Oleksandr Usyk, who has achieved the rare feat of becoming the undisputed champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, has revised his assessment of the toughest fight of his career. Previously, he had named Tony Bellew as his most challenging opponent, but after recent bouts with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, Usyk has now acknowledged that Tyson Fury presented his greatest challenge in the ring.

Usyk’s rise to prominence began in the cruiserweight division, where he systematically dismantled the competition. He won his first world title by defeating Krzysztof Glowacki in Poland in 2016. Usyk then unified two belts by outpointing Mairis Briedis in Latvia and became the undisputed cruiserweight champion with a decisive victory over Murat Gassiev in Russia in 2018. He capped off his cruiserweight career by knocking out Tony Bellew in the UK.

Transitioning to the heavyweight division, Usyk started with a victory over Chazz Witherspoon in America in 2019, followed by a points win against Derek Chisora in 2020. His career-defining moments came when he outpointed Anthony Joshua twice in 2021 and 2022 to claim and retain three of the four heavyweight belts. Most recently, Usyk secured a split decision victory over Tyson Fury to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.

In a Twitter Q&A after completing his cruiserweight run, Usyk had named Tony Bellew as the toughest opponent of his career. Bellew had managed to trouble Usyk early in their fight, landing several consecutive right hands and even taunting the Ukrainian. However, Usyk gradually took control of the bout, wobbling Bellew with a big left hook in the fourth round and ultimately knocking him out in the eighth. Bellew’s performance was commendable, as few had tested Usyk to that extent before.

Speaking more recently, after his high-stakes encounters with Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, Usyk reflected on these battles. While both Joshua fights were grueling and required Usyk to be at his tactical best, it was the clash with Tyson Fury that Usyk now considers the hardest of his career. “I almost lost to him,” Usyk admitted, highlighting the intensity and difficulty of the bout.

Usyk’s victory over Fury in May to become the undisputed heavyweight champion was a historic achievement. Despite emerging victorious, Usyk acknowledged that Fury pushed him to his limits like no other opponent had. “It was the hardest fight of my career,” Usyk said, emphasizing the respect he holds for Fury’s abilities.

With a rematch between Usyk and Fury already scheduled for December, the boxing world eagerly anticipates another epic showdown. Usyk’s revised assessment of his toughest fight adds a new layer of intrigue to the upcoming bout, as both fighters prepare to once again test their limits in the ring.