Just How Good Is Oleksandr Usyk?

[James9753]

After seeing Usyk's dominating performance over Gassiev to unify the Cruiserweight world titles, where does he place in the Cruiserweight all time rankings? Against the likes of Holyfield, Haye etc

[Abradolf Lincler]

#1 or #2. Holyfield is obviously greater pound for pound, but the Cruiserweight comparison depends on whether or not you factor in his Heavyweight career, which greatly enhanced his overall standing. Strictly at Cruiser, it's a pretty close call. Usyk might edge it.

[ValMar]

1. Holyfield
2. Usyk
3. Haye

[squiggy]

To my eye it's very close now but Evander still did slightly more at cruiser than Usyk has. Usyk's 2nd, though, having surpassed Haye and any other cruiserweight champion one could name.

[jamamb]

holy 1
usyk 2

lol at anyone who still rates hayes cruiser career higher

[squiggy]

I agree.

[Mexi-Box]

Arguably the best CW ever seen. He's damn good, and get ready, because he'll be one-upping his performance at HW. His performance you saw against Gassiev is nothing compared to the beating he'll put on the heavies.

[RScarf1]

Even though the boxrec ratings has Tony Bellew at No. 4 and Marco Huck at No. 13, that is mainly because of their accomplishments at lower weight classes. Maybe Usyk can beat the winner of Joseph Parker vs. Dillian Whyte or Bellew, but I don't think he can beat Joshua, Wilder, or Fury.

[KiwiRider]

Arguably the best CW ever seen. He's damn good, and get ready, because he'll be one-upping his performance at HW. His performance you saw against Gassiev is nothing compared to the beating he'll put on the heavies.

Yep, and carrying a bit more muscle will give him better power.
Besides Wilder, Hughie and Joshua, he boxes the arse off all the other heavies, but that's a reflection on how weak it is.

[dagilechia]

Not sure about Joshua but im 100% sure Usyk beats Wilder. Usyk is a genius while Wilders technique is terrible, he needed 9 rounds to "find" Szpilka in the ring (one of the factors was that Szpilka gassed out) so i think it's very likely that he couldnt catch Usyk because he is as fresh in round 12 as in round 1 also i doubt hes as chinny as Szpilka is. Wilder lost every round vs Washington

[caldo2025]

Oh can we have another one of these posts? come on please? F'ng idiots.

[jamamb]

coming from the guy who started a 'spence hands down p4p 1' thread just for him beating peterson

[Boxing Writer]

Oh can we have another one of these posts? come on please? F'ng idiots.

Weren't you the guy, who made a thread about Bermane Stiverne beating Deontay Wilder in the rematch?

[jamamb]

yes he was, then he made a thread about errol spence being by far the best p4p fighter for beating lamon petersen. yet usyk schools gassiev in gassievs backyard and ppl are apparently idiots for rating usyk highly

he also went on about how hurd uncompetitively battered lara, then later made a thread about how it was an all time classic fight

and apparently loma and mikey garcia still need to pay there dues and are undeserving champs, yet oscar valdez came up the hard way and really earned his title

i think its clear who the real idiot is

[Boxing Writer]

he also went on about how hurd uncompetitively battered lara, then later made a thread about how it was an all time classic fight

Ha-ha! I remember that thread. He tried to convince everybody that Hurd vs Lara was the greatest fight in boxing in the last 15 years, while in reality it doesn't belong even in top-20 best fights of that timespan.

[caldo2025]

Look at how legendary i am with these two guys hinging on my every typed word. I'm flattered quite honestly. Hey I successfully got 2 people to talk about something other than Usyk and Povetkin for a couple of posts. That's a win for me. I miss the old days when smart people actually posted on this site and not just Russian idiotic losers living in basements. Oh those were the days. Btw guys, keep stalking me. I find it a sign of respect that my opinion is treasured. So thank you.

[jamamb]

ya, great job bro, you just added yet another usyk thread to the forum, really made a statement there

[James9753]

Oh can we have another one of these posts? come on please? F'ng idiots.

