Lebedev Targets Usyk Mandatory Fight as Final Career Bout

[Ruthless-RKO]

Russian cruiserweight contender Denis Lebedev said he intends to end his professional career after a potential fight with Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk.

As Lededev’s manager Vadim Kornilov said earlier, the World Boxing Association (WBA) has ruled that Usyk, the undisputed world champion in the cruiserweight division, and Lebedev, must fight by March 10, 2019.

According to Lebedev, their teams have started negotiations.

“Our teams have started negotiations. I don’t know how feasible this fight is, but those are the plans. Today, Oleksandr Usyk is number one in boxing and that's 100%. That makes it more interesting for me to try to beat him. Every boxer's dream is to fight the strongest. What soldier doesn’t dream of one day becoming a general. I’ll go out with the desire to win - definitely. We should have a beautiful fight, because Oleksandr Usyk’s style and my style are an interesting combination,” Lebedev said to the “Subscriber Available” program on the Latvian internet channel Mix TV.

“I promise everyone now, I’m doing it on your air, that if the fight with Alexander Usik is held, it will be the last fight in my career. ashamed," he added.

[skanksta]

The Usyk pension-fight retirement tour.

Should be a decent scrap I spose..
Lebedev was one of my favourites about 5 years ago.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I’m very mixed about this fight. Whilst Lebedev would be the last good CW name on his resume and also Lebedev is as tough as they come. It WOULD be a good final bout for Lebedev..

I don’t think Usyk should be ‘wasting’ his time at CW.. we all know he’s the best. He has all the belts anyway. It would be a final decent payday for Lebedev. Nothing more.

We’ll see what happens with this come the new year.

We all know Hearn is not involved in any negotiations.. it will all be dealt with by Usyk’s management. We also know Hearn wants Lebedev to fight Okolie.

Thoughts?

[Ruthless-RKO]

The Usyk pension-fight retirement tour.

Should be a decent scrap I spose..
Lebedev was one of my favourites about 5 years ago.

Yeh. He only arguably lost to Gassiev.

Usyk already set Bellew’s retirement, he could do the same for Lebedev.

[skanksta]

The Usyk pension-fight retirement tour.

Should be a decent scrap I spose..
Lebedev was one of my favourites about 5 years ago.

Yeh. He only arguably lost to Gassiev.

Usyk already set Bellew’s retirement, he could do the same for Lebedev.

Thoughts...

Hearn is MAD to put Okolie anywhere near Lebedev !
He needs AT LEAST 3 good learning fights before that.

[Ruthless-RKO]

The Usyk pension-fight retirement tour.

Should be a decent scrap I spose..
Lebedev was one of my favourites about 5 years ago.

Yeh. He only arguably lost to Gassiev.

Usyk already set Bellew’s retirement, he could do the same for Lebedev.

Thoughts...

Hearn is MAD to put Okolie anywhere near Lebedev !
He needs AT LEAST 3 good learning fights before that.

I agree. He cant go from Marty Askin to an former Elite world level, even though he’s clearly past his prime. He’s no RJJ, he can still hit..

[keirw]

Yeh. He only arguably lost to Gassiev.

Usyk already set Bellew’s retirement, he could do the same for Lebedev.

Thoughts...

Hearn is MAD to put Okolie anywhere near Lebedev !
He needs AT LEAST 3 good learning fights before that.

I agree. He cant go from Marty Askin to an former Elite world level, even though he’s clearly past his prime. He’s no RJJ, he can still hit..

Given how boring some of Okolie's fights have been, maybe Hearn feels that he needs to put Okolie in with a name for people to bother watching him again.

[keirw]

If he chooses to stay at cruiserweight, Lebedev is as good an opponent as any for Usyk (not least because he has already beaten everyone else).

It is more likely that Usyk moves to heavyweight, leaving Lebebdev to fight for the vacant belt.

[gilgamesh]

If Usyk is to have one more Cruiserweight bout it might as well be Lebedev. That being said if he was already set on moving up to Heavyweight in his next fight I doubt a fight with Lebedev is enough to keep him at Cruiserweight. He's already fried bigger fish than that as is at the weight class, it's just 1 more solid name on his resume, but he's already got one of the better Cruiserweight resumes in the divisions history as it is.

[greg]

I'm not aware of any reason why Lebedev should waste time fighting Okolie unless, of course, it's a huge paycheck..Lebedev is still a name and a warrior..will be a good scalp on Usyk's resume..

[Ruthless-RKO]

I'm not aware of any reason why Lebedev should waste time fighting Okolie unless, of course, it's a huge paycheck..Lebedev is still a name and a warrior..will be a good scalp on Usyk's resume..

Hearn would probably put that fight on as a main event too.. not PPV, but definately a headline fight. I think it’s a co-feature bout at best.

Lebedev wants a big cash out retirement fight and truth is.. it has to be Usyk for him. Makes most financial sense for him.

[DrDuke]

Usyk will knock someone out to the retirement second time in a row.

[ValMar]

If he chooses to stay at cruiserweight, Lebedev is as good an opponent as any for Usyk (not least because he has already beaten everyone else).

It is more likely that Usyk moves to heavyweight, leaving Lebebdev to fight for the vacant belt.

x2.............

[oogiebe]

If Usyk were to stay at CW I'd rather see him settle some unfinished business with Briedis. Such a close fight could've gone either way. IMHO!

[Deleted_Scenes]

If Usyk were to stay at CW I'd rather see him settle some unfinished business with Briedis. Such a close fight could've gone either way. IMHO!

I didn't see the fight quite as close as the official scorecards suggested. Competitive, definitely, but clearly one fighter did more.

