Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk gave his thoughts on his past British opponents during his career.
Interestingly, Anthony Joshua was nowhere to be seen on the talented champion Usyk’s list, making it clear that he doesn’t rate him highly in skills, foot movement, power, or general ability.
It’s understandable, given how Usyk outsmarted him in both fights, leaving him a shattered, unglued fighter after their second fight in 2022.
Usyk’s Best & Worst
Hardest Puncher: Derek Chisora
Quickest: Tony Bellew
Best Defence: Tyson Fury
Best Footwork: Tony Bellew
Best Boxing IQ: Tyson Fury
Easiest Fight: Joe Joyce
Hardest Fight: Tyson Fury
Usyk’s remark that Chisora was his “hardest puncher” is interesting, given that he fought Joshua and Daniel Dubois, who seemed to have far more power than Derek.
Dubois had Usyk on the canvas with a body shot in their fight in August 2023, and many fans believed that it was a legal shot, not a low blow, as the referee had ruled it. Chisora never had Usyk down or hurt in their fight in October 2020.
Controversial Fury Fight
During the interview with Boxing King Media, Usyk said that he felt the referee had “saved” Fury in the ninth round of their fight on May 18th when he pushed him out of the way, preventing him from landing a final punch to score a knockout.
Fans have widely criticized the referee for his decision to step in just when Usyk was finishing a badly hurt Fury in the ninth round. There’s no other way of looking at that fight than to view it as an asterisk, seeing it as an actual knockout loss for Fury. It’s a modern-day Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney Long Count contest. Usyk would have knocked Fury into the next galaxy without the referee saving the 6’9″ stricken fighter in his moment of need.
When Usyk was told that Fury deserved the win 8-4, he stated that he believed he had won 7 rounds and earned the win. However, Usyk still felt that he would have knocked Fury out in the ninth round if not for the referee stepping in to prevent him from landing the coup de grace final punch.
Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) and Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) will meet in a rematch on December 21st, and hopefully, that fight will prove once and for all who the better fighter is between the two. I don’t have much hope for Fury.
It will end badly for him in this one because Usyk will put it on him with combinations and ensure that a referee doesn’t swoop down to save Fury like last time.
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