Boxing commentators debated why Oleksandr Usyk came to the decision to vacate all his belts. The overall consensus is that Usyk has grown tired of towing the line with the sanctioning bodies, fighting mandatory challengers within specific time limits.
The argument is that he wants the freedom to fight who and when he wants. Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn added his own contribution to this conversation, saying that Oleksandr Usyk wants one last mega payday, perhaps a fight against former WBC champion Deontay Wilder. Hearn says Usyk always wanted Wilder on his resume. In this regard, it seems strange that Usyk would think that a fight against Wilder would earn him the big money now, as Wilder is probably past his prime and as such cannot command the attention of the viewing public as he did in his prime.
However, Usyk is a smart businessman. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been able to engineer it to become Unified, and at one time, Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World with fewer fights at heavyweight than some other fighters. If Usyk chooses Wilder for his last fight, it may be the best chance the 39-year-old Ukrainian has to defeat the 40-year-old Bronze Bomber.
From a financial point of view, it could also be an attractive option for Usyk, provided that the fight takes place in the United States, either at Madison Square Garden in New York City or in Las Vegas. If that were the case, this fascinating matchup could become a pay-per-view event with the right marketing.
All of this is speculation, of course, as you never really know what goes through the mind of Oleksandr Usyk. Eddie Hearn even called him “a strange one” in what was meant to be advice to Anthony Joshua not to get too friendly with the Ukrainian, ahead of their first heavyweight world title fight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England on September 25, 2021.
Usyk may surprise us all and announce he will retire without fighting again. If he wants to establish his legacy as one of the world’s all-time great heavyweight boxers, it would surely be better for Usyk to end his professional heavyweight career with a victory as a World Champion, rather than a victory as a regular fighter. Oleksandr Usyk is anything but ordinary! It would therefore be a shame if he were to bow out of the sport of boxing other than as World Champion.
However, Usyk has a habit of doing the unexpected. No one would have predicted that he would be able to make a successful transition from Cruiserweight to Heavyweight. But he did.
Oleksandr Usyk has managed to do things that may seem strange to some. He is a strange guy. He is able to beat much bigger heavyweights by adopting unorthodox training exercises. For example, he juggles, and he uses this exercise to sharpen his reflexes. It is Oleksandr Usyk’s strange behavior that makes him a great fighter. We should celebrate!
Roman Cherubim
Freelance journalist
UK
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