Oleksandr Usyk has ‘cleaned out’ both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, scoring enormous victories over Daniel Dubois, Anthony Joshua, and Tyson Fury – but how good is he really?
The Ukrainian’s most recent win over ‘The Gypsy King’ spawned a fascinating debate over whether he should be considered amongst the ‘all-time greats’ in heavyweight boxing.
Yet as ‘The Cat’ picked up three huge Ring Magazine Awards, one former world champion argued that Oleksandr Usyk wouldn’t have found much success if he’d fought in previous eras.
Frank Bruno insists Oleksandr Usyk would have struggled in his era
The prestigious Ring Magazine Awards were held this past weekend, with Oleksandr Usyk picking up three of the biggest awards for ‘Fighter of the Year’, ‘Round of the Year’, and ‘Event of the Year’.
Whilst the likes of Evander Holyfield have praised Usyk for his achievements, not every legendary heavyweight agrees that the Ukrainian should be considered among the all-time greats.
Speaking via IFL TV at the awards ceremony, former world champion Frank Bruno argued that Usyk would have struggled to compete in his era against superstars such as Mike Tyson, James Smith, and Lennox Lewis.
“Yeah, [he’s the best] in his era. I don’t think in my era that he would have got that far but in this era, his era, he’s done very well.
“I’m not being b***** when I say that; I’m talking from the heart [about] how it goes.”
Bruno turned professional 42 years ago, meaning that he’s seen his fair share of heavyweight greats come and go over the course of his illustrious career – a career that ended with an 84% KO rate.
“If you want the truth, he wouldn’t have done as well, you don’t understand – there were just too many heavyweights for him, natural big guys.”
That sentiment has been echoed by more than one boxing legend, with former two-weight world champion Timothy Bradley claiming that Usyk hasn’t done enough to warrant his ‘heavyweight great’ status.
Lennox Lewis on how he’d have beaten Oleksandr Usyk
Lewis was the last undisputed heavyweight champion before Oleksandr Usyk and believes that he’d have handed the Ukrainian his first-ever professional defeat, had they fought during his own epoch.
“I would throw a good uppercut because he’s susceptible to a good uppercut and I throw a mean uppercut,” Lewis said during a press scrum in December.
“That’s how I would definitely fight the fight… Anybody that’s vulnerable to the body and everybody is saying it, usually goes back and works on the body.
“And says, ‘Let them think I’m vulnerable to the body, that’s what I want them to think. Now my body is tough, and now if they go to the body, I will hit them at the same time’.”