Oleksandr Usyk during a press conference at Kingdom Arena, Riyadh on May 18, 2024. IMAGO / PA Images

Teddy Atlas Urges Oleksandr Usyk To Retire Before Accepting This Fight

Originally posted on KO on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 1:08 PM ET

Nobody can deny that Oleksandr Usyk is not only the best heavyweight boxer in the world right now (which should be obvious, given that he's the undisputed champion), but also one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the entire sport.

However, there's a young and hungry British heavyweight that is now firmly on the boxing world's radar. Despite Moses Itauma being 20 years old, many are already calling him a generational talent, with some suggesting that he could give Usyk a run for his money.

This is what Usyk's former foe Tyson Fury suggested in an August 17 post to his Instagram story, where he said, "I keep getting asked about young Moses Itauma fighting Oleksandr Usyk and fighting other big names. In my opinion... Moses Itauma will wreck all them old men out [of] the division. Usyk, [Anthony Joshua], [Jarrell] Miller. Whoever there is who's old, [Zhilei] Zhang, f****** whoever else there is. Luis Ortiz. All these big names of the past.

"And even the world champion now, [who] they took my belts and given them to, Usyk. Moses will wreck him," Fury concluded.

Teddy Atlas Doesn't Want Usyk Fighting Itauma

While it might seem like Itauma is a ways away from fighting the undisputed champion at this point, Turki Alalshikh made it clear that he wants to see Usyk fighting Itauma next for the unified heavyweight belts. Therefore, those in the boxing world can't help but wonder what a matchup between these two would look like.

However, legendary boxing trainer turned analyst Teddy Atlas made it clear that he doesn't want to see this fight taking place (at least from Usyk's perspective) during an August 18 episode of The Fight with Teddy Atlas.

“I don’t want to see the Usyk fight with [Itauma]. And I’m very honest about the reason why: I want to see Usyk go off into the sunset," Atlas said. "I’m not saying [Usyk] can’t beat him. I'm not saying that! I wouldn't go against Usyk with anybody, he is that special.

"But I think at this point of his career, after Usyk gets through his next fight, let him go off into the sunset. What's wrong with that? We haven't had an undefeated heavyweight champion in the history of the sport, aside from Rocky Marciano."

Atlas did add that, "knowing the temperament of Usyk," he's likely going to welcome a fight with Itauma if he thinks that people are doubting his ability to beat the 20-year-old.

While one has to respect where Atlas is coming from, just about every boxing fan would want to see Usyk stick around for this Itauma fight.

This article first appeared on KO on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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