Eddie Hearn predicts Oleksandr Usyk will have some headline heavyweight bouts in 2019 as there are few options remaining for him at cruiserweight.
The highly gifted undisputed cruiserweight champion defended all four of his belts against the now retired Tony Bellew in Manchester earlier this month courtesy of an eighth-round knockout.
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Usyk has spoken of his desire to test his skills at heavyweight with a dream bout against Anthony Joshua, also part of Hearn's Matchroom stable, a possibility further down the line.
And Hearn is tipping Usyk for big things.
"Ultimately if he talks about the likes of Joshua, he needs to move into those realms of opponents and size, sooner rather than later," he told Sky Sports.
"He is 31, so he's a spring chicken in terms of miles on the clock in the professional game, but he's good enough to go on and mix it with those top heavyweights now.
"You look at the opponents for Usyk at heavyweight – Jarrell Miller, Dillian Whyte, Dereck Chisora, Adam Kownacki, Luis Ortiz. There's so many fights for him at heavyweight that he could jump straight into.
"Back to the days of Evander Holyfield, he was a genius, his size compared to the others, but he made up for it with skill and heart. Usyk is going to have to do the same thing, because to beat these big, big guys, he's going to have to do what very few have done before him.
"How many have gone from undisputed or unified cruiserweight champion to undisputed or unified heavyweight champion? Not many, so he would be on a very small list, but that's what he wants to do.
"He's focused to do it and I see Usyk being in some major heavyweight fights in 2019."
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) 11 November 2018
Who would you like to see @usykaa fight next? pic.twitter.com/OUBFRRASeJ
In his present division, Hearn believes only a bout with Adonis Stevenson or the retired Andre Ward would tempt Usyk.
He added: "I still think he'll move to heavyweight, because if he doesn't, who are the fights?
"Really, I see probably two fights – that's Andre Ward and Adonis Stevenson. Ward is retired. Would he come out for a Usyk fight? Who knows.
"Adonis Stevenson is at light-heavy, but talks about moving to cruiser. It could be a big fight in the US market. [Denis] Lebedev is one that's a big fight in Russia."