Thank you for your support! I'm sure we'll have other Usyk posts up as soon as possible!

[candyslim]

Well maybe we don't need several threads on identical subject matter, but Usyk deserves to be lauded for his comprehensive (if dare I say "predictable" or does that sound unbearably smug?) win over the hard hitting Gassiev. Definitely a thread is a requirement or t'would be extremely disrespectful.

So the question then, "Just how good is Olexandr Usyk?" ... Erm ... Nobody really knows.

All I will say is "Good enough that the question 'Could he be the best cruiserweight of all time?" isn't ridiculous, although the correct answer is more likely to be 'He probably comes second'

... and good enough that the question 'Could he relieve Joshua of his heavyweight title belts?' isn't ridiculous, although the correct answer is more likely to be 'He probably comes second'.

[ValMar]

Well maybe we don't need several threads on identical subject matter, but Usyk deserves to be lauded for his comprehensive (if dare I say "predictable" or does that sound unbearably smug?) win over the hard hitting Gassiev. Definitely a thread is a requirement or t'would be extremely disrespectful.

So the question then, "Just how good is Olexandr Usyk?" ... Erm ... Nobody really knows.

All I will say is "Good enough that the question 'Could he be the best cruiserweight of all time?" isn't ridiculous, although the correct answer is more likely to be 'He probably comes second'

... and good enough that the question 'Could he relieve Joshua of his heavyweight title belts?' isn't ridiculous, although the correct answer is more likely to be 'He probably comes second'.

The first answer is correct, the second one is not.

[candyslim]

Hopefully we get the chance to test your theory my friend. Unless Bellew wants to shed some weight and attempt to win the undisputed title, and I expect he will, then Usyk is surely finished with the division. He has nothing else to prove. Bellew continues to make a fool of me but he can't beat Usyk surely he can't !

I think Usyk is marvellous but Joshua has all the advantages except two. Usyk is considerably more skillful and has a higher punch output. Joshua has vastly more power, superiority in both height and reach, youth and strength and he can afford to take liberties because Usyk can't hurt him. Usyk's technique is not so far ahead of Joshua's that Josh won't occasionally catch him with hard punches, and then the power difference between AJ and Gassiev will make itself felt - very literally.

i've been singing Usyk's praises since I joined boxrec so I think I am among the least likely to underrate him, but Joshua is a totally different proposition to Murat Gassiev or Mairis Briedis.

[greg]

Hopefully we get the chance to test your theory my friend. Unless Bellew wants to shed some weight and attempt to win the undisputed title, and I expect he will, then Usyk is surely finished with the division. He has nothing else to prove. Bellew continues to make a fool of me but he can't beat Usyk surely he can't !

I think Usyk is marvellous but Joshua has all the advantages except two. Usyk is considerably more skillful and has a higher punch output. Joshua has vastly more power, superiority in both height and reach, youth and strength and he can afford to take liberties because Usyk can't hurt him. Usyk's technique is not so far ahead of Joshua's that Josh won't occasionally catch him with hard punches, and then the power difference between AJ and Gassiev will make itself felt - very literally.

i've been singing Usyk's praises since I joined boxrec so I think I am among the least likely to underrate him, but Joshua is a totally different proposition to Murat Gassiev or Mairis Briedis.

..I will also add that Joshua beat albeit past his prime but still fit and very aggressive potential HOFer Klitschko... I just can't imagine Usyk being capable of outboxing or "lethally" hurting Wlad..and yes, I was impressed with Usyk schooling Gassiev..

[candyslim]

Quite so.

[ValMar]

Quite so.

I will repeat this, risking to be boring, Usyk would have more problems with Tyson Fury than with Joshua or Wilder.
Even "a little cousin" H. Fury, because of his style, might be competitive.
Bellew has no more than 5% chance at CW, and maybe 10% at HW to beat Usyk.

[jamamb]

lol in the history section todays world class cruisers simply dont compare to early 2000s talents like michael rush, terry mcgroom, and jason robinson

those foggies will say anything to put down active fighters