Jordan Thompson Reflects on Sparring with Heavyweight Champion Oleksandr Usyk
As the highly anticipated heavyweight title unification bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury approaches this Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, one boxer who has firsthand experience sparring the Ukrainian champion is revisiting that “experience of a lifetime.”
Jordan Thompson, a young professional at the time, had the opportunity to spar with Usyk during the build-up to his cruiserweight unification triumph over Murat Gassiev in 2018. Now, with Usyk set to face off against fellow heavyweight champion Fury for the undisputed title, Thompson provided a unique insider’s perspective on the Ukrainian’s exceptional skills and composure.
“He’s unbelievable,” Thompson remarked. “I’ve never been in the ring against someone who has been that relaxed. He is so relaxed – super, super, super relaxed. I’ve not seen anything yet that triggers him, or knocks him out of his comfort zone, or draws him out of that relaxed state of mind. Composure – that’s the word for me.”
Thompson, who was 22 or 23 years old at the time, was brought in by respected matchmaker Jason McClory to spar with Usyk in the lead-up to the Gassiev fight. He described the experience as taking place in a secluded, “mysterious” location outside of Kiev, Ukraine, where Usyk and his team had set up a training camp.
“It was an interesting experience – Kiev was interesting. I didn’t really get to see a lot of it, but from what I did see, it was an interesting place,” Thompson recalled.
Despite the young age and relative lack of experience, Thompson was able to recognize Usyk’s exceptional boxing abilities during their sparring sessions.
“He’s a special fighter,” Thompson said. “Very intelligent – he knew what I was doing way before I was doing it. Looking back then at the fighter I was, I was probably telegraphing from a mile off. Just, very, very calculated; composed; and a smart, smart boxer.”
With Usyk now on the verge of potentially becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, Thompson’s insights provide a unique perspective on the Ukrainian’s preparation and mindset as he takes on the formidable Tyson Fury in a historic clash.
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