Oleksandr Usyk is running out of credible opponents to face. The Ring Magazine, WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBO champion has already twice beaten Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua by decision and has also knocked out Daniel Dubois.

The likes of Joseph Parker, Zhilei Zhang, and Martin Bakole are waiting in the wings, but perhaps the most appealing fight for Usyk could be current Ring Magazine and IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.

Opetaia (26-0, 20 KOs) returns on January 8 to face David Nyika (10-0, 9 KOs) at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Broadbeach, Australia.

Should the heavy favorite Opetaia win as expected, the Australian is instead interested in unification fights against WBO and WBA champion Gilberto Ramirez and recently reinstated WBC titlist Badou Jack.

“When that chapter comes [to move up to heavyweight], it comes,” Opetaia said on the Queensberry Promotions YouTube channel. “At the moment I’m fully focused on collecting the belts as a cruiserweight. And then once I’ve done that, we can start talking about the heavyweight division.”

Usyk has even floated the idea of returning to fight as a cruiserweight, a division he last competed in 2018 after an undisputed title run. If Opetaia collects all of the crowns, a return to the division could be even more enticing for the Ukrainian.

For now, Opetaia is fully focused on facing former sparring partner Nyika after his original opponent, Huseyin Cinkara, broke his ankle and was forced to pull out from the fight.

“It’s a good fight,” said Opetaia. “I’ve done a lot of rounds with him. They’ve been competitive rounds. But sparring is sparring and fighting is fighting. I feel like I’m a different beast when I fight. When the fight comes I’ve got a job to do. Winning is a must. It counts.”