With Briedis not looking great recently, and the closeness of their fight being partially due to Usyk's tendency to take a few rounds to observe his opponents before committing to his own gameplan (which you'd assume there'd be less need for, in a rematch), I can't see any reason Usyk wouldn't dominate, if they fought again.

Lebedev is at least a new name on his record. An unnecessary name to add, at this stage of Lebedev's career, but still a new name.

I can see why Lebedev would want the fight. I hope Usyk doesn't take it - or if he does, get it done quick, so he can still fit in a good standard heavyweight fight, by May or June at the very latest.

[oogiebe]

If Usyk were to stay at CW I'd rather see him settle some unfinished business with Briedis. Such a close fight could've gone either way. IMHO!

I didn't see the fight quite as close as the official scorecards suggested. Competitive, definitely, but clearly one fighter did more.

With Briedis not looking great recently, and the closeness of their fight being partially due to Usyk's tendency to take a few rounds to observe his opponents before committing to his own gameplan (which you'd assume there'd be less need for, in a rematch), I can't see any reason Usyk wouldn't dominate, if they fought again.

Lebedev is at least a new name on his record. An unnecessary name to add, at this stage of Lebedev's career, but still a new name.

I can see why Lebedev would want the fight. I hope Usyk doesn't take it - or if he does, get it done quick, so he can still fit in a good standard heavyweight fight, by May or June at the very latest.

I don't see anything positive for Usyk to stay at CW and face 39 y/o Lebedev. It doesn't do anything for his career. For me, if he stays at CW then let's see a rematch with Briedis, which could give Usyk a more definitive win, and then go to HW. Else, go HW and forget another fight at CW.

[Deleted_Scenes]

If Usyk were to stay at CW I'd rather see him settle some unfinished business with Briedis. Such a close fight could've gone either way. IMHO!

I didn't see the fight quite as close as the official scorecards suggested. Competitive, definitely, but clearly one fighter did more.

With Briedis not looking great recently, and the closeness of their fight being partially due to Usyk's tendency to take a few rounds to observe his opponents before committing to his own gameplan (which you'd assume there'd be less need for, in a rematch), I can't see any reason Usyk wouldn't dominate, if they fought again.

Lebedev is at least a new name on his record. An unnecessary name to add, at this stage of Lebedev's career, but still a new name.

I can see why Lebedev would want the fight. I hope Usyk doesn't take it - or if he does, get it done quick, so he can still fit in a good standard heavyweight fight, by May or June at the very latest.

I don't see anything positive for Usyk to stay at CW and face 39 y/o Lebedev. It doesn't do anything for his career. For me, if he stays at CW then let's see a rematch with Briedis, which could give Usyk a more definitive win, and then go to HW. Else, go HW and forget another fight at CW.

Going to heavyweight is by far my preferred option. The rest of what I said is just nitpicking. The only way I'd like to see Usyk fight again at cruiser, is if the only choice was that or a heavyweight fight against an Arreola, Gerber, Dimitrenko type opponent, as was suggested on another thread. Pointless.

At least Lebedev was good once, and at least a Briedis rematch would give a more decisive official result.

[jamamb]

usyk defo beat bridies legit already, in latvia

if usyks going to stay at cw still, leb looks nice on the record, though he seems rather faded (though not sh!t)

[boxing_rocks]

Lebedev took too much punishment over the course of his career. He should look at what happened with Adonis and drop an idea of fighting Usyk.

[oogiebe]

Lebedev took too much punishment over the course of his career. He should look at what happened with Adonis and drop an idea of fighting Usyk.

...and Usyk has nothing to gain by putting off a HW career by fighting an old and diminished skilled Lebedev.

[DrDuke]

...and Usyk has nothing to gain by putting off a HW career by fighting an old and diminished skilled Lebedev.

I agree. If Usyk really has plans for the HWs, why should he waste time on the fight at the CWs, which don't seem to be more profitable?

[oogiebe]

...and Usyk has nothing to gain by putting off a HW career by fighting an old and diminished skilled Lebedev.

I agree. If Usyk really has plans for the HWs, why should he waste time on the fight at the CWs, which don't seem to be more profitable?

The more I think about it the more a Hunter/Usyk at HW sounds alluring.

[DrDuke]

...and Usyk has nothing to gain by putting off a HW career by fighting an old and diminished skilled Lebedev.

I agree. If Usyk really has plans for the HWs, why should he waste time on the fight at the CWs, which don't seem to be more profitable?

The more I think about it the more a Hunter/Usyk at HW sounds alluring.

I'd prefer to see that not at the earliest stages of their HW careers.

[Ruthless-RKO]

usyk defo beat bridies legit already, in latvia

if usyks going to stay at cw still, leb looks nice on the record, though he seems rather faded (though not sh!t)

Leb would be a good CW name on Usyk's resume. No doubt about out/ He's a tough SOB and 'could' take Usyk the distance although would lose lop-sided. He's a seasoned veteran at this stage.

And yeh, a majority decision win against Briedis in LATVIA, it definately a clear win against Briedis.

[Deleted_Scenes]

I agree. If Usyk really has plans for the HWs, why should he waste time on the fight at the CWs, which don't seem to be more profitable?

The more I think about it the more a Hunter/Usyk at HW sounds alluring.

I'd prefer to see that not at the earliest stages of their HW careers.

If it's going to happen, it has to be now, imo. Assuming Usyk adjusts to the weight well, he's got two fights at most, before he needs to be looking at the top 5. Any longer than that would be disappointing, for someone of his talent.

The only way that changes, is if Hunter turns out to be a comfortable top 10 heavy. Where he is now (15-20) is the lowest I think Usyk should be aiming for, for a heavyweight debut. The division isn't deep enough to justify going any lower.