Ugonoh: Usyk lacks punching power at HW

[dagilechia]

''I don't want to talk about sparrings details but i can say that he lacks punching power at HW. This can be a big problem when he will fight the top of the division, he will lack this argument.

Undoubtedly, his advantages are speed and footwork. In these elements he's on the level unreachable for most of the HW's. He can't lose that, but seems he's not going to lose that, because he didn't gained much weight. At sparring he weighed 97kg/214lbs.''

thoughts? generally, Ugonoh said the obvious, but i really can't wait to see how it gonna be in the ring. I am so disappointed with Usyk's injury.

btw Izu has a new trainer - Spain-based, Russian trainer Roman Anuchin who now also works with Artur Szpilka and previously been with Mairis Briedis, Dmitry Chudinov and Isa Chaniev. Izu's comeback details will be known in next 2 weeks, most likely he'll be back in action this summer. I would like to see him continuing his career in the UK.

[Boxtune]

so true ... David haye even had good punchibg power , but he actully proved himself never to be as good that fooled people by running his mouth .

i honestly think Usyk is over estimated. And his injury are coming in result of pushing himself to be able to make a difference at new weight catogary he tries.

[SenorPipino]

If Usyk can out quick you and outbox you, then he can beat you.

Punching power hardly determines the winner in every fight.

I prefer all around skills.

[KiwiRider]

Punching power isn't the end all at HW.
It's not hard to stop a gassed fighter and Usyk has the tools to gas a HW. If he can make them work, make them miss, keep the pressure on- and he can- then power isn't that essential.
How many of the top HW's can keep up 12 rounds of high intensity fighting?

[dagilechia]

i also think that punching power wouldn't be a big problem for him and i think that he would outpoint everyone except of Joshua (which he could outpoint but for now i have it 60/40 Joshua) and Fury (very intriguing match-up, i don't know what to think about this fight so i'll give 50/50). i think he would beat Wilder in good fashion, 118-110 type of decision if not 120-108 (of course, the risk that he would get caught by Wilder's bomb is still quite high)

[HomicideHenry]

If Usyk fought Fury a lot of people would be heartbroken, sorry to say. I think the accumulation of jabs, etc ultimately TKO's Usyk in the later rounds--- but way Fury is talking he's only going to fight a handful of times and retire, and I doubt the Usyk match happens. Fury seems to be more interested in strategically getting a fight with Anthony Joshua.

[Thomastearns]

From Bellew to Wilder or Joshua is a pretty big step up, not to say a highly dangerous one. Perhaps he might want to start off with Fury first.

Anyway, before we get too carried away let's see what happens against Takam first. That should answer the question of power, and a few others too.

Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for the new date. Right now Usyk is the big unknown amongst the heavyweights, probably even to himself.

[oogiebe]

Usyk doesn't need Wilder type power. He only has to have enough power to get the respect of his opponent. I think he has that. He can hurt/stun any HW in the top 15. No one will walk through his punches, nor be willing to take a couple of hits to get one in. His style will be to wear down his opponent and outbox and out punch them, mostly through high rate of output. I don't expect to see many stoppages at HW, but I do expect he'll have success for the most part.

[Ilya Muromets]

Usyk's invasion of the heavyweight division is one of the very few upcoming boxing events that interest me.

[Contendeh]

Like what most people are saying, his power needs to only be respectable and fundamentals will take care of the rest

[marvelous marv]

Biggest question mark for me is can he take a heavyweight punch? I think he has a good chin. He can outwork alot of guys.

[Best Coast]

Seems like many are already declaring Usyk the 2nd coming of Holyfield but I think Joshua will be too big and too strong for him. Let's tap the brakes a little bit until we see Usyk in the ring with a quality HW and I dont mean Takam.

[Controversial]

Fitness and speed are big advantages at HW, I wouldn't write him off because someone thinks he doesn't hit hard enough.

[kbackup408]

Izu makes a good point but we knew this when Usyk decided to move up - can't imagine anyone the top 3 dogs at HW shouting to face Usyk this year (don't believe the promoters)!

