Comments Thread For: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tony Bellew: Afterthoughts

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

Going on the road to defeat three quality opponents in your division in the same calendar year would be commendable in any generation. Let's get that out of the way first. It's been done before, and seeing something like that may been more common back when, but it was never something to take for granted. Boxing on the road is tough. Oleksandr Usyk is making a career of it. In seven major title fights, he has fought in six countries.
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[Anthony Millar]

How about this for a thought!

If AJ flops Wilder in April and this time next year Usyk decisions AJ (both scenarios are feasible to anyone with half a boxing brain) then Usyk becomes the first man to have held all the marbles at cruiserweight and heavyweight.

And all in UNDER 20 fights, not a bad legacy that lad!

[Marvlus Marv]

How about this for a thought!

If AJ flops Wilder in April and this time next year Usyk decisions AJ (both scenarios are feasible to anyone with half a boxing brain) then Usyk becomes the first man to have held all the marbles at cruiserweight and heavyweight.

And all in UNDER 20 fights, not a bad legacy that lad!

Do we not take into account Usyk struggling with Bellew for most of the 8 rounds which nobody predicted? He did a lot of bouncing up and down but until Tony emptied his gas tank, he hardly looked like a superstar. I can't see him beating any of the really big men.

[NEETzsche]

Do we not take into account Usyk struggling with Bellew for most of the 8 rounds which nobody predicted? He did a lot of bouncing up and down but until Tony emptied his gas tank, he hardly looked like a superstar. I can't see him beating any of the really big men.

It was clearly a gameplan to wear Bellew out with constant pressure and then get the KO down the stretch. Against his two toughest opponents, Gassiev and Glowacki, he fought a lot more cautiously and that's how I expect him to approach the top heavies too

[Anthony Millar]

Do we not take into account Usyk struggling with Bellew for most of the 8 rounds which nobody predicted? He did a lot of bouncing up and down but until Tony emptied his gas tank, he hardly looked like a superstar. I can't see him beating any of the really big men.

Of course there's some big 'If's' and Tony's game plan was spot on and clearly frustrating Usyk. To be fair it's hard to look like a super star against that strategy so credit to Bellew. But elite boxers make adjustments and after the first 3 rounds you could see the fight turning around. But again kudos to Bellew, those first 3 rounds would have normalised most heavyweights. Will be interesting to see if Usyk can keep his movement when he's 14-20lb heavier.

[P4Pdunny]

very intriguing to see what he can do at heavyweight. It all rides on his punch resistance moving forward.

[Boksfan]

War Usyk, war!

[Vinnykin]

I'm glad Usyk is taking some time off after this win, he deserves it.

I think the break will help him fill out a little and gain some size for his HW debut.

[pedrito]

Do we not take into account Usyk struggling with Bellew for most of the 8 rounds which nobody predicted? He did a lot of bouncing up and down but until Tony emptied his gas tank, he hardly looked like a superstar. I can't see him beating any of the really big men.

I recommend you the Breadman's mailbag. He did predict exactly this. It's on this site every saturday, great read.

I saw Usyk struggling, but I think he was mostly just being very careful. Bellew was coming off a KO at HW, Usyk knew this and didn't want to get caught. So he made sure he knew his entire arsenal before he stepped on the gas.

[kafkod]

Do we not take into account Usyk struggling with Bellew for most of the 8 rounds which nobody predicted? He did a lot of bouncing up and down but until Tony emptied his gas tank, he hardly looked like a superstar. I can't see him beating any of the really big men.

You are talking like Usyk went life and death with Bellew!

Yes, he "struggled" with him - for the first 5 rounds. That's what's supposed to happen when 2 world class boxers collide!

They meet in the ring and have a fight .. ie, they "struggle" with each other, till the better man asserts his superiority and wins.

And it didn't take long for Usyk to do just that. Like the article says, as soon as he went up a gear, he took over and finished Tony emphatically.