Ukrainian Boxing Maestro Oleksandr Usyk Ascends to Pound-for-Pound Throne
Usyk Claims Coveted Title After Defeating Tyson Fury
With an endorsement from the reigning heavyweight champion himself, Oleksandr Usyk has now claimed the coveted title of boxing’s pound-for-pound king. This accolade comes on the heels of Usyk’s scintillating split-decision victory over the previously unbeaten WBC titleholder Tyson Fury in a highly anticipated showdown in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Usyk’s latest triumph has cemented his status as an undisputed champion, having already held the cruiserweight crown before conquering the heavyweight division. The Ukrainian boxer’s ability to outmaneuver and outperform a significantly larger opponent has earned him widespread praise from industry experts.
“That’s a misnomer that a heavyweight can’t be in the pound-for-pound conversation,” noted ProBox TV analyst and former 140-pound champion Chris Algieri. “Usyk’s not that guy. He’s got the skills to pay the bills, man.”
Algieri’s comments underscored Usyk’s exceptional technical prowess, which allowed him to overcome Fury’s size and reach advantages.
Former welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi echoed similar sentiments, stating, “This is the only weight class where you do have such a weight disparity. (Usyk’s) a smaller guy beating bigger guys, which is why the pound-for-pound list was created in the first place.” Usyk’s prior victories over the towering Anthony Joshua further cemented his reputation as a master of his craft.
Terence Crawford, the reigning pound-for-pound king, heaped lofty praise on Usyk following the bout, in which the Ukrainian rallied from a deficit on the scorecards to batter Fury in the later rounds, culminating in a ninth-round knockdown.
“I put him at No. 1, absolutely,” declared Timothy Bradley Jr., a Hall of Fame inductee and “Deep Waters” analyst. “What he was asked to accomplish that night was a fantastic performance.”
Bradley’s assessment underscored Usyk’s remarkable achievement, noting his ability to overcome Fury’s advantages in experience, weight, and reach. The analyst praised Usyk’s relentless pace, strategic execution, and the decisive sequence in the ninth round, where he landed an astounding 20 unanswered punches on the champion.
With this historic triumph, Oleksandr Usyk has firmly cemented his place atop the boxing world, transcending the traditional boundaries of the heavyweight division and establishing himself as the undisputed pound-for-pound king.
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