Oleksandr Usyk could be giving up on the heavyweight division to return to cruiserweight after his rematch with Tyson Fury.
He’s contemplating giving up on the wealth of opportunities at heavyweight, and it’s difficult to understand what he gains from that move.
Usyk’s Midlife Crisis?
Oleksandr told 3 Knockout Rule that he wants to return to the cruiserweight division potentially after his rematch with Fury on December 21st.
The current cruiserweight champions:
– Jai Opetaia: IBF
– Noel Mikaelyan: WBC
– Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez: WBA
– Chris Billiam-Smith: WBO
Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) revealed today that he wants to return to his old division at cruiserweight to try and become a two-time Undisputed champion.
It would be a questionable move if Usyk does choose to return to cruiserweight, as there’s no one compelling for him to fight in the division. Mairis Briedis is 39 and is coming off a second loss to Jai Opetaia.
A rematch against Briedis would be an interesting one if not for his advanced age and the fact that he’s lost two in a row.
Some fans on social media believe the 37-year-old Usyk is having a midlife crisis, thinking he can rediscover his youth by returning to a weight class when he was younger before he’d made mega-millions.
The money he’ll make in that weight class would be minuscule compared to what he can get by staying at heavyweight. Moreover, the fighter considered to be the best at cruiserweight, Jai Opetaia, is planning on moving up to heavyweight.
He realizes that the bigger money fights are north at heavyweight rather than staying at cruiserweight, which is a dead division with no big names to fight.
Financial Sacrifice for a Fading Division
Six years ago, in July 2018, Usyk defeated Murat Gassiev by a twelve round unanimous decision to become the undisputed cruiserweight champion.
Usyk then moved up to heavyweight after one more fight, and last month, he beat Fury to become undisputed in a second weight class.
If Usyk does so, he’d be walking away from massive money in a trilogy match against Anthony Joshua and fights against Daniel Dubois. Likely, Fury won’t want a third fight against Usyk if he loses to him in their December 21st rematch, but you never know.
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