The undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is set to risk his belts in a highly anticipated rematch against Tyson Fury this December. Despite his recent victory over Fury, Usyk appears somewhat dissatisfied and is already contemplating his next challenge to further cement his legacy in the boxing world.
In his illustrious 11-year career, Usyk has achieved everything a boxer could dream of. He won the Olympic gold medal in London 2012, became a world champion in Baku 2011, and claimed the European title in Liverpool 2008. As a professional, the Ukrainian has dominated both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions with remarkable ease.
Usyk’s rise to stardom continued in 2018 when he became the undisputed cruiserweight champion after a technical knockout victory over Tony Bellew. Not one to rest on his laurels, Usyk moved up to the heavyweight division, where his split decision victory over Fury crowned him the undisputed champion in May.
However, according to a report by talkSPORT’s Michael Benson, Usyk is now considering moving back down to cruiserweight to unify the four main belts once again. “Oleksandr Usyk has declared that he is considering moving back down to CRUISERWEIGHT after the Tyson Fury rematch so he can attempt to become the undisputed WBA, WBC, IBF & WBO cruiserweight world champion for a second time,” Benson stated on X, formerly Twitter.
This revelation has stirred mixed reactions among fans. Some believe Usyk would easily dominate the cruiserweight division again, as there seems to be no one on his level. “He’ll easily become undisputed again if he does move back down to cruiser. There’s no one even close to his level there,” commented a user on X.
Others argue that Usyk’s only real challenger in the cruiserweight division would be Australian Jay Opetaia. They suggest that he should consider moving to the new bridgerweight division, situated between cruiserweight and heavyweight, to achieve the feat of being a champion in three different divisions.
Cynics, however, speculate that Usyk might be looking to avoid tougher heavyweight opponents like Anthony Joshua or Jared Anderson. Despite these opinions, Usyk still has at least one more heavyweight bout ahead—his highly anticipated rematch against Fury on December 21.
If Usyk decides to return to cruiserweight after this rematch, he will be on a path to further solidify his claim as one of the greatest boxers of all time (GOAT). His relentless pursuit of new challenges and willingness to take risks continue to captivate boxing enthusiasts worldwide.
As the boxing community eagerly awaits the rematch with Fury, Usyk’s potential move to cruiserweight adds another layer of excitement and intrigue to his already storied career.
