Oleksandr Usyk has been asked about the heavyweight that gave him his toughest night’s work.
Usyk is a former Olympic gold medalist and undisputed cruiserweight champion who has not yet lost in the professional ring. Even when the technically gifted southpaw moved up to the banner division, he soon imposed himself with 12-round points wins over the likes of Derek Chisora and Chazz Witherspoon.
He then stepped up the level of opposition and kept winning with back-to-back points victories over Anthony Joshua, seeing him become a unified champion in 2021 and defend that status in 2022.
He then twice defeated Tyson Fury on points in fights in May and December of 2024 to claim all the major honours well as pound-for-pound supremacy.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Usyk was asked about the toughest night he has had in the ring up at heavyweight and he went with ‘Del Boy’ and ‘The Gypsy King.’
“I think it was Derek, and the first fight with Tyson Fury.”
Many might argue it was Daniel Dubois in August 2023 who gave him a bigger test, as he is the only man to have had the Ukrainian down. However, the body shot he landed that folded Usyk and left him recovering for several minutes was judged to be low.
That might be in part the motivation for Usyk to rematch Dubois on July 19 at Wembley Stadium. Not only is it a chance for him to become the first man to ever be a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era, but also an opportunity to beat current IBF king Dubois without any controversy.
