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Usky is knocking in the door being a top 8 all time heavyweight.

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  • Usky is knocking in the door being a top 8 all time heavyweight.

    Oleksandr Usyk’s case for being a top-12 all-time heavyweight is strong but depends on how you weigh different factors. His resume is elite: undisputed cruiserweight champion, undisputed heavyweight champion (WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF), and wins over top-tier opponents like Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois. There is no question as he has beaten each man twice.

    His technical mastery—footwork, angles, and punch accuracy, combined with his ring IQ and natural 12+ round stamina where he does not need any breaks and forces the other man to match his never ending movement or be out angled and not have their feet set to throw a punch—is arguably unmatched in the division’s history. He’s also got an Olympic gold medal (2012) and a perfect 24-0, 15 KO's. At 6'3" 255 pounds he is neither short, or lacking reach. Very few heavies were faster handed and and had swifter feet. Very few had better reflexes. You could count them on one head. His chin is very good.

    Beating Fury in their rematch (December 2024) further solidified his legacy, making him the first to unify all four major belts in the four-belt era and defend them.

    However, ranking him top-12 all-time invites debate due to the heavyweight division’s storied history. Legends like Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Lennox Lewis, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Vitlai Klitscko, and Wladimir Klitschko dominate such lists in my opinion.

    Each has a mix of dominance, longevity, cultural impact, or iconic fights that Usyk, at 38 with only eight heavyweight bouts, doesn’t fully match yet.
    No heavyweight has matched his cruiser-to-heavyweight undisputed double, and his win over Fury, a 6’9” giant, showcases his ability to overcome size disadvantages with skill.f opposition. However he needs more title defenses to crack the upper echelon. He has not finished boxing yet ( he has 1.5 - 2 more good years left in my opinion ) and can rate a bit higher.

    How? By beating younger pros like Parker, Kayabel, Hrgovic, and Jarolov and having them carve out their own legacy when he retires. He has ducked no man and had no oops moments ( losses, draws, or questionable decisions ) like every one else does above him on the all time list.

    IMO, he is a top 12 all time great heavyweight.
    Last edited by Dr Z; 07-22-2025, 03:32 PM.

  • #2
    Originally posted by Dr Z View Post
    Oleksandr Usyk’s case for being a top-12 all-time heavyweight is strong but depends on how you weigh different factors. His resume is elite: undisputed cruiserweight champion, undisputed heavyweight champion (WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF), and wins over top-tier opponents like Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois. There is no question as he has beaten each man twice.

    His technical mastery—footwork, angles, and punch accuracy, combined with his ring IQ and natural 12+ round stamina where he does not need any breaks and forces the other man to match his never ending movement or be out angled and not have their feet set to throw a punchh—is arguably unmatched in the division’s history. He’s also got an Olympic gold medal (2012) and a perfect 24-0, 15 KO's. At 6'3" 255 pounds he is neither short, or lacking reach. Very few heavies were faster handed and and had swifter feet. Very few had better reflexes. You could count them on one head. His chin is very good.

    Beating Fury in their rematch (December 2024) further solidified his legacy, making him the first to unify all four major belts in the four-belt era and defend them.

    However, ranking him top-12 all-time invites debate due to the heavyweight division’s storied history. Legends like Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Lennox Lewis, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Vitlai Klitscko, and Wladimir Klitschko dominate such lists in my opinion.

    Each has a mix of dominance, longevity, cultural impact, or iconic fights that Usyk, at 38 with only eight heavyweight bouts, doesn’t fully match yet.
    No heavyweight has matched his cruiser-to-heavyweight undisputed double, and his win over Fury, a 6’9” giant, showcases his ability to overcome size disadvantages with skill.f opposition. However he needs more title defenses to crack the upper echelon. He has not finished boxing yet ( he has 1.5 - 2 more good years left in my opinion ) and can rate a bit higher.

    How? By beating younger pros like Parker, Kayabel, Hrgovic, and Jarolov and having them carve out their own legacy when he retires. He has ducked no man and had no oops moments ( losses, draws, or questionable decisions ) like every one else does above him on the all time list.

    IMO, he is a top 12 all time great heavyweight.
    Beating Hrgovic would prove nothing, he is going backward in his career,and would be cake for Usyk.

    Wins over Parker and Kabayel,would put Usyk up there with the best,but he has indicated one more fight might be it.

    NB he is 227lbs not 255lbs,and that's plenty big enough ,if you are good enough,and he is!
    I bet on Dubois reasoning he has improved and Usyk cannot ,and that at 38 the wheels can fall off at any time.

