SUMMARY
- After beating Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk became the undisputed heavyweight champion.
- Let's explore some similarities between Usyk and the heavyweight GOAT, Muhammad Ali.
Oleksandr Usyk is the man of the hour. Owing to a historic win against Tyson Fury this past weekend, the Ukrainian is now the talk of the town, and rightfully so. That said, his latest win has even drawn comparisons with some of the most legendary names boxing has ever seen.
For those unaware, Oleksandr Usyk enjoyed an emphatic victory over Tyson Fury this past weekend which saw him being crowned as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. A very special honor, to say the least, it makes the Ukrainian the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999 and also the first in the four-belt era.
After a tense back-and-forth with the English heavyweight and the favorite to win the fight, Usyk overcame early adversity to win against Fury. Although the scorecard read 115, 113-114, and 114-113 in his favor, many suggest that the fight was a resounding victory for Oleksandr Usyk. That said, it now puts in him rare air among the most elite heavyweight boxers of all time.
Oleksandr Usyk shares a lot of similarities with Muhammad Ali
For the most part, Oleksandr Usyk is without a doubt, a generational athlete. Having achieved undisputed status across two weight classes, he will surely go down as one of the all-time greats. Another all-time great whom Usyk has since been compared to is Muhammad Ali and for a number of very interesting reasons.
For one, both fighters share the same birth date, January 17. Not only that but they are also similar on a physical level with both fighters standing at 6 feet 3 inches and having the same reach of 78 inches. Moreover, the resemblances also carry forth to their movement styles, with Ali known for his evasive style whilst Oleksandr Usyk literally being nicknamed ‘The Cat’.
Fun Fact! Muhammad Ali and Oleksandr Usyk have the same Reach (78 in), the same height (6’3″), and the same Birthday (Jan 17th).
Coincidence? π₯ #Boxing #UFC #Sports pic.twitter.com/Jr7evlNl38
β MMA UNCENSORED (@MMAUNCENSORED1) May 19, 2024
Despite their size difference as compared to other much larger and rangier heavyweight opponents, both Muhammad Ali and Oleksandr Usyk have proved the doubters wrong. As the Ukrainian said before his fight against Tyson Fury, βSize doesnβt matter. If it did then the king of animals would be the elephant. I am a heavyweight.β Similarly, Ali faced the likes of Ernie Terrell, Duke Sabedong, and many other fighters taller than him.
Oleksandr Usyk gained undisputed status at nearly the same age as Muhammad Ali
That said, there is also a near resemblance with when the two fighters gained undisputed status in their careers. Whilst Ali has been an undisputed champion three times in his career, his most remarkable stint was between 1974 and 1978, when he gained undisputed status after beating George Foreman at the age of 32. On the other hand, Oleksandr Usyk became an undisputed cruiserweight champ at the age of 31 after beating Murat Gassiev.
Oleksandr Usyk will be stripped of/vacate the IBF heavyweight world title at some point in the next two weeks and it is expected to be on the line for Filip Hrgovic vs Daniel Dubois on June 1st, with Anthony Joshua likely to challenge the winner. Hrgovic is overdue IBF mandatory.
β Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) May 20, 2024
That said it would make for an even greater resemblance if Usyk went on to claim undisputed status one more time in his career. Seeing that he will be stripped of his IBF heavyweight title in the coming weeks due to the organization’s mandatory challenger requirements, it would be almost poetic for him to re-capture the title, essentially gaining undisputed status for the third time, just like Muhammad Ali.
Who wins the GOAT debate- Muhammad Ali or Oleksandr Usyk?
For the most part, there is only one GOAT when it comes to heavyweight boxing. Arguably, Muhammad Ali is a step above the most elite heavyweight boxers of all time, and rightfully so. For innumerable reasons, Ali has inspired generation after generation of boxers and is still fondly remembered for his shenanigans, despite last setting foot inside a ring nearly 45 years ago.
As such, Oleksandr Usyk, despite being a phenomenal athlete and the very first of his kind with some lofty achievements of his own, is still some ways from holding a candle to Muhammad Ali. Despite being a European, World, and Olympic Gold medallist, along with being undisputed in two divisions, one must note that not only did Ali have numerous stints as an undisputed champion, but also held the title for four years before losing to Leon Spinks.
πΊπ¦ Oleksandr Usyk has completed Boxing. The Evolution:
π₯ European Gold medallist
π₯ World Gold medallist
π₯ Olympic Gold medallist
π Undisputed Cruiserweight Champion
π Undisputed Heavyweight Champion
π Pound-for-Pound King pic.twitter.com/JyvRx87w6zβ ATeam (@Ellumi_) May 20, 2024
However, that is not to say that Oleksandr Usyk can never reach the heights that Ali once did. In order to do so, Usyk must remain undisputed champion for a period of time that can be comparable to Ali’s. Thereafter, a reign as the undisputed and Pound-for-pound king for a few years could truly set him apart from the numerous undisputed champions we have seen over the years. Regardless of whether he elects to do so, Usyk has already cemented his legacy in the history books.