After moving up from cruiserweight, Usyk upset Anthony Joshua to win three title belts in 2021. He kept them through a rematch and another defense while angling for the ultimate payday of a fight against Fury in Saudi Arabia. Usyk’s heart and skill are enormous, and he overcame a major size disadvantage against Tyson Fury to become the world’s first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years. Prior to that, he had won against Tyson Fury on May 18, 2024, by split decision in their WBC World Heavyweight, WBO World Heavyweight, WBA Super World Heavyweight and IBF World Heavyweight championship fight at Kingdom Arena, Riyadh. According to CompuBox, Usyk landed 179 punches out of 423 (42.3% accuracy), while Fury connected on 144 punches of 509 (28.3%). Usyk outlanded Fury in rounds 2–3 and 5–12; Fury outlanded Usyk in the fourth (11 punches to 10), while the opening round was even (six punches each).
‘Liver King’ sets sights on Usyk body shots
It’s been confirmed that he will face the winner of the IBF heavyweight title fight between Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker next. He had won against Anthony Joshua on September 25, 2021, by unanimous decision in their WBA Super World Heavyweight, IBF World Heavyweight and WBO World Heavyweight championship fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, United Kingdom. Oleksandr Usyk’s record currently stands at 23 wins, 0 losses, and 0 draws.
Oleksandr Usyk, of Ukraine, is the undisputed heavyweight world champion. Usyk is also a former cruiserweight undisputed champion and 2012 Olympics gold medalist. He won the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles with a decision victory over Anthony Joshua in September 2021 and has defended the belts twice, including in an August 2022 rematch with Joshua. He unified all four belts with a split-decision win over Tyson Fury on May 18.
Belts held
Usyk is 6′ 3″ tall, which is 191cm. His reach is 78 inches, which is 198 cm. Usyk fights from a southpaw stance, which means he favours his left hand as his power hand when fighting. Oleksandr Usyk’s last fight took place against Tyson Fury on December 21, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “He told me he was not happy with the decision in the second fight with Usyk. He’s still very bitter about the judges’ scoring and he was very upset but he was retired, that’s what he said.” Wilder reigned supreme in the heavyweight division alongside Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Wilder has now called out ‘AJ’ ahead of his comeback this weekend. However, Wilder has four losses in his last five fights and has been finished off three times.
Major world titles
Usyk is the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis held the honor for five months in 1999 and 2000. Usyk was able to back Fury up into the ropes and began to find a home for his overhand left, the same punch that helped lift him to a pair of victories over Joshua in 2021 and 2022 to capture the unified heavyweight championship. Usyk defeated Fury by split decision on Sunday, knocking down his hulking opponent in the ninth round and eventually earning a narrow win on two scorecards.
These guys wouldn’t give me an opportunity to save their lives because they were stuck on not losing. I just wanted to be undisputed, but many people did not have me on their agenda because of how dangerous I am. That’s why I am still here pursuing myself and going on to do even greater things. Deontay Wilder will be out to prove a point on Friday when he takes on Tyrrell Anthony Herndon on June 27. The former heavyweight champion is arguably the scariest oleksandr usyk vs daniel dubois knockout artist in boxing history. Usyk inflicted the damage in a career-best performance following a ninth-round KO of Daniel Dubois in August in Poland.
His last mandatory challenger for the WBO belt was Daniel Dubois, who he defeated by knockout in the 9th round, on August 26, 2023. The 37-year-old Usyk is the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis held the honor for five months in 1999 and 2000. He is also now the lineal heavyweight champion by beating Fury, who beat Wladimir Klitschko to earn that distinction in 2015. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision on Sunday to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
OLEKSANDR USYK LATEST NEWS
“If the money’s up, then it happens. Back then it was okay now we’re fighting. I think the biggest difference really is a mindset thing.” Boxing was of course a very different sport in Muhammad Ali’s time. He’s beaten Anthony Joshua twice, as well as those two Fury wins and has previously defeated Dubois.
- Usyk connected with two big left hands in a fourth round that ebbed and flowed and as the fight approached the halfway stage it was desperately close.
- Usyk upset Anthony Joshua to win three title belts in 2021, and he kept them through two defenses while angling for the ultimate payday of a fight against Fury in Saudi Arabia.
- “I see him as a top guy, he’s one of the best ranked in the world but now I think it’s my time. You know I’m the young lion here, I’ve got to prove I’m a real force, a new force in the division and I’m going to take over.
- And while the Ukrainian remains a technical and tactical master, no elite fighter is immune to decline, especially in the heavyweight division where one shot can change everything.
- He swarmed over the bigger man in the 10th but also took shots himself and as the last two rounds arrived it was perhaps Fury who needed to do something to catch the judges’ eyes.
- Usyk rallied in the final rounds, just as the Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist has done so many times in his career, taking control with a dominant eighth and nearly stopping Fury in the ninth.
Pay-per-view bouts
Of those 23 wins, he has stopped 14 of his opponents, so his current knock-out ratio is 61%. He’s boxed a total of 201 rounds, meaning his professional fights last 8.7 rounds on average. From his Olympic pedigree to his rise through the cruiserweight ranks and eventual conquest of the heavyweight division, Usyk’s ascent has been methodical, historic, and unusually unified in terms of team continuity—until now. In an echo of what made Ali one of the greats, Usyk is a heavyweight champion freighted with political significance in his homeland.
At the postfight news conference Sunday, as he broke down in tears on the dais, Usyk said, “I know he is here with me.” As the fight against Fury came to a close, Usyk remembered his late father, who died just days after Usyk claimed gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. “Usyk is fighting because of them, because they give him this possibility.” Fury entered the ring as ESPN’s No. 10 pound-for-pound boxer and No. 1 heavyweight. Usyk was ranked No. 2 at heavyweight and No. 3 pound-for-pound.
Daniel Dubois says Oleksandr Usyk won’t deny him rematch revenge as he plans to ‘take over’ at heavyweight
But only this week it emerged that Usyk had split from long-term promoter Alexander Krassyuk. Dubois interprets that as a hint the Ukrainian is on the verge of quitting the sport. Usyk was aggressive from the opening bell, repeatedly getting inside his taller opponent’s defenses to land body shots. Fury was his usual carefree self, even putting both arms on the ropes in a corner and pretending to dodge punches when Usyk advanced.
Oleksandr Usyk’s team have provided their first statement to talkSPORT.com on the Ukrainian’s split with long-time promoter Alexander Krassyuk. Oleksandr Usyk completed his quest to conquer the heavyweight division with a second victory over Tyson Fury in December. If that fight against Joshua comes, and everything is right, why not? The Londoner is aiming to emulate Lennox Lewis by becoming a British undisputed world heavyweight king.
