BoxRec

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 05:30

gilgamesh wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 03:10 To Me both Usyk and Benavidez both would be fools to take this as a Cruiserweight fight.

Benavidez has a chance to win the most coveted title in the sport by fighting at Heavy and Usyk obviously gives himself his best chance of winning at Heavyweight.

It's a 50/50 fight at Heavy. I make Benavidez heavy favorite at Cruiserweight

Eolaithe wrote: ↑30 Oct 2026, 20:11 Usyk turns 40 in January and would need to shed roughly 35lbs to make cruiserweight, having spent years building himself into a trim muscled heavyweight.

Losing that much weight is achievable, but doing so at his age without sacrificing strength, stamina or durability is another matter.

He's also been relatively inactive since 2019 (usually competing only once per year), hasn't made 200lbs since 2018, and looked subpar in his most recent outing against Verhoeven.

I'd still favour Usyk to win the IBF cruiserweight title, particularly against Viddal Riley, although David Nyika would present a tougher challenge.

However, I'd currently favour Benavidez or Opetaia to defeat a 200lbs forty-year-old Usyk. Both are younger, physically fresher and have demonstrated strong recent form.

Usyk's past greatness is beyond question, but that doesn't mean he'll still be capable of performing at his peak when he's 40.

golden_labrador wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 06:15
I remember being shocked how much more agile i was again when I lost 10kg. it was like muscle memory and balance had returned and I could jump around and feel young again. I reckon the cruiserweight Usyk will be nothing like the soft hw version we saw against the kickboxer

golden_labrador wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 06:15

gilgamesh wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 03:10 To Me both Usyk and Benavidez both would be fools to take this as a Cruiserweight fight.

Benavidez has a chance to win the most coveted title in the sport by fighting at Heavy and Usyk obviously gives himself his best chance of winning at Heavyweight.

It's a 50/50 fight at Heavy. I make Benavidez heavy favorite at Cruiserweight

I remember being shocked how much more agile i was again when I lost 10kg. it was like muscle memory and balance had returned and I could jump around and feel young again. I reckon the cruiserweight Usyk will be nothing like the soft hw version we saw against the kickboxer

Cent0089 wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 08:43 It pi""es me off that Usyk is already 40 y old. I will miss him in boxing

Taansend wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 12:37

Cent0089 wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 08:43 It pi""es me off that Usyk is already 40 y old. I will miss him in boxing

I remember feeling that way about Sugar Ray Leonard

forcefraser wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 13:33
Oddly I never felt that way about Hopkins

TheLeprechaun wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 07:26

golden_labrador wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 06:15
I remember being shocked how much more agile i was again when I lost 10kg. it was like muscle memory and balance had returned and I could jump around and feel young again. I reckon the cruiserweight Usyk will be nothing like the soft hw version we saw against the kickboxer

A few years ago I put on 10kg. I usually jump over this small wall when I go to my local shop because I take a shortcut. This time I didn't get high enough and fell, quite painful and left nasty bruises and cuts that took a good while to heal. I just didn't take the extra weight into account. Lost the weight and now I comfortably get over the wall

gilgamesh wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 19:59 Roy Jones weighed in at 193 pounds for his fight with Ruiz and upon returning to 175 (18 pounds south of that) he was never the same fighter ever again.

Usyk would need to lose more than 18 pounds of muslce to get back to Cruiserweight.

Taansend wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 14:00

forcefraser wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 13:33
Oddly I never felt that way about Hopkins

I got to see Hopkins fight live. It was on a mega bill at the Staples Centre in LA.

Hopkins v Dawson ended in a NC 2nd round. To me, and many at ringside, it felt like Hopkins tried to cheat his way to a win. He was getting a little roughed up & kept sprawling over Dawsons back. Eventually Dawson shrugged him off & Hopkins claimed an injury.

Years later he did something similar with Smith.

I remember Pacquiao was there a couple of rows ahead of me. He gave me a little wave but I ignored him.

PRINCEKOOL wrote: ↑02 Nov 2026, 13:03 If he wants to fight David Benavidez 'just fight him at heavyweight. At this stage of Oleksandr Uysk's career? It is not the titles which in my opinion, he should be chasing. It is the big fights'.

Note: Oleksandr Uysk has already achieved the feat of Undisputed at cruiserweight 'I don't think it proves much him attempting to do it again'.

