Oleksandr Usyk says he missed his daughter’s birth in preparation for Tyson Fury clash and shares sacrifices he made
Oleksandr Usyk proved to be a generational talent with a superb performance against Tyson Fury on May 18. The pair went to war over 12 rounds to decide the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999, with Usyk being awarded a split-decision victory.
Usyk became the third male boxer to become an undisputed world champion in two weight classes, trailing after Terence Crawford and Naoya Inoue, who both achieved the feat in 2023.
The Ukrainian also handed Fury the first defeat of his professional career, and with a rematch clause being included in the contracts of both fighters, the pair will likely clash again.
The rematch is scheduled to happen in 2024, but given that the first fight was rescheduled twice, anything could happen ahead of their potential rematch.
During the undisputed heavyweight champion's post-fight press conference, he detailed the sacrifices he made in preparation for his delayed bout with Fury, saying this:
"For nine months I worked [in preparation for this fight]. I missed New Year's Eve, I missed my son's birthday. I missed my other son's birthday. I missed my daughter's birthday, I missed my [other] daughter being born. I missed all my family holidays. Training the whole time. My focus was on this fight. Now, I'm happy, I want to go back home."
Watch Oleksandr Usyk's post-fight press conference below from 2:30:
Terence Crawford shares immense praise for Oleksandr Usyk's title victory
Oleksandr Usyk replicated Terence Crawford's history-making achievement against Errol Spence Jr. by defeating Tyson Fury over 12 rounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 18th.
'The Cat' was crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999, and cemented himself as arguably the greatest boxer of this generation. Usyk has now held undisputed world titles in two weight classes, as well as an Olympic gold medal.
Following the Ukrainian's superb performance in the main event of the Ring of Fire card, Crawford, who is arguably the No.1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, took to X to post this:
"Man y'all better put some respect on @usykaa man. He's definitely a candidate for #1 P4P fighter in the world. I'm no hater. He beat the man that beat the man in a bigger division, given what he's already done. Salute brother!"
See Terence Crawford's post about Oleksandr Usyk below: