Oleksandr Usyk

Oleksandr Usyk is one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world today. Born on January 17, 1987, in Ukraine, Usyk won heavyweight gold in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Usyk also picked up medals at various amateur tournaments and fought in the World Series of Boxing, exiting the amateur code with a reported 335−15 record.

Usyk would go on to become one of the most successful boxers of his generation. He unified the entire cruiserweight division and won the World Boxing Super Series in the process. Usyk would also unify the heavyweight division and become the undisputed champion. Usyk holds wins over the likes of Anthony Joshua (twice), Tyson Fury (twice), Daniel Dubois, Tony Bellew, Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev.

Uysk achieved a number of amateur accolades, including silver at the World Cup in Moscow in 2008. Bronze (2006) and gold (2008 ) at the European Championships and bronze (2009), followed by gold (2011) at the World Championships.

All of these achievements helped build up to a 2012 gold medal-winning effort at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Competing at heavyweight, Usyk defeated Artur Beterbiev, Tervel Pulev and Clemente Russo on the way to gold medal glory. 

Usyk also took part in the World Series of Boxing, fighting the likes of Joe Joyce and Junior Fa. When Usyk turned pro in 2013, he exited the amateur stage with a record of 335-15.

Signing with K2 Promotions, Usyk turned professional in November 2013, spending his time boxing mostly out of his native Ukraine. Usyk travelled to away soil in September 2016 to win his first world title, defeating 26-0 Krzysztof Gloawcki for the WBO title. Following a spell in America, Usyk went on to stop Marco Huck and unify with Mairis Briedis in Latvia before cleaning out the division and claiming the remaining two cruiserweight belts, beating Murat Gassiev in Russia in July 2018.

After defeating Tony Bellew four months later, Usyk moved up to heavyweight. In September 2021, he defeated Anthony Joshua on points in London to win three of the major world titles at heavyweight. Usyk would defeat Joshua in a rematch almost a year later and went on to stop future IBF champion, Daniel Dubois. That match took place in Poland, as due to the Ukraine war, Usyk could not fight at home. On May 18, 2024, Usyk added the WBC championship to his trophy cabinet by defeating Tyson Fury on points to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.

World Boxing Super Series (WBSS)

Cruiserweight were the chosen weights for the inaugural WBSS tournaments. Eight boxers competed and opponents were chosen in a seeding system. In July, the cruiserweight picks were made and Usyk chose fight veteran Marco Huck as his opponent for the quarter finals. Usyk was later quoted as saying that he was focusing on his preparation and giving little thought to Huck.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Marco Huck

An esteemed former world champion, Huck was notorious for his battles and the common thinking was that they had caught up on the German. However, Usyk’s novice-like record, despite his Olympic pedigree, led to question marks. All of which were banished in the Berlin ring on September 9, 2017, as road warrior Usyk steadily turned up the heat and forced American referee Robert Byrd to rescue Huck in round 10. Usyk retained the WBO world title. Huck was deducted a point for a blatant rabbit punch in round eight as his struggles increased.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Mairis Briedis

The semi finals of the WBSS saw Usyk travel to Riga, Latvia to take on 23-0 WBC cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis. An orthodox, well schooled fighter, Briedis had won the vacant world title by beating Usyk’s quarter final victim, Marco Huck. In his own quarter final, Briedis had beaten Cuba’s Mike Perez over 12 rounds. On January 27, 2018, Usyk beat Briedis by majority decision in front of a raucous Riga crowd. The scores read as 114-114 and 115-113, twice, in favour of the new unified king. It remains one of Usyk’s toughest fights to date.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Murat Gassiev

On July 21, 2018, Usyk travelled to Moscow to take on Russian beast Murat Gassiev in the WBSS final. Usyk brought his WBO and WBC titles. Gassiev arrived into the tournament as the reigning IBF champion and he had picked up the WBA belt as well in his semi final-winning effort, stopping Yuniel Dorticos in the 12th and final round. In the quarter final before that, Gassiev had knocked out Poland’s Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, the man Usyk had originally beaten to win his WBO title, in round three. With all of the titles on the line and all of the common opponents removed, the final would neatly tie up matters at cruiserweight. The fight was hotly debated as some felt Gassiev’s pressure and power would tell. Others felt Usyk’s adaptability and engine would help him prevail. The latter were spot on. Usyk’s constant movement and athletic southpaw qualities saw him lead Gassiev a merry dance for 12 rounds. It wasn’t even close as the Ukrainian won by scores of 119-109 on two cards and 120-108 on the third judge’s reckoning, who didn’t even award Gassiev a single session.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Tony Bellew