    He proved me wrong,this time.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Dr Z View Post
      No heavyweight has matched his cruiser-to-heavyweight undisputed double, and his win over Fury, a 6’9” giant, showcases his ability to overcome size disadvantages with skill.f opposition. However he needs more title defenses to crack the upper echelon. He has not finished boxing yet ( he has 1.5 - 2 more good years left in my opinion ) and can rate a bit higher.
      To play devil's advocate, Evander is comfortably ahead of him and certainly knows a thing or two about a cruiser to heavy domination. The bigger wins, the better resume, more longevity.

      Aside from that, if he defends a few more times and keeps his 0 it won't be hard to rank him deeper into the top 10.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Bronson66 View Post

        Beating Hrgovic would prove nothing, he is going backward in his career,and would be cake for Usyk.

        Wins over Parker and Kabayel,would put Usyk up there with the best,but he has indicated one more fight might be it.

        NB he is 227lbs not 255lbs,and that's plenty big enough ,if you are good enough,and he is!
        I bet on Dubois reasoning he has improved and Usyk cannot ,and that at 38 the wheels can fall off at any time.

        He proved me wrong,this time.




        Says you. Hrgovic is a good offensive fighter and goes to the body well. This is Usyk's weakness.

        I can't explain why Hrgovic lost to DDD, outside of if it was his best DDD's best night, he headbutted him, and Hrgovic did not train hard for the match... so he lost... At any rate with wins over Zhang and Joyce he has some names on his resumes. As such the win will mean something as it easily rates as a top 5 win for Usyk. At least that is the way I see it.

        Usyk can enhance his legacy and based on his last fight, he has plenty left in the tank.​

        Kabayel is harder fight for Usky than Parker.​

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Dr Z View Post





          Says you. Hrgovic is a good offensive fighter and goes to the body well. This is Usyk's weakness.

          I can't explain why Hrgovic lost to DDD, outside of if it was his best DDD's best night, he headbutted him, and Hrgovic did not train hard for the match... so he lost... At any rate with wins over Zhang and Joyce he has some names on his resumes. As such the win will mean something as it easily rates as a top 5 win for Usyk. At least that is the way I see it.

          Usyk can enhance his legacy and based on his last fight, he has plenty left in the tank.​

          Kabayel is harder fight for Usky than Parker.​
          What has Hrgovic done?
          Got a debateable decision over a then 39 years old Zhang who floored him,and squeaked by a washed up Joyce,also 39.
          Hrgovic is 33 ,he is slow and predictable and had done all he is going to do at world level.

          Dubois showed him up, Usyk would embarrass him before taking him out,Dubois ran him out of gas,Usyk would lap him!

          Hrgovic is back to fighting journeymen like McKeon whom novice Itauma pulverised in a round.

          Itauma who beat the snot out of Hrgovic .
          Last edited by Bronson66; 07-22-2025, 04:50 AM.

          Comment


          • #6
            The talent pool isn't there for him to challenge to even Crack top 5. Its not his fault his era is trash. Dare I say maybe in a weird way hes lucky hes in this era. Lets be honest their was a alot of dicey decisions in the 60s,70s,80s,90s and etc. Fury, AJ, Wilder and Uysk are all lucky they are in this era. No shade its just the reality.
            travestyny travestyny likes this.

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            • #7
              How you become a top 10 HW.

              1. Have a long reign
              2. Beat multiple HOFs & great fighters
              3. Destroy inferior competition in a round or 2.

              Usyk has done none of these.

              He can have a long reign, but he needs to keep fighting.

              I don't think there are enough HOFs in this era for him to beat & his style isn't to seek & destroy everybody.
              nathan sturley max baer likes this.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by MalevolentBite View Post
                The talent pool isn't there for him to challenge to even Crack top 5. Its not his fault his era is trash. Dare I say maybe in a weird way hes lucky hes in this era. Lets be honest their was a alot of dicey decisions in the 60s,70s,80s,90s and etc. Fury, AJ, Wilder and Uysk are all lucky they are in this era. No shade its just the reality.
                - - Ukrainians have ruled Hvy boxing for 30 years now.

                Time for all you emasculates to accept your fate and stop squealin'.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I would also like to see Usyk fight Parker, that would be a good win against an improved Parker. Not sure if Andy Ruiz will be fighting any time soon but he's another opponent who can be competitive if he's at his best. Wilder doesn't deserve a shot but it would be a lucrative fight and a decent win. The HW landscape isn't stacked with a lot of talent right now. Probably the worst is has been since the early 80s.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I don't think this era is trash at all, if you look at how boxers in the 70s got fast tracked to a title shot. Win against Eddie Johnson 10-15-1 Win against Donald Cuevez 11-20-5, alright title shot next ... In this age you got to walk through fire to even get there, it is just that Usyk makes it look easy.

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