I would much rather see the fight at Heavyweight 'that way we know? Oleksandr Uysk will be in his best condition, and there will be no excuses if he is suddenly miles away from his usual form'

David Benavidez is the challenger 'He should move up to heavyweight and challenge Uysk there. And I would back any heavyweight version of Uysk to beat Benavidez' etc.

golden_labrador wrote: ↑02 Nov 2026, 14:34

PRINCEKOOL wrote: ↑02 Nov 2026, 13:03 If he wants to fight David Benavidez 'just fight him at heavyweight. At this stage of Oleksandr Uysk's career? It is not the titles which in my opinion, he should be chasing. It is the big fights'.

Note: Oleksandr Uysk has already achieved the feat of Undisputed at cruiserweight 'I don't think it proves much him attempting to do it again'.

I would much rather see the fight at Heavyweight 'that way we know? Oleksandr Uysk will be in his best condition, and there will be no excuses if he is suddenly miles away from his usual form'

David Benavidez is the challenger 'He should move up to heavyweight and challenge Uysk there. And I would back any heavyweight version of Uysk to beat Benavidez' etc.

it will look better in years to come if Usyk beats him at CW than at HW. bloating them both up just to say HW is not fooling anyone.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑02 Nov 2026, 14:37

golden_labrador wrote: ↑02 Nov 2026, 14:34

PRINCEKOOL wrote: ↑02 Nov 2026, 13:03 If he wants to fight David Benavidez 'just fight him at heavyweight. At this stage of Oleksandr Uysk's career? It is not the titles which in my opinion, he should be chasing. It is the big fights'.

Note: Oleksandr Uysk has already achieved the feat of Undisputed at cruiserweight 'I don't think it proves much him attempting to do it again'.

I would much rather see the fight at Heavyweight 'that way we know? Oleksandr Uysk will be in his best condition, and there will be no excuses if he is suddenly miles away from his usual form'

David Benavidez is the challenger 'He should move up to heavyweight and challenge Uysk there. And I would back any heavyweight version of Uysk to beat Benavidez' etc.

it will look better in years to come if Usyk beats him at CW than at HW. bloating them both up just to say HW is not fooling anyone.

It always looks better to win a Heavyweight Championship fight than a Cruiserweight Championship fight. Especially in your Bank account.

Benavidez would beat him either which way. At Heavyweight Benavidez has become the Heavyweight Champion of the World. At Cruiserweight he's beaten an older Usyk who wasn't at his best weight. It'd be stupid for Benavidez to take the bout like that. It'd be stupid for Usyk to take the fight like that, and it would diminish the fight itself.

At Heavyweight it's a good, competitive fight. At Cruiserweight it's Jones vs Calzaghe.

You can't think that it'd be an unfair advantage for Usyk to bring Benavidez up to Heavyweight because whatever edge that would give him would be offset by the fact that Benavidez is 10 years younger than him. If Usyk goes down to Cruiserweight he'll be completely flat. Like Jones upon returning to Light Heavyweight or like Chad Dawson when he dropped down to 168 to fight Andre Ward.

Going back down in weight after a long successful run at a heavier weight has never worked out for anybody that I can recall.

PRINCEKOOL wrote: ↑03 Nov 2026, 13:53

gilgamesh wrote: ↑02 Nov 2026, 14:37

golden_labrador wrote: ↑02 Nov 2026, 14:34

it will look better in years to come if Usyk beats him at CW than at HW. bloating them both up just to say HW is not fooling anyone.

It always looks better to win a Heavyweight Championship fight than a Cruiserweight Championship fight. Especially in your Bank account.

Benavidez would beat him either which way. At Heavyweight Benavidez has become the Heavyweight Champion of the World. At Cruiserweight he's beaten an older Usyk who wasn't at his best weight. It'd be stupid for Benavidez to take the bout like that. It'd be stupid for Usyk to take the fight like that, and it would diminish the fight itself.

At Heavyweight it's a good, competitive fight. At Cruiserweight it's Jones vs Calzaghe.

You can't think that it'd be an unfair advantage for Usyk to bring Benavidez up to Heavyweight because whatever edge that would give him would be offset by the fact that Benavidez is 10 years younger than him. If Usyk goes down to Cruiserweight he'll be completely flat. Like Jones upon returning to Light Heavyweight or like Chad Dawson when he dropped down to 168 to fight Andre Ward.