After sweeping up as the undeniable king of the cruisers, Usyk set about removing the final obstacle to his supremacy before moving up to heavyweight. A former WBC cruiserweight champion, Bellew was riding high, having scored back-to-back knockout victories over David Haye at heavyweight. Returning to cruiserweight, Bellew was boxing well early on and ahead on two of the three judges’ scorecards when Usyk’s high pace told and a straight left hand left the Liverpool hero crumpled in a heap along the ropes of the Manchester Arena. Usyk rounded off a spectacular 2018.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua

Following some extended periods of inactivity, mainly due to injury, Usyk had defeated Chazz Witherspoon on his heavyweight debut, not returning to action until a year later to slug his way past a troublesome Derek Chisora in London. Almost a year after that, when he finally secured a title fight it was for three belts, facing a genuine hard-handed heavyweight in Anthony Joshua. 

The bout was made official in July and confirmed for the exceptional Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Usyk made a mockery of pre-fight predictions that he would be too small, as he danced around AJ for 12 rounds, surviving a cut and almost stopping the Brit at the close of the fight. It was a masterclass of movement.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua II

When the first fight was so clear cut to everyone apart from a couple of the judges, Usyk and Joshua engaged in a Jeddah rematch (triggered by a contractual clause) as Usyk’s once-a-year schedule continued. This one felt more competitive than the first as Usyk set his customary fierce pace only to be pegged back in the middle rounds when Joshua found his inner confidence, landing some potentially fight-changing body shots. Refusing to wilt, Usyk discovered his second wind to box his way home to a split decision success.

Daniel Dubois

Unable to defend his unified titles at home in Ukraine, Usyk took the next best route and boxed Daniel Dubois in neighbouring Poland on August 26, 2023. Usyk boxed well early before a controversial moment occurred in round five. Dubois hit the champion with a body shot/low blow that saw the champion slump to the canvas for an extended period of time.

The role of referee Luis Pabon was scrutinised as Usyk rode out the storm and dropped Dubois in round eight, finishing the British boxer off in round nine. Dubois was counted out with some suggesting he quit the contest. Afterwards, Dubois stated that he had been cheated of victory due to the controversial incident.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury

By now an established heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk had already cleaned up at cruiser and on May 18, 2024, he had the chance to repeat the trick at heavyweight. In the Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, all of the marbles were on the line. Usyk held the WBO, IBF and WBA titles that he had won from Anthoyn Joshua, retained in a rematch and kept hold of by stopping Daniel Dubois.

Tyson Fury still had possession of the WBC heavyweight crown he had taken off Deontay Wilder in early 2020. Fury’s recent outings, against Francis Ngannou, Derek Chisora (part three) and Dillian Whyte had perhaps left him ill prepared for the kind of heat Usyk was bringing to the desert. Following a tentative set of opening rounds, Fury took control of the bout through the middle portion. Usyk dramatically turned the tide in round nine, dropping and almost stopping Fury. 

To his credit, Fury took the count from referee Mark Nelson and fought back hard in the closing rounds to keep it razor close on the cards. After 12 rounds of enthralling action, Usyk won the fight and claimed undisputed status by scores of 114-113 and 115-112 to a 114-113 in Fury’s favour, creating a split decision for the new king of two divisions.

Anatoly Lomachenko

In February 2017, prior to his bout with Michael Hunter in Maryland, Usyk announced that he would be training under Anatoly Lomachenko, father of Vasyl Lomachenko who was also on the card.

Serhiy Vatamanyuk

Prior to his fight with Murat Gassiev, Usyk was working with Serhiy Vatamanyuk but revealed that their relationship had ended.

Sergey Lapin

Sergey Lapin is currently a key part of Oleksandr Usyk’s training team. While some members have remained, Usyk has been through a number of training set-ups since turning pro and moved between coaches, returning to some for specific fights. Early in his career, Usyk trained under American veteran James Ali Bashir.

Yurii Tkachenko

Yurii Tkachenko has been a constant in the corner and Usyk later revealed that he and Tkachenko had worked on the exact combination that dropped Fury in their first fight. Sergey Lapin is also currently a key part of Oleksandr Usyk’s training team. While some members have remained, Usyk has been through a number of training set-ups since turning pro and moved between coaches, returning to some for specific fights. Early in his career, Usyk trained under American veteran James Ali Bashir.

In February 2017, prior to his bout with Michael Hunter in Maryland, Usyk announced that he would be training under Anatoly Lomachenko, father of Vasyl Lomachenko who was also on the card. Prior to his fight with Murat Gassiev, Usyk was working with Serhiy Vatamanyuk but revealed that their relationship had ended.