He Could Change Boxing Forever – Oleksandr Usyk has emerged as a prime target for Ed Pereira, CEO of the newly formed boxing events company
Oleksandr Usyk has emerged as a prime target for Ed Pereira, CEO of the newly formed boxing events company iV Boxing (iVB), which is planning a series of ambitious shows this year aimed at turning elite fighters into global household names.
Pereira announced on Friday that iVB’s events will be streamed live on YouTube, with several cards open to the public at little or no cost. One of the headline plans is a major outdoor boxing event scheduled for July 11 in San Francisco, where organisers hope to attract a record-breaking crowd of more than 136,000 fans.
No bouts have yet been confirmed for any iVB events, though the cards are expected to feature top-level fighters signed to a range of promoters. Among the names iVB is keen to showcase is Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs), the reigning heavyweight king and ESPN’s current pound-for-pound No. 1.
The Ukrainian star is being considered either for the San Francisco event in July or for a separate iVB show in Las Vegas in April, with the date still to be finalised.
Usyk, who turns 39 on January 17, currently holds the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles. He vacated the WBO belt earlier this year, leading to England’s Fabio Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KOs) being elevated to full champion.
The unified champion has not fought since stopping Daniel Dubois in five rounds last July and has recently been linked to a new promotional agreement ahead of a potential clash with former WBC titleholder Deontay Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KOs).
Reflecting on boxing’s past stature, Pereira explained his vision to ESPN.
“Many years ago, boxing was the biggest sport in the world,” Pereira said. “Boxers were earning more than Babe Ruth, and the heavyweight champion was seen as the king of the world. We want to bring that feeling back, where everyone knows who the heavyweight champion is.”
“There was a time when you could stop a granny in Bolton or someone in Washington, D.C., and they’d know the heavyweight champion’s name. Today, most people can’t tell you, even though Usyk is a generational great. That’s a shame.”
iVB has previously been involved in organising high-profile events, including last year’s Times Square card in New York featuring Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney in separate bouts. The company now has its sights set on breaking boxing’s all-time attendance record.
The current gate record stands at 135,132 spectators, set in 1941 when Tony Zale faced Billy Pryor at Juneau Park in Milwaukee. Pereira believes the July 11 event could surpass that figure.
Plans call for a large section of San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza to be closed, with the ring positioned directly in front of City Hall — a setting Pereira describes as “a seminal moment” for the sport.
To reach its ambitious target of up to 200,000 attendees, Pereira acknowledges that the card will need to feature one of the biggest fights of the year.
“We’re prepared to make the biggest fights and pay fairly for them,” Pereira said. “Anyone who fights on that San Francisco card will become a world record holder.”
“We’re currently working with multiple promoters, but we’re not ready to announce the fighters yet. The goal is to make the event affordable — or free — for the public. Most fans will be able to attend at no cost, and breaking the attendance record is the challenge we’re determined to meet.”