Going back down in weight after a long successful run at a heavier weight has never worked out for anybody that I can recall.

There have never ever been any mega global fights in the cruiserweight divisions 'ever in the history of boxing. There have been plenty of big domestic fights, and top level world level fights. But no mega fights'.

Note: David Benavidez vs. Oleksandr Uysk at heavyweight 'is a mega fight. It is 10 times bigger than Benavidez vs. Opetaia'.

If the day before weigh in rule did not exist, and Benavidez fought during the pre-1980's boxing eras 'in my opinion he would have been a heavyweight fighter'.

The fight 1000% if it is going to happen 'should take place at heavyweight' etc.

JamesPhilips wrote: ↑03 Nov 2026, 16:04

PRINCEKOOL wrote: ↑03 Nov 2026, 13:53

gilgamesh wrote: ↑02 Nov 2026, 14:37

It always looks better to win a Heavyweight Championship fight than a Cruiserweight Championship fight. Especially in your Bank account.

Benavidez would beat him either which way. At Heavyweight Benavidez has become the Heavyweight Champion of the World. At Cruiserweight he's beaten an older Usyk who wasn't at his best weight. It'd be stupid for Benavidez to take the bout like that. It'd be stupid for Usyk to take the fight like that, and it would diminish the fight itself.

At Heavyweight it's a good, competitive fight. At Cruiserweight it's Jones vs Calzaghe.

You can't think that it'd be an unfair advantage for Usyk to bring Benavidez up to Heavyweight because whatever edge that would give him would be offset by the fact that Benavidez is 10 years younger than him. If Usyk goes down to Cruiserweight he'll be completely flat. Like Jones upon returning to Light Heavyweight or like Chad Dawson when he dropped down to 168 to fight Andre Ward.

Going back down in weight after a long successful run at a heavier weight has never worked out for anybody that I can recall.

There have never ever been any mega global fights in the cruiserweight divisions 'ever in the history of boxing. There have been plenty of big domestic fights, and top level world level fights. But no mega fights'.

Note: David Benavidez vs. Oleksandr Uysk at heavyweight 'is a mega fight. It is 10 times bigger than Benavidez vs. Opetaia'.

If the day before weigh in rule did not exist, and Benavidez fought during the pre-1980's boxing eras 'in my opinion he would have been a heavyweight fighter'.

The fight 1000% if it is going to happen 'should take place at heavyweight' etc.

Yes I agree. There has never been a cruiser weight super fight. Good fights yes. Interesting fights yes. I mean there’s a first time for everything but the fight would be bigger at heavyweight for the ‘lineal’ championship. The heavyweight crown is the biggest crown in sport. That’s one reason why I’m very suspicious of this cruiserweight talk. Why would Usyk deliberately put himself at a disadvantage when he’s the bigger global name. Benavidez is a great talent but outside of hardcore boxing fans is little known

golden_labrador wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 06:15

gilgamesh wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 03:10 To Me both Usyk and Benavidez both would be fools to take this as a Cruiserweight fight.

Benavidez has a chance to win the most coveted title in the sport by fighting at Heavy and Usyk obviously gives himself his best chance of winning at Heavyweight.

It's a 50/50 fight at Heavy. I make Benavidez heavy favorite at Cruiserweight

I remember being shocked how much more agile i was again when I lost 10kg. it was like muscle memory and balance had returned and I could jump around and feel young again. I reckon the cruiserweight Usyk will be nothing like the soft hw version we saw against the kickboxer

Steveh583 wrote: ↑Yesterday, 14:17

golden_labrador wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 06:15

gilgamesh wrote: ↑01 Nov 2026, 03:10 To Me both Usyk and Benavidez both would be fools to take this as a Cruiserweight fight.

Benavidez has a chance to win the most coveted title in the sport by fighting at Heavy and Usyk obviously gives himself his best chance of winning at Heavyweight.

It's a 50/50 fight at Heavy. I make Benavidez heavy favorite at Cruiserweight

I remember being shocked how much more agile i was again when I lost 10kg. it was like muscle memory and balance had returned and I could jump around and feel young again. I reckon the cruiserweight Usyk will be nothing like the soft hw version we saw against the kickboxer

he's losing muscle tho