Povetkin can box and he's got brutal power. Usyk is ballsy as hell if this fight happens as his first fight at heavyweight...
It'll look like Usyk-Medzhidov, and like with that fight, had it went another 3 or 4, Usyk would have scored the stoppage. Usyk wins by KO9.
It's certainly a sign of intent if it happens and is the perfect fight to show the world where he will stack up in the top tier heavyweight line up. I would favour Usyk for the win as he's fresher and has the best amateur pedigree arguably, of any fighter to operate at heavyweight for a generation. Will doubtless be an entertaining matchup and will give AJ options should Wilder and Fury need a rubber match. Fingers crossed it happens.
Still a pretty tough first up fight at heavyweight. I heard in preparation for the 2012 Olympics if any of the smaller fighters were late to training they had to do 100 squats with Usyk's balls draped over their shoulders.
What Andrey Ryabinskiy (World of Boxing, Povetkin's promoter) said about this: "...This fight is possible. But it would be wrong to say that everything's settled for it. We are thinking about it, but there are other options as well."
Personally I'd rather they didn't fight each other because I'm a big fan of both. I'm a bigger fan of Usyk's than I am of Povetkin so I'll be pulling for him but I don't want to see Povetkin head off into the sunset with back to back loses and given his age I strongly suspect that will be the case should he lose. Usyk has the biggest set of plums in the sport bar none. Povetkin is obviously past his best but he's still very formidable and one of the best HWS in the world. The Ring have him ranked #6 at HW but only because he's coming off the loss against AJ. As I said at the time, the Povetkin who fought AJ would've beaten Donkey (and via savage HL reel KO too) and I'd also back that version of him to beat everyone ranked above him sans AJ and Fury. Usyk Olympic gold medalist + World Amateur gold medalist and European gold medalist x 1 vs Povetkin Olympic gold medalist + World Amateur gold medalist and European gold medalist x 2 Pov is still a top 3 or 4 HW IMO, the best left hooker and combination puncher in the division, has KO power in either fist, one of the top 2 most skilful HWs in the world, is teak-tough and his HL reel is pretty spectacular This content is protected This content is protected
And there's also an opinion, that Robert Helenius (http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/451505) is one of the main candidates for Usyk: http://www.ringpolska.pl/boks-na-sw...helenius-kandydatem-do-walki-z-usykiem-w-maju (auto-translated): "Robert Helenius (28-2, 17 KO) is one of the main candidates for the fight against Oleksandr Usyk (16-0, 12 KO), who will return to the ring on May 18 during a gala in Chicago. For the Ukrainian, it is to be a debut in the heavy category. 35-year-old Helenius was recently attempted to duel with Kubrat Pulew. The fight was to take place in March in the United States, but the Finn eventually did not sign the contract and withdrew from this competition. Helenius won against Erkan Teper in the last fight. In the context of the May fight against Usyk, the name of Aleksandr Powietkin is also mentioned. Soon, the place and date of the next Ukrainian performance will be officially confirmed."
Helenius would be a more logical choice in preparation for Wilder or Joshua. But would be way less fun imho.
Gassiev had brutal power too... how did that work out for him lol.... also 15 years younger and faster LOL
Easy fight for Usyk. Povetkin is about 40, he passed his peak. Povetkin lost the last fight with a heavy knockout and first of all, Povetkin doesn't have a good motivation for hard training, his time is over. It would be interesting if Povetkin was 3-4 years younger. In this case, I think that Povetkin would be a favorite in the fight against Usik. Povetkin was definitely better than Briedis or Bellew.
