Promoter Frank Warren, who represents both Wardley and Dubois, said he would welcome discussions if the opportunity develops once Usyk completes the Verhoeven fight.
“We’re up for that,” Warren said to Sky Sports. “There’s a lot of frustration because Fabio wanted that before. But the fact that Oleksandr has come out and said he wants the winner of the two of them is very encouraging. For both guys it gives them a lot of incentive.”
Warren added that his relationship with Usyk’s team could help move talks forward if the timing lines up for the winner to pursue a unification fight.
“We’ve got a great relationship with him, and if we can do some business, we’ll certainly do it,” Warren said.
Tyson Fury continues to push for a third meeting with Usyk after losing two close decisions in their previous fights. Fury believes he would need a knockout to avoid another defeat on the scorecards.
“I want a third fight, but I know if he stands up at the end of it, I’m not going to get the decision,” Fury said to Gareth A Davies of The Daily Telegraph. “They may as well just give him the fight. If I don’t knock him out I’m not getting the decision.”
Warren suggested a Fury-Usyk trilogy could prove easier to arrange than a long-discussed fight between Fury and Anthony Joshua. Joshua has been dealing with injuries and the emotional aftermath of his most recent fight, leaving uncertainty about when he will return to the ring.
Usyk’s plan now depends on several results falling into place, starting with his fight against Verhoeven and the outcome of Wardley vs. Dubois in Manchester. The heavyweight champion has made clear that he wants to face the biggest available opponents before ending his career, and the next year could determine how that final run unfolds.