[squiggy]

Seems like many are already declaring Usyk the 2nd coming of Holyfield but I think Joshua will be too big and too strong for him. Let's tap the brakes a little bit until we see Usyk in the ring with a quality HW and I dont mean Takam.

That's an ironic putdown -- do you not think running into guys too big and too strong was part of Holyfield's heavyweight run?

[SenorPipino]

That's an ironic putdown -- do you not think running into guys too big and too strong was part of Holyfield's heavyweight run?

When he was still in his prime, Holyfield overcame bigger, stronger fighters.

Bowe was a problem. But he possessed top notch skills from the outside and inside. Just a tough matchup for Holyfield. And for pretty much all the heavyweights. Yet Evander did beat him once.

Holyfield had tremendous heart and a mad dog intensity. A fighter's size pretty much didn't matter to him. He found his way inside and reduced any physical disparity.

Lewis used his size and reach successfully. Especially in the first fight. But Holyfield was a middle aged fighter by then in his 15th year as a professional. After countless wars and physical punishment, some of that intensity had been diminished.

Prime Holyfield may or may not have defeated Lewis. But he would have been all over him. I don't recall any opponent saying that Holyfield wasn't a pretty strong guy himself.

[Thomastearns]

Seems like many are already declaring Usyk the 2nd coming of Holyfield but I think Joshua will be too big and too strong for him. Let's tap the brakes a little bit until we see Usyk in the ring with a quality HW and I dont mean Takam.

Ouch! Now you're asking.

I can see all the old arguments about size being resurrected in the near future. If Usyk beats Takam he's in the top 10 as far as I'm concerned.

As you imply there's quite a gap between the top 2 and the rest. Top 3 if you insist.

[oogiebe]

Ouch! Now you're asking.

I can see all the old arguments about size being resurrected in the near future. If Usyk beats Takam he's in the top 10 as far as I'm concerned.

As you imply there's quite a gap between the top 2 and the rest. Top 3 if you insist.

When Usyk beats Takam BoxRec will have him fourth per the CW - HW point conversion.

[ValMar]

Seems like many are already declaring Usyk the 2nd coming of Holyfield but I think Joshua will be too big and too strong for him. Let's tap the brakes a little bit until we see Usyk in the ring with a quality HW and I dont mean Takam.

Yes ! Me too..................

[Onetimeonly]

If Usyk fought Fury a lot of people would be heartbroken, sorry to say. I think the accumulation of jabs, etc ultimately TKO's Usyk in the later rounds--- but way Fury is talking he's only going to fight a handful of times and retire, and I doubt the Usyk match happens. Fury seems to be more interested in strategically getting a fight with Anthony Joshua.

Usyk is not going to get tkod by a handful of jabs a round. Fury's jab is to slow pace, not press it.

[squiggy]

Usyk has not yet failed to live up to the comparison. He was great at cruiser, and we still can only speculate about his heavyweight career.
And let's be honest, Holyfield almost certainly gave himself a little boost to deal with the size issue at HW.

[oogiebe]

Usyk has not yet failed to live up to the comparison. He was great at cruiser, and we still can only speculate about his heavyweight career.
And let's be honest, Holyfield almost certainly gave himself a little boost to deal with the size issue at HW.

Definitely!

[Thomastearns]

Usyk has not yet failed to live up to the comparison. He was great at cruiser, and we still can only speculate about his heavyweight career.
And let's be honest, Holyfield almost certainly gave himself a little boost to deal with the size issue at HW.

If you can call almost doubling in size "a little boost". So many great things about Holyfield but that wasn't one of them.

Neither were the scorecards of the first Lewis fight.

[Counter-puncher]

Usyk is not going to get tkod by a handful of jabs a round. Fury's jab is to slow pace, not press it.

Not quite up there with Henrys prediction that Fury was going to use the same style against Wilder that Haye used in sparring

Fury was going to come out hard with overhand rights and push Wilder back according to our resident strategist

[greg]

..if you want to be successful as HW these days, punching power is no doubt a factor in the equation...in Usyk's case the jury is still out..