The present undisputed heavyweight boxing monarch is the undefeated southpaw from Simferopol, Crimea, within the Ukraine, Oleksandr Usyk, aka “The Cat.” He turned professional in late 2013, however had a more-than-extensive beginner profession, with a ledger of 335 wins towards solely fifteen losses. This included profitable the heavyweight gold medal on the 2012 London Olympics, in addition to victory in a semipro tourney referred to as the “World Collection of Boxing.”
In 2016 Usyk entered the world cruiserweight unification match in solely his tenth skilled bout and needed to defeat a discipline that was loaded with expertise to emerge because the undisputed world cruiserweight champion. First, he gained a twelve spherical unanimous choice over undefeated Krzysztof Glowacki of Poland to seize the WBO crown, and he defended it thrice, towards (in order): Thabisco Mchunu of South Africa, unbeaten Michael Hunter of the USA, and Marco Huck of Germany. Subsequent, he added the WBC belt when he edged a detailed twelve spherical verdict over Latvia’s Mairis Briedis, who additionally owned an unblemished slate.
Within the last unification match, Usyk pounded out a large factors nod over undefeated champion Murat Gassiev of Russia, who had earlier taken the WBA bauble from Yuniel Dorticos of Cuba. Amazingly, Oleksandr took on all of those champions on their very own turf. The trophy he gained for the unification collection was referred to as the Muhammad Ali Trophy, and was introduced by Ali’s widow, Lonnie Ali. Looking back, this appears very applicable, because the Ukrainian has certainly earned the correct to be in contrast with the legendary fighter they name “The Best.”
After one protection of his undisputed title in a come-from-behind knockout of Britain’s Tony Bellew, Oleksandr solid his 4 belts apart and entered the heavyweight division. Following a cursory warm-up bout towards Chazz Witherspoon (a relative of former heavyweight champ “Horrible” Tim Witherspoon), Usyk tackled gatekeeper Derek Chisora. The struggle was an excellent one and went the twelve spherical route, with Usyk getting the choice. Many criticized the previous cruiserweight’s efficiency as being lower than anticipated, however Oleksandr had causes for a maybe subpar execution. He was nonetheless acclimating to the upper weight class and was battling a hard-punching swarmer in Chisora, the sort that typically provides a talented boxer bother.
Usyk’s subsequent six fights have cemented his standing as a heavyweight, cruiserweight, and pound-for-pound legend. He took on and triumphed over—twice every—the next: Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, and Tyson Fury. He discovered a tough spot in going through every, however was clearly the higher fighter in all six contests, in my humble opinion.
In evaluating the Ukraine native with Muhammad Ali, and when considering a hypothetical Ali vs Usyk showdown, it’s fascinating to notice that these two champions are precisely the identical dimension, at 6′3″ and about 220 kilos, with a 78″ attain. Coincidentally, in addition they share a birthday, January 17. And it may be mentioned with out concern of reproach that neither man ever confronted an opponent like the opposite. The closest Usyk got here to going through an Ali-like foe was in all probability in Mairis Briedis, whereas Muhammad’s nearest analog to Oleksandr might need been Jimmy Younger or Jimmy Ellis. One thing that makes Usyk uncommon is his southpaw stance. Whereas he had confronted innumerable orthodox boxers, Muhammad solely battled two portsiders in his whole skilled profession: Karl Mildenberger and Richard Dunn.
The German, Mildenberger, was solely a good performer and was properly behind on factors when Ali stopped him in spherical twelve in 1966. His model, nevertheless, gave the defending world champion bother early on. Dunn was a mediocre British pug whom Ali stopped in 5, and who was starched in his subsequent bout by Joe Bugner in a single spherical. It goes with out saying that Usyk is a number of ranges of magnitude above Dunn and Mildenberger. The Ukrainian’s coronary heart, chin, and stamina have all been examined and never discovered wanting within the least. Physique photographs can hassle and harm him (particularly low ones), however he has proven ample resistance and resilience there as properly. Physique punching was under no circumstances an Ali forte. Neither was infighting, one thing Usyk is fairly good at.
Oleksandr’s feinting potential, his timing and accuracy, and his combos are all elite degree. As fast as a chief Usyk was although, Ali’s blurring hand and foot velocity had been a minimum of barely superior. His footwork specifically has in all probability by no means been matched in heavyweight historical past, regardless of the existence of such marvels of mobility as “Gentleman” Jim Corbett, Charles “Child” McCoy (solely included due to his competitors at heavyweight), Gene Tunney, Jersey Joe Walcott, and Larry Holmes.
However as nice as Muhammad Ali was, he made some key technical errors. For instance, he leaned again from punches along with his arms down, fairly than ducking or slipping. He additionally threw uppercuts incorrectly, inviting a fast left hook counter. Ali’s blazing velocity allowed him to get away with these blunders on the vast majority of events, however a grasp boxer equivalent to Usyk would be capable of exploit them. The Black Superman’s kryptonite was a left hook to the top (see Sonny Banks, Henry Cooper I, and all three Frazier fights), and a left, both hooked or straight, is Oleksandr’s finest energy punch. You’ll be able to wager he would land it pretty usually on Ali.
Muhammad has been deified, particularly in current many years, when new generations of boxing followers have heard of his exploits with out taking a deeper dive into his deficiencies. He’s on the quick record of the most effective massive boxers ever, and might need been the best—there’s simply no strategy to show it. However, this creator believes that, despite Usyk’s heavyweight résumé being inferior to the most effective of the Ali-Frazier-Foreman period, the attention check of his talents, strengths, and weaknesses reveals him to be at their magnitude. I perceive the next assertion will probably be tough for a lot of readers to swallow, and can little doubt spawn dissenters, however I really feel Oleksandr Usyk, prime to prime, could be even cash versus Muhammad Ali, and he would have held his personal in that golden age of heavyweights that Ali scrapped in. – Christopher J. LaForce
