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AJ and Fury (and even Wilder) had numerous chances to fight each other.
They ruined their legacy by not fighting each other and Usyk stepped up and destroyed them both.
Usyk is a problem in Lennox and Ali’s era.
Fury and AJ might have all the millions but were so close to cementing their legacy as the best of this era.
Shame
Usyk is a phenomena and would be a top contender, if not champion, in any era.
He is considered a small heavyweight by todays standards and yet is beating fighters 80lb bigger than him. It is truly incredible what he is doing. Evander Holyfield was the closest to what Usyk is doing today.
No way would I have thought he could have beaten AJ and Fury but he has by taking the fight to them. They could not handle his pace, skills and attacks.
AJ, Fury and Dubois did not mess up. They simply were not better than Usyk.
I like Usyk.
No posturing...
No blah blah blah...
No dragging things on and on and on...
Just put the guy in front of me and I'll fight him.
It's refreshing.
Why are you trolling us? lol.. First Canelo could beat Benavidez and now this. kml... Nice conversation starter.
Usyk is the true boss-man of this era. There's an immeasurable respect and appreciation for a championship fighter who absolutely cleans his division and then legit jumps up to again do the same. Doing it quality over quantity style. He's an under the radar character at times pre and post-fight but humble and professional at the core. Between he and Holyfield the whole back handed term "small heavyweight" needs to be stricken from boxings lexicon.
I never thought AJ was as a great heavyweight - but certainly one of best of his era. I favoured Usyk to win both their fights.
Fury didn't capitalise in his prime and started to piss around and become a circus act. Can't forgive him for that.
However as good as Usyk is let's not forget how close the first fight was. The last twenty seconds of round 9 was the difference between winning and losing for me - Fury was far from owned in that fight.
I'll reserve the decision on who owns the era till the rematch - I wouldn't be surprised if it led to a trilogy. Usyk is favourite but would anyone be really shocked if Fury won it.
As good as he is I just don't see him troubling a prime Lewis. Lewis too big, too smart and bigger puncher to hurt him.
I find it embarrassing and ridiculous that Turki is saying regardless of whether Fury wins or loses, he wants to make the AJ v Fury fight next.
So quite conceivably Usyk could beat Fury, and they make the “biggest fight in the division” airbrushing the fact that he would’ve beaten both of them twice!
Please make it make sense.
Absolutely disgraceful.
I had it 8-4 Usyk.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark TKO
Fury won 4,5,6,7.
Ref would have stopped the fight if Usyk was getting battered like that in the 9th round.
AJ never won Gold in the Olympics it was given to him.
He’s a solid heavyweight but he wins runner up until Usyk retires.
It’s disgusting that Usyk has been stripped by the IBF and the guys he beat get a chance to become champion?!
Fair enough. I had usyk winning by two. Rewatched it twice. Very difficult to score most of the rounds for me but we've all got our views.
I think giving the knockdown was fair enough and didn't think it was anywhere near a stoppage. But fury was proper hurt. He's been down several times but not hurt like that (wilder one he was dead not
hurt).
Hope the rematch is decisive
I understand why, money and the spectacle, and it will not take away anything from Usyk's legacy. I think Joshua stops Fury and probably always would have. For that alone and the reassessment of Fury's massively overrated legacy it will make it bearable.Quote:
Originally Posted by Primo Carnera
I think Joshua stops Fury now too. Three years ago had it down as a very easy night for Fury.
On saying that it wouldn't surprise me if Dubois pulls off the win against AJ in a couple of weeks. I favour Joshua if course but wouldn't be a shock if it happened.
There's a lot of smoke n mirrors going on with boxing now it seems. On one hand I can appreciate that risking a loss at a high level is what we need more of, less protecting the "0" and status etc. On the other losses come with consequences and a reset in pecking order for at the very least respect to the victor and opening avenues, exposure for other talents. However with Turki there comes this mindset that billions can erase anything and nothing changes. He's also shown to get ahead of himself and the fact that other fights need to play out before these "biggest of the big" match ups come about. He's shown no willingness to pivot and create alternate big fights for the most part. Tried it with Wilder who fell flat and who then marched right back into a mega payday to only be sparked again. Then Turki floated some absurd "loser must retire" wrestling type idea with Wilder vs Chisora :p. Miller lays an egg with Ruiz...aside from being a multi time cheat...and Turki is literally at ringside assuring Miller he'll be brought right back for a mega bag. Had tunnel vision on Bud vs Canelo as some fantasy land "big" fight even prior to Bud making 154 debut. Which was so so and a clear indicator that Crawford has maxed out in weight and preforming in tip top form. Age and inactivity taken into consideration. Initially he reset and said he wanted Ortiz vs Crawford instead...a realistic mega fight at his new division 154...now it's crickets and we're right back to Canelo cash out talk. In the long run it's imo cheapening the fans as well as the fighters. Money is the be all and end all but at the same time it's falsely inflated the market value overpaying guys who have come up short. Partly why I think all the talk of a boxing league is nonsense and can see it being nothing but a case of the have and the have nots regardless of actual performance and "star" status. Results very much matter.Quote:
Originally Posted by Primo Carnera
I always thought Usyk would defeat both Joshua and Fury, with Fury being the more difficult task. I think the rematch will be just as difficult, mainly because just like the Joshua rematch, Fury will come in prepared with the knowledge from the 1st fight and will be determined to remain focused throughout the contest. The problem is Usyk also has the experience from the 1st fight and his ability to adapt mid fight and finish strong is always going to cause issues.
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky says heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has been released after being detained at an airport in Poland.
A video posted on social media showed Usyk being led away in handcuffs by uniformed officials.
"I talked on the phone with Oleksandr Usyk when he was detained," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
"I was outraged by this attitude towards our citizen and champion.
"I've instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko to immediately find out all the details of the incident at the Krakow airport.
"As soon as I was informed that everything is fine, our champion was released and no-one is detaining him anymore."
WBC, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion Usyk is expected to be in London this week to watch Daniel Dubois defend his IBF title against Anthony Joshua at Wembley.
"We immediately responded to the detention of Oleksandr Usyk in Krakow and facilitated his release," Sybiha wrote on X, external.
"I was informed of the details by our Consul General. We consider such actions to be disproportionate and unacceptable towards our champion and will send a note to the Polish side."
Usyk's promoter Alex Krassyuk said on Instagram the incident was a "misunderstanding".
The boxer also said it was a "misunderstanding", but "was quickly resolved".
"Thanks to all who got concerned," Usyk wrote on X., external
"Thanks to Ukrainian diplomats for the efficient support. And respect to Polish Police for conducting their obligations with no regards to height, weight, reach and regalia."
It is not clear why Usyk was detained.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/a...s/ce3zy2v0g95o