Oleksandr Usyk sheds light on reason behind considering move down to cruiserweight: "For me it's hard, I don't like it"
Heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk is considering a move down to cruiserweight.
Over the last five years, Usyk has etched his name into heavyweight boxing history by taking out Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua (twice), Derek Chisora and Daniel Dubois. Following his latest win which saw him become the undisputed king at heavyweight, the Ukrainian powerhouse opened up about wanting to fight at cruiserweight again.
Most fighters move up a division to prevent cutting weight, or move down because they struggle with a size disadvantage. When it comes to Usyk, he's looking to make a change for an uncommon reason, which he explained during an appearance on a podcast called '3 Knockdown Rule.' He said:
"It's my plan because when I start my [heavyweight] training camps, I'm eating all the time. For me it's hard, I don't like it. Three times [per day]. Water, protein, bananas, it's a lot of food."
It should be noted that Oleksandr Usyk has plenty of experience in the cruiserweight division. Before moving up to heavyweight, the Ukrainian superstar claimed the undisputed throne at cruiserweight, making him one of the greatest fighters to compete in the division.
Oleksandr Usyk looks to defeat Tyson Fury in rematch before potential move to cruiserweight
On May 18, Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. Fury will have an opportunity to avenge his defeat against Usyk after activating his rematch clause.
The heavyweight legends are scheduled to fight for a second time on December 21 in Saudi Arabia. With a win, the undefeated Ukrainian would further solidify himself as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.
There is plenty of time for betting odds to change before Usyk vs Fury 2. With that said, oddsmakers currently have the latest undisputed heavyweight champion as a near 2-1 favorite against 'The Gypsy King.' Only time will tell if the Manchester-born fighter can exact revenge for the only loss on his professional boxing record.
Watch Usyk's entire appearance on The 3 Knockdown Rule podcast below: