Usyk cements legacy but seeks recognition among heavyweight legends

Oleksandr Usyk has defeated all challengers, yet there are signs of frustration that the quietly determined Ukrainian does not receive the recognition he deserves.

At 37, Usyk ended any debate about this generation’s top heavyweight when, late into the night in Riyadh on Saturday, he defeated the previously unbeaten Tyson Fury for the second time.

Asked which of boxing’s heavyweight greats he could not have beaten, Usyk gave a humble yet pointed reply.

“Oleksandr Usyk,” he told reporters, bowing karate-style before leaving.

There is no doubt that Usyk has earned the right to be mentioned alongside Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, and other undisputed heavyweight legends.

The 2012 Olympic heavyweight gold medallist, now 23-0 as a professional and a unified champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight, has assembled one of the greatest boxing careers in history.

According to Ring Magazine, the intelligent, gap-toothed fighter from Simferopol, Crimea, has “completed boxing”.

Yet perhaps due to his shaky command of English or his less glamorous origins, Usyk’s camp feels he still flies under the radar.

“What else does Oleksandr need to prove? He’s the best,” asked his manager, Egis Klimas. “Does he need to prove anything else?”

Usyk, who shares a birthday with Ali, compiled an imperious amateur career, winning European and world titles alongside Olympic gold.

He made his professional debut at the relatively late age of 26, yet within 15 fights, he became the first man to unify all four cruiserweight belts. He then repeated the feat at heavyweight after just six bouts, beating Fury in May to end a 25-year wait for a unified champion in the division.

Running out of opponents

Late on Saturday, Usyk proved too fast, fit, and accurate for the 6ft 9in (206cm), 281lb (127.4kg) Fury, winning the rematch by unanimous decision.

The fight was “easier than the first one,” said Usyk, who is running out of worthy challengers and has even teased a return to cruiserweight.

Usyk has defeated Anthony Joshua twice, and before facing Fury, he knocked out Daniel Dubois, who immediately challenged him to a rematch after Saturday’s fight.

These accomplishments are a far cry from Usyk’s humble beginnings in boxing. Aged 15, and already a skilled street fighter, he turned to boxing as a cheaper alternative to football.

“I decided to go into a boxing gym because you don’t need expensive equipment to be a boxer,” Usyk told Ring Magazine a decade ago. “On the other hand, I already knew I could fight because of the many street fights I’d won as a boy.”

Nicknamed “The Cat” for his lightning reflexes, Usyk’s training includes unconventional methods such as four-minute breath-holds, juggling, and his party trick: balancing six coins on the back of his hands, flipping them in the air, and catching them.

The heir to an elite lineage of Ukrainian fighters—including the Klitschko brothers and Vasyl Lomachenko — is now reaping rewards in Saudi Arabia.

Not surprisingly, after earning a reported $190 million for Saturday’s fight, the father of four insists he’s not finished yet, despite his advancing years.
“Regarding the future, I do have the will and power to go further,” he said.

AFP