BoxRec

Today was announced that Oleksandr Usyk (#3 WBO, 6-0, 6 KO) will fight against Andrey Knyazev (#15 WBO, 11-1, 6 KO). After fights against Daniel Bruwer and Dannie Venter, fight with Knyazev is step back for Usyk in quality of opposition, IMO. For moving up in WBO rank as for me much better to fight against Mateusz Masternak or Mirco Larghetti.

Artem wrote:Today was announced that Oleksandr Usyk (#3 WBO, 6-0, 6 KO) will fight against Andrey Knyazev (#15 WBO, 11-1, 6 KO). After fights against Daniel Bruwer and Dannie Venter, fight with Knyazev is step back for Usyk in quality of opposition, IMO. For moving up in WBO rank as for me much better to fight against Mateusz Masternak or Mirco Larghetti.

I'm a big fan of Usyk, but such a choice of opponent is a huge disappointment to me. Knyazev is small, slow, very predictable and his style is tailor-made for Usyk. It's a HUGE step back from Dany Venter in my opinion.

Did Usyk sign up with Haymon

Boxing Writer wrote: I'm a big fan of Usyk, but such a choice of opponent is a huge disappointment to me. Knyazev is small, slow, very predictable and his style is tailor-made for Usyk. It's a HUGE step back from Dany Venter in my opinion.

Agree with you, only hope that this is warming up before bigger fights, 2014 Usyk also start with fight against Nsafoah, but next 3 fights was against much better opponents

I can't hate on opponent selection, even at Usyk's skill level, after a 6 fight, 16 month career.

ReggieDiggs wrote:I can't hate on opponent selection, even at Usyk's skill level, after a 6 fight, 16 month career.

I agree.

ReggieDiggs wrote:I can't hate on opponent selection, even at Usyk's skill level, after a 6 fight, 16 month career.

In general Knyazev is ok as opponent for the 7 fight, but if we compare with Daniel Bruwer, Dannie Venter and even David Cesar Crenz, Knyazev is a step back.

In undercard would fight:
- Max Bursak 30-3-1, 13 KO
- Oleg Malinovskiy 14-0-0, 4 KO
- Mishiko Beselia 9-0-0, 6 KO
- Petro Ivanov 2-0-0, 1 KO
- Serhiy Radchenko 1-0-0
- Aslambek Idigov 7-0-0, 4 KO
- Khusein Baysangurov 2-0-0, 2 KO
- Khasan Baysangurov 7-0-0, 2 KO

If Usyk wins, he will probably go ahead of Bellew in the WBO rankings, which means he would be the next mandatory for the WBO title after the Huck - Glowacki fight.

The fight was stopped by a ref in 8th after a long combination from Usyk mostly landing on Knyazev's gloves. Knyazev wasn't hurt at all. Of course, he was losing all rounds, but the stoppage was not needed.

11-1 Knyazev is basically overweight middleweight with good body movement but no pop in his punches. At times, he was able to push Usyk around, corner him and unload (mostly on gloves too). A better version of a fighter like that would beat Usyk. A little disappointing.

ikorolev wrote:The fight was stopped by a ref in 8th after a long combination from Usyk mostly landing on Knyazev's gloves. Knyazev wasn't hurt at all. Of course, he was losing all rounds, but the stoppage was not needed.

11-1 Knyazev is basically overweight middleweight with good body movement but no pop in his punches. At times, he was able to push Usyk around, corner him and unload (mostly on gloves too). A better version of a fighter like that would beat Usyk. A little disappointing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFUPIviTZlw

ikorolev wrote:The fight was stopped by a ref in 8th after a long combination from Usyk mostly landing on Knyazev's gloves. Knyazev wasn't hurt at all. Of course, he was losing all rounds, but the stoppage was not needed.

11-1 Knyazev is basically overweight middleweight with good body movement but no pop in his punches. At times, he was able to push Usyk around, corner him and unload (mostly on gloves too). A better version of a fighter like that would beat Usyk. A little disappointing.

Not disappointing at all. And I completely disagre on styles: this type of style is tailor made for Usyk. Danie Venter with his counter punching was far more competetive against Usyk.

Knyazev is a C-level fighter, so him having occasional success means that his style executed on a higher level would really trouble Usyk.

Here's the whole fight, good quality video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_ryhfDKkG4

ikorolev wrote:The fight was stopped by a ref in 8th after a long combination from Usyk mostly landing on Knyazev's gloves. Knyazev wasn't hurt at all. Of course, he was losing all rounds, but the stoppage was not needed.

11-1 Knyazev is basically overweight middleweight with good body movement but no pop in his punches. At times, he was able to push Usyk around, corner him and unload (mostly on gloves too). A better version of a fighter like that would beat Usyk. A little disappointing.

I was on this fight, and I could say that stoppage was little bit early, but referee saved Knyazev's health. Fight was one-sided and Knyazev took many punches on his face, he was cut under eye and his nose was bleeding from 4 round till the end. So just after fight I was thinking that the stoppage was early, but when I watched fight one more time at home, I changed my opinion.

ikorolev wrote:The fight was stopped by a ref in 8th after a long combination from Usyk mostly landing on Knyazev's gloves. Knyazev wasn't hurt at all. Of course, he was losing all rounds, but the stoppage was not needed.

