Why Oleksandr Usyk is the pound-for-pound best boxer right now
Oleksandr Usyk is arguably the greatest boxer currently competing.
Since Canelo Alvarez's recent loss to Dmitry Bivol, the boxing landscape has dramatically changed. Most pound-for-pound rankings were forced to reshuffle accordingly after Alvarez's surprise defeat. Throwing the sport into a further frenzy, it appears that undefeated heavyweight kingpin Tyson Fury has seemingly retired.
All of this makes the current boxing landscape very interesting.
While there might be a handful of fighters, particularly two, who now hold a mighty claim to the number one pound-for-pound spot, there is only one whose definite claim rings the loudest and clearest: Oleksandr Usyk.
Do not forget what Oleksandr Usyk accomplished as a cruiserweight
Oleksandr Usyk is an Olympic Gold Medalist. 'The Cat' holds a stellar amateur background that has shaped him into a crafty, precise, swift, and fundamentally sound boxer.
The Ukrainian star began his professional career fighting in the cruiserweight division (200lbs). He first rose to significant prominence during the World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight tournament that began in 2017.
Usyk entered the tournament as the WBO Cruiserweight Champion and was forced to fight the best in his weightclass. After stopping division veteran Marco Huck in the 10th round in the quarter-finals, Usyk earned a hard fought decision victory against undefeated WBC Champion Mairis Briedis in the semi-finals. The win saw 'The Cat' win another title and advance to the finals.
The finals saw Usyk fight undefeated Russian Goliath, Murat Gassiev at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow. Gassiev, by the end of the tournament, held the IBF and WBA (Super) Cruiserweight Titles.
Despite many fans expecting a back and forth battle between the two undefeated gladiators, with Gassiev's power especially adding a fun element to the mix, the world witnessed 'The Cat' perform a boxing masterclass.
Usyk, utilizing quick feet, tricky feints, and fast hands, earned a dominant unanimous victory, winning the tournament and the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy in the process. His triumph also saw him completely unify the cruiserweight division, winning all the major world titles the weightclass had to offer.
After the WBSS tournament, Usyk traveled to the United Kingdom to fight Tony Bellew.
As a cruiserweight, Bellew was undefeated and a former WBC Champion. The 'Bomber' had never lost his title in an actual contest and was the last worthwhile opponent at cruiserweight for 'The Cat'.
While the English fighter put up some resistance in the first couple of rounds, Usyk was quick to turn the fight around before scoring a dramatic knockout in the eighth round.
Oleksandr Usyk has already proven himself as a heavyweight great
Usyk's destruction of the cruiserweight division solidified his status as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, cruiserweights of all time.
With no more worthy challenges at 200lbs, he made the move to the land of giants. This was a tall feat; unlike other weightclasses in the sport, the heavyweight division has no weight limit.
After some decent performances in his initial heavyweight outings against the likes of Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora, fans wondered if 'The Cat' was too small for the likes of Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua.
Did he have the power to hurt a heavyweight champion? Would the extra weight hinder his spectacular movement?
Usyk answered all of these questions in emphatic fashion back in September 2021 when he defeated Anthony Joshua at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Usyk's victory saw him lift the WBA (Super), IBF, IBO, and WBO Heavyweight Titles off his Watford-born foe. The win shocked the world and put the Ukrainian star on the map.
While an exact date has not yet been confirmed, the Ukrainian fighter is gearing up for his long awaited rematch against Joshua, even while his country is ravaged by war. A second definite win against Joshua would only enhance Usyk's already great heavyweight streak.
There are two fighters who can topple Oleksandr Usyk's claim, but they need to fight each other first
There are two welterweights (147lbs) who could possibly have a stronger claim than Oleksandr Usyk as boxing's pound-for-pound greatest fighter. Both men are champions and both are undefeated.
Terence Crawford and Errol Spence currently stand above the rest at 147lbs. Both have achieved incredible success.
Errol Spence currently holds the WBC, IBF, and WBA (Super) Welterweight Titles. 'The Truth' has stellar wins over Kell Brook, Lamont Peterson, Danny Garcia, Yordenis Ugas, and Shawn Porter. Spence's reign over one of boxing's most prestigious divisions is tight. The only welterweight standing in his way now is Terence 'Bud' Crawford.
Crawford, unlike Spence, has been a champion in weightclasses other than 147. He won titles as a lightweight (135lbs) and unified the light welterweight division (140lbs) before winning the WBO Welterweight Championship in June 2018.
Some fans have been critical of Crawford's welterweight run, citing a lack of serious challenges apart from his victory over Shawn Porter last year. However, 'Bud' has still defeated incredible fighters across three weightclasses. Several noteworthy names adorn his undefeated record, including: Ricky Burns, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Viktor Postol, Julius Indongo, Jeff Horn, Egidijus Kavaliauskas, and Kell Brook.
With Spence and Crawford standing tall over the welterweight division, fans across the world are waiting with bated breath for them to finally fight. Whoever emerges victorious in that possible clash may just have the concrete and definite claim as the sport's pound-for-pound best.
In the meantime, Oleksandr Usyk remains the greatest boxer on the planet.