Does Oleksandr Usyk defeat the top 10 heavyweights?

Do you mean the current top ten or the all-time top ten.

 

Do you mean any of the top ten atg? If so, here is my list.

1) Ali - No
2) Louis - Possibly
3) Lewis - No
4) Holmes - No
5) W. Klitschko - No
6) Foreman - Maybe
7) Frazier - No
8) Tyson - Possibly
9) Liston - Possibly
10) Marciano - Probably

 

My list

1) Ali - No
2) Lewis - No
3) Tyson - No
4) Foreman - No
5) Holmes - No
6) Joe Louis - No
7) Frazier - No
8) W. Klitschko - No
9) Liston - No
10) Marciano - Maybe and would not bet a penny on it

 

and Dozens more too.

 

Very sensible reply.

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Me too.

 

I like the guy, but, No, 10 times.

 

Let's just say that he has a very high theoretical ceiling, and leave it at that.

 

If we’re talking about the current top 10 of 2022 then he has a “ shot” at all of them.

if we’re talking about any sort of all time great top 10 then I suppose it depends on exactly WHO you have ranked in it. But yes he’d have at least a “ chance “ against some of them. He’s very skilled, athletic, durable, fit and a reasonably good size .

 

What does "any" mean here? 2, 3, 4... or maybe even more?

 

I'm with you, dj.

 

Give me a list and I’ll tell you who I think he beats. Outside of a couple of awful stylistic matchups like Tyson and Lewis, and probably Frazier and Foreman, anyone suggesting Usyk isn’t a live dog against basically any heavyweight that ever lived is wearing rose tinted spectacles.

The cruiserweight version beats probably any pre-Liston champ. Louis being his toughest test. Even that version would be huge in most eras as about 215 and 6’3. Given his cast iron chin and southpaw abilities, he’d be an absolute nightmare for most of ‘em. I think you can throw Gassiev and Briedis back and they’d slot nicely into many heavyweight eras also.

And seriously, have people actually watched Larry Holmes? He has a couple of inches of reach on Usyk, never fought a southpaw as a pro I don’t think, and we know he’s had close ones with inferior fighters. Do you really just think he’s going to have the same potency with his jab? They’re about the same height as well.

It’s rose-tinted spectacles, honestly, to think that Usyk with his frame, his skills, and with how proven he is in terms of quality opponents on big occasions, isn’t capable of beating a lot of the ATG heavyweights, and if not beating then certainly deserving to be seriously discussed