11-1 Knyazev is basically overweight middleweight with good body movement but no pop in his punches. At times, he was able to push Usyk around, corner him and unload (mostly on gloves too). A better version of a fighter like that would beat Usyk. A little disappointing.

Totally disagree. Usyk put on a show for his fans. He could've put his foot down and stopped Knyazev any time he wanted.

Usyk's amateur days, show that he is proven against just about every style. He didn't even get out of 2nd gear for most of the fight. It'll be a long time before he gets beat.

ScottDetonator wrote:

ikorolev wrote:The fight was stopped by a ref in 8th after a long combination from Usyk mostly landing on Knyazev's gloves. Knyazev wasn't hurt at all. Of course, he was losing all rounds, but the stoppage was not needed.

11-1 Knyazev is basically overweight middleweight with good body movement but no pop in his punches. At times, he was able to push Usyk around, corner him and unload (mostly on gloves too). A better version of a fighter like that would beat Usyk. A little disappointing.

Totally disagree. Usyk put on a show for his fans. He could've put his foot down and stopped Knyazev any time he wanted.

Usyk's amateur days, show that he is proven against just about every style. He didn't even get out of 2nd gear for most of the fight. It'll be a long time before he gets beat.

Many fighters successful in amateurs with headgear and uncomfortable gloves, fail in profi, in particular ones with bad chin or ones who are just getting too easily discouraged by getting hit. Usyk's allowing a C level fighter to have some success is not a good sign.

Usyk can prove me wrong by beating somebody like Kalenga.

ikorolev wrote:

ScottDetonator wrote:

ikorolev wrote:The fight was stopped by a ref in 8th after a long combination from Usyk mostly landing on Knyazev's gloves. Knyazev wasn't hurt at all. Of course, he was losing all rounds, but the stoppage was not needed.

11-1 Knyazev is basically overweight middleweight with good body movement but no pop in his punches. At times, he was able to push Usyk around, corner him and unload (mostly on gloves too). A better version of a fighter like that would beat Usyk. A little disappointing.

Totally disagree. Usyk put on a show for his fans. He could've put his foot down and stopped Knyazev any time he wanted.

Usyk's amateur days, show that he is proven against just about every style. He didn't even get out of 2nd gear for most of the fight. It'll be a long time before he gets beat.

Many fighters successful in amateurs with headgear and uncomfortable gloves, fail in profi, in particular ones with bad chin or ones who are just getting too easily discouraged by getting hit. Usyk's allowing a C level fighter to have some success is not a good sign.

Usyk doesn't fall into any of the categories you've mentioned there though. I think we can agree that Usyk is an A+ prospect.

He put on a good performance on Saturday night. Will be watching his career with interest.

ScottDetonator wrote:

ikorolev wrote:

ScottDetonator wrote: Totally disagree. Usyk put on a show for his fans. He could've put his foot down and stopped Knyazev any time he wanted.

Usyk's amateur days, show that he is proven against just about every style. He didn't even get out of 2nd gear for most of the fight. It'll be a long time before he gets beat.

Many fighters successful in amateurs with headgear and uncomfortable gloves, fail in profi, in particular ones with bad chin or ones who are just getting too easily discouraged by getting hit. Usyk's allowing a C level fighter to have some success is not a good sign.

Usyk doesn't fall into any of the categories you've mentioned there though. I think we can agree that Usyk is an A+ prospect.

He put on a good performance on Saturday night. Will be watching his career with interest.

We don't know that until he faces at least a fringe contender. At this time, Usyk can be considered an A+ prospect, but he hasn't stepped up yet.

ikorolev wrote:We don't know that until he faces at least a fringe contender. At this time, Usyk can be considered an A+ prospect, but he hasn't stepped up yet.

From watching his amateur career(beating fighters such as Betebiev, Russo) from an early stage and his WSB bouts(where he was undefeated and beating a lot bigger men over 5 rounds) I will say that Usyk doesn't have a bad chin or gets discouraged by getting hit(check Usyk v Majidov, Usyk v Modugno).

I agree he is an A+ prospect and not yet been stepped up but I disagree that he struggled on Saturday night. The future is very bright for the 28 year old at cruiserweight.

Was anyone reminded a bit of Lomachenko while observing Usyk's latest? He had some of the same lateral movement with his high guard, he did a few of the same pivots after moving right, and I saw him bring down his opponent's glove and hit him with a right hook, which is something Lomachenko does.

One of the undercard fights. The first one - Sergey Radchenko/Roman Mirzoev:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAtO639 ... e=youtu.be

CARTOON wrote:One of the undercard fights. The first one - Sergey Radchenko/Roman Mirzoev:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAtO639 ... e=youtu.be

Mirzoev's entering in the ring was most interesting moment of the fight DD DD