{"id":2347,"date":"2024-12-19T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/?p=2347"},"modified":"2025-01-14T16:57:42","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T16:57:42","slug":"oleksandr-uysk-boxings-brit-slayer-has-already-eclipsed-legendary-klitschko-brothers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/19\/oleksandr-uysk-boxings-brit-slayer-has-already-eclipsed-legendary-klitschko-brothers\/","title":{"rendered":"Oleksandr Uysk, boxing\u2019s Brit slayer, has already eclipsed legendary Klitschko brothers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"Tyson\t<\/div>
Usyk is still undefeated after 22 fights (Picture; Getty0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No other fighter in recent history has been so problematic for the hopes of British heavyweight boxing than Oleksandr Usyk.<\/p>\n

Since leaving the cruiserweight division undisputed and undefeated in 2019, the Ukrainian has laid to waste every challenger he has faced from these shores \u2013 an extraordinary list of fighters who have tried and failed to solve the puzzle that is Usyk.<\/p>\n

Derek Chisora was first up in what was the former Olympian\u2019s second fight in boxing\u2019s blue-riband division. Anthony Joshua, then WBO, WBA and IBF champion, welcomed him as a mandatory challenger in 2021 and was outclassed from the opening bell as Usyk was crowned a two-weight world champion.<\/p>\n

A year later, after Joshua promised to \u2018take Usyk\u2019s soul\u2019 in their rematch, he was left broken and scrambling back to square one after another defeat. A desperate in-ring meltdown after the final bell<\/a> illustrated the depths of the disorientation and despair Usyk had drowned him in.<\/p>\n

Daniel Dubois<\/a> had his chance, flooring Usyk with the body shot that was deemed an illegal low blow in the summer<\/a> of 2023 in Poland. It wasn\u2019t taken, with the champion suffocating the Londoner with crisp, incisive shots that eventually put him down.<\/a><\/p>\n

Tyson Fury was convinced he would change things. But against the man he belittled as a \u2018middleweight\u2019, he was rocked from pillar to post, left staggering in a beaten daze in a breathtaking ninth round in Saudi last May. Beaten for the first time in his career, ‘The Gypsy King’ watched on as Usyk was crowned the division\u2019s first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years.<\/a><\/p>\n

That collection of scalps doesn\u2019t even mention the knockout of Tony Bellew, his final fight at cruiserweight that retired the Liverpudlian. \u2018I was spent, I was absolutely exhausted. I didn’t remember anything of round eight,\u2019 Bellew later recalled. <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Oleksandr\t<\/div>
Usyk outclassed Joshua on two occasions (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A run of six successful fights against UK fighters has only endeared Usyk further to the boxing public in this part of the world with so many British fight fans celebrating his achievements as if he was one of their own.Effortlessly likeable, confident and calculating in equal measure with the sublime skill to back it all up, embracing Usyk has been a privilege. <\/p>\n

As he prepares for another chapter against Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, one of the men Usyk admired so much alongside his brother Vitali, is considering a return to the sport.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Oleksandr\t<\/div>
Usyk unified the cruiserweight division against Bellew (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Turki Alalshikh, the man responsible for heavyweight boxing\u2019s wild ride in Saudi Arabia over the last two years, is eager for the longest reigning heavyweight champion in history to come out of retirement seven years after hanging up his gloves. <\/p>\n

While dominating heavyweight boxing side-by-side, Wladimir and Vitali refused to fight each other and the case would perhaps be the same with Usyk, another icon of Ukraine who emerged as a symbol of hope amid a backdrop of war back home.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Wladimir\t<\/div>
Another Ukrainian legend is mulling over a return (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A rematch for Klitschko against Fury, nine years on from his defeat to \u2018The Gypsy King\u2019 is the dream for boxing\u2019s new power broker. Were Wladimir to return to the sport in search of becoming the oldest heavyweight champion in history, it raises the question; has Usyk, despite spending just five years operating in the heavyweight division, already eclipsed the accomplishments of his countrymen?<\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t\tOleksandr Usyk's record against British opponents\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
\n

Tony Bellew – won via eighth round knockout | November 2018
Derek Chisora – won via unaminious decision | October 2020
Anthony Joshua – won via unamious decision | September 2021
Anthony Joshua – won via split decision | August 2022
Daniel Dubois – won via ninth round knockout August | 2023
Tyson Fury – won via split decision | May 2024<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko were fantastic heavyweights. But in terms of legacy, popularity and the influence they\u2019ve had on the rest of the world, I think Usyk is bigger and better in that respect,\u2019 argues Frazer Clarke, the heavyweight contender and a true purist of the sport.<\/p>\n

\u2018Usyk has the character, he has all the credentials.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Tyson\t<\/div>
Usyk’s chasing another crowing moment against Fury (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018The Klitschkos were very regimented, they said the right things and did the right things. Usyk has a bit more about him, the haircuts, the dancing, the Agent 47 suit at the press conference last month, he says crazy things but he always does it very respectfully.<\/p>\n

\u2018He has brought so much to this division and has been in massive fights and has beaten the best. He is one of the best heavyweight of all time. They are all amazing fighters but I would say Usyk is top of the Ukrainian tree.\u2019<\/p>\n

Regardless of what transpires on Saturday in Riyadh, Usyk\u2019s legacy as one of Ukraine\u2019s finest ever sportsmen and one of the greatest fighters of his generation is already secure. <\/p>\n

Even what could be considered the UK\u2019s best ever generation of heavyweight fighters have been unable to knock him of course. <\/p>\n

Contains affiliated content. Products featured in this Metro article are selected by our writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page,\u00a0Metro.co.uk<\/a>\u00a0will earn an affiliate commission. Click here for more information.<\/em><\/p>\n

This weekend’s heavyweight world title fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury is available to purchase on DAZN<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Usyk is still undefeated after 22 fights (Picture; Getty0 No other fighter in recent history has been so problematic for the hopes of British heavyweight boxing than Oleksandr Usyk. Since leaving the cruiserweight division undisputed and undefeated in 2019, the Ukrainian has laid to waste every challenger he has faced from these shores \u2013 an…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2349,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2347"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2347"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2347\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2355,"href":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2347\/revisions\/2355"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preforeclosurefortunes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}