Comments Thread For: Whyte: I Don't Think Usyk Will Do Well at Heavyweight

[chubuk7]

I think Usyk would beat Whyte to be honest, and Whyte has never sounded very confident about taking that fight.

After Takam, Usyk should fight Ortiz as his next opponent.

[PotentialToast]

Whyte is right. Usyk struggled with Bellew for 8 rounds for God sake, Bellew was even winning on the cards and in most peoples eyes up until the ko.

True. But Bellew played counter (very smart by the way) but Usyk still caught up with him. Best night boxing I've been to.

[Eddy Current]

Usyk will box circles around Joshua and make him look ******.

[Mammoth]

Why not? Parker and Whyte are top ten heavyweights and they suck.

[MDPopescu]

He beat Joyce in the WSB so he ought to be able to hand with the big boys. Even Fury or Wilder. But against AJs catch and counter, he is going to be hit.

... but he looked pretty much exhausted after 5 rounds...

[angkag]

Whyte is right. Usyk struggled with Bellew for 8 rounds for God sake, Bellew was even winning on the cards and in most peoples eyes up until the ko.

Is there any room there to acknowlege that Bellew ended up as quite a good boxer ?

He got well schooled by Stevenson at a time where he couldn't really carry 175 any more, to the point that he fought just 3 and a half months later weighing in at about 198 for a cruiser bout.

He also had problems beating Cleverly, who is hardly a world beater, ending up 1-1 with him, but that was likely styles and other than that he had a pretty good run. Beating an old, falling-apart Haye didn't count for much, but Bellew wasn't a pushover at 200, and he proved it by hanging with Usyk for a long while before Usyk figured him out and ended it.

To do so well in the first 6 rounds against Usyk had Bellew fighting at a pace and intensity that he had no hope of keeping up after 6, and either Usyk was going to run the final 6 rounds else end it, which is what he did.

Usyk does a little of what Loma does in dictating pace, and it might be a problem for any HW who is used to a certain pace based on their weight and fitness levels. I can see Usyk just spending the first 6 to 8 rounds keeping his foot on the pedal and exhausting opponents (like Whyte) mentally and physically.

It will be the bigger, stronger, more technical boxers like Joshua and Fury where he finds himself unable to dictate the pace and end up getting outpointed over 12, else KOed before that if he pushes it near the end to try and reverse what looks like a certain points loss. Don't know with Wilder, that bomb could land any time, but if he goes 12 rounds avoiding it (possible), then easy points win for Usyk - I just can't see him pulling it off with the other two (Joshua/Fury).

[AdonisCreed]

I personally thought Usyk should have stayed at Cruiserweight a little bit longer.

[AdonisCreed]

I think Usyk vs Whyte would be a great fight to set up the eventual Usyk vs AJ fight.

[Calibaloc]

I know you guys love the Idea of Usyk doing well but at Heavyweight, it only takes 1 big punch and all his skill won't matter. He got hit waaaaay too much against Ballew. I'm not convinced.

[Sparked_26]

I must have s.hit in my eye because Usyk looks big to me. Big wide back and shoulders.

I’m surprised by 214. He looks to me like he could be 230’s when he settles into it