“Several doors are open”: Serhii Lapin on Zuffa Boxing’s interest in Usyk

Serhii Lapin, director of the team of unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (WBA, WBC, IBF, IBO), has confirmed interest in the Ukrainian star from UFC president and Zuffa Boxing figurehead Dana White.

“There is contact, there is dialogue, and interest exists [from Dana White and Zuffa Boxing]. Details aren’t for the public right now. Let’s say a few doors are open, and if format, numbers, and timing align, the market could see a move nobody expects.

Everyone has seen what he [Dana White] did. He turned 'old MMA' into the global UFC machine. His real power is packaging not just a fight, but an event.

If he gets involved, the scale and attention immediately become different,” Lapin said.

Zuffa Boxing is a joint boxing promotion created by TKO and Sela. Its leadership includes Dana White; the head of the General Entertainment Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Turki Alalshikh; Sela CEO Dr. Rakan AlHarthy; and WWE president Nick Khan.