a day. With the two-time undisputed heavyweight king set to stick around for one more fight, it remains unclear as to who his next challenger will be.

Much to the surprise of many, the boxing legend has opened the door to a potential clash with Paul. The pair had a quick face-off back in July - further teasing that a fight between them could be on the cards. Earlier this month, the YouTuber-turned-boxer revealed his five-year plan, which included a fight with Usyk.

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In a video uploaded to social media, Paul listed some of the things he would like to achieve by the close of 2030. “I just finished writing my Jake Paul 2030 five-year plan, signed and delivered,” he said. "Become world champion, become a billionaire, have three kids and get married to Jutta. Beat (Oleksandr) Usyk, win an Oscar, fight on the moon, and start a presidential campaign."

Just days later, Usyk was made aware of the video and has finally responded. In a post uploaded to X - formerly known as Twitter - he wrote: "Good plan, Jake Paul. But I’m not here for 5th place — only first. Soon, I'll close the book on boxing, and after that, I’ll be waiting for you in the cage. Let’s see if you’ve got the balls or just a hunger for hype."

Usyk and Paul have talked up a potential MMA fight after the latter called out the Ukrainian for a showdown in the octagon. "Yeah, I want to be like Holly (Holm) here and test my skills in the cage," the 'Problem Child' said, referencing the American boxer and MMA star. "That’s something I’m super, super interested in, and I think it would be a very, very big spectacle. Nate Diaz is still ducking, but we would need to find the right opponent. [Oleksandr] Usyk, maybe." The 28-year-old signed with the PFL two years ago, but is yet to make his MMA debut.

Team Usyk’s Sergey Lapin revealed earlier this month that they are eyeing up an MMA fight Paul within the next 12 months. “Jake Paul and his team are playing boxing right now. Then we’ll see. I think next year we might play with them in MMA," he told Fruity King. Usyk is expected to take the rest of the year off before returning to the squared-circle.

The 38-year-old was previously ordered to defend his WBO belt against Joseph Parker after beating Dubois in July; the fight has since been delayed on medical grounds with recent confirmation stating that Usyk's team had been successful in their appeal for a 90-day extension.

When is the next boxing event?

Get ready for a clash in Sheffield as Ben Crocker squares off against Sean McComb on Saturday, September 27. The main event is expected to kick off at about 6pm UK time (1pm ET / 10am PT / 12pm CT).

In the main event, McComb will be the first to enter the ring at approximately 10pm UK time (5pm ET / 3pm PT / 5pm CT), with Crocker following shortly after. Fans can catch all the live action on DAZN, which is available in over 200 countries through a DAZN subscription.