Oleksandr Usyk has reflected on a pivotal moment that changed his perspective during his bout against Tyson Fury for the heavyweight titles.

It’s no longer news that Oleksandr Usyk has been the undisputed heavyweight world champion since May 18th, following his massive victory over Tyson Fury. A rematch is already scheduled for December 2024. Usyk was invited to the 3 Knockdown Rules podcast. He initially compared Fury’s level to that of Anthony Joshua before revisiting a moment that altered the course of the fight. 

Oleksandr Usyk had a rough start to the fight, as he himself admits. However, there was a moment in the bout where Usyk realized he was in serious danger and that things needed to change quickly—a Fury uppercut delivered in the 6th round. 

“When I received the uppercut, it hurt a lot. I felt the pain for about ten seconds, and I thought to myself, ‘God, please help me.’ I told myself, ‘Move. Move because if you stop, he’ll kill you, and he could have killed me.'”