Viddal Riley has welcomed a showdown with returning cruiserweight king Oleksandr Usyk – but warned the former undisputed champion could be making a mistake returning to his old stomping ground.

Usyk is one of just four men to reign as undisputed champion in two weight classes, collecting every world title at cruiserweight before moving up to dominate the heavyweight ranks.

The undefeated Ukrainian has beaten Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua twice with no real challenges left for him in boxing’s blue-riband division, vacating his remaining heavyweight titles earlier this year.

Dismissing retirement, Usyk now plans to return to cruiserweight, the division where he built his reputation for being one of the most elusive and technically gifted fighters on the planet.

The 39-year-old wants the division’s biggest name in David Benavidez but hopes to fight for a vacant cruiserweight belt before doing battle with the undefeated American.

The only vacant belt in the division is the IBF title – the same belt firmly in Riley’s sights. In May, the title was stripped from Jai Opetaia who responded by taking legal action against the sanctioning body. The expectation was undefeated Londoner Riley would fight for the vacant belt this year.

But he has been made to wait. The legal battle between Opetaia and the IBF, a battle prompted by the fighter’s move to Zuffa Boxing, has put all that on hold and Riley will instead defend his European title against Seydi Coupe at Wembley Arena on Saturday.

He will be expected to take care of business against the Frenchman and hopes to get some clarification on his route to the IBF title soon. Usyk is now standing in his path leading towards the world title he has waited so patiently for.

‘I hope our paths cross,’ Riley told Metro. ‘It’s not something anyone expected. So why not? It’s hard in boxing to get big fight and fights the general public care about. So when those opportunities present themselves, you have to take them.

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‘It would be very interesting to be standing across the ring from him but I always back myself. That’s how I have got to the place I am at. Not through arrogance but through preparation and understanding. It takes hard work. That would be a mad experience. We can wait and see.’

Usyk’s rise to the summit of the cruiserweight division was remarkable. He won world titles against Krystof Glowacki, Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev, travelling to each man’s home country to take their world titles from them.

It has been eight years since his last fight at the 200lbs limit when he savagely knocked out Tony Bellew – the first of five British fighters he would slay.

But after some draining battles up at heavyweight, Riley believes the move back down will cost him.

‘I think it is going to be extremely difficult for him,’ Riley said. ‘Age, losing the weight, it’s difficult. Very few people can go to heavyweight, come back down and remain the fighter they were before. People have done it much younger than Usyk and still struggled.

‘I don’t think it is going to be what he thinks it is going to be. But he clearly desires the challenge and wants to still push the limits and show his greatness which is to be admired. But if he was my relative, I’d be asking, what are you doing here? You’ve completed the game, something will go wrong if you don’t leave at the right time.’

Riley’s stock rose even further without throwing a punch last weekend. Chev Clarke, the man Riley comfortably outpointed when they fought in April 2025, stopped former world champion Chris Billam-Smith in the seventh round on Saturday night, a development which Riley feels underlined his status as the best cruiserweight in the country.

‘It just goes to show the level I am, the level I have been operating at,’ he said. ‘It is in line with the work I have put in. Everyone is playing catch-up. It was a big statement from Chev and as a by-product it was a big statement from me.’

Since shutting the door on the influencer boxing scene having previously trained KSI, the 29-year-old set about climbing the ladder the old school way, picking up the English, British and European titles.

Having been made to wait for a shot at the biggest prize, Saturday’s fight is the chance to tick over to ensure he is ready when his opportunity does arrive.

‘I didn’t want another year of my career fighting just once,’ Riley said. ‘I wanted to keep the momentum and as European champion I have a responsibility to defend the belt.

‘With the situation [with the IBF] being messy, I have to hold onto what I have. We spent a lot of the year seeing what is happening with the IBF, so we had to act. I could have sat out by that’s not what I want to do.

‘I will try find out what’s happening after Saturday but Seydi is my only concern for now. It doesn’t matter what else is happening.’