Has Usky just demolished the myth of the modern superheavyweight?

Let's not forget that he won world and Olympic gold at HW in the amateurs.

Why focus on him being a middleweight in the amateurs more than 15 years ago... what has that got to do with anything?

 

Usyk was a middleweight at the age of 18 or 19. Perhaps there were some 223lb heavyweights in the 1970s that were competing as middleweights at that kind of age?

 

Janitor, please, no more USKY!

 

Agreed, although I think Lewis might stop him earlier.

I too think Usyk is a great fighter, relative to his time, and he deserves considerable credit for what he has achieved but, in the cold light of day, his feats won't equate to his being some kind of cross-era-conquering ATG Heavyweight.

 

Plainly and simply, it has 'proven' that Usyk should be considered the best heavyweight in the world, at present.

And that is all, really.

 

It seems to me you have two camps one that vastly overrates older fighters for example expecting 180 pound Heavyweights to beat Super Heavyweights is just silly.

But then you have the other camp who overrate these Super Heavyweights and think they would beat any smaller Heavyweight just because of size, even though there is plenty examples of smaller elite Heavyweights beating Super Heavyweights. They also don't take into account how fighters match up which for me is the most important aspect.

All in all I think any reasonable boxing fan will have a balanced opinion in regards to smaller skillful Heavyweights between 200-220 being able to have success and vice a versa with Super Heavyweights.

I don't think Usyk has changed that opinion though because Holyfield has showed he could beat much bigger Super Heavyweights and so did Chris Byrd to an extent.

 

That's fair.

Although, hypothetically, should a rematch take place this year and Fury reverses the result, then there might be a case against your second point, in my opinion.

 

Honestly, considering Fury's mental state, and his post fight interview (Happy new year.... wtf) It's very possible he could suffer a mental breakdown like he did following the bout with Klitschko.

 

Agreed.

I find the whole 'size argument' is too often generalized into the extremes, such as you have outlined, beyond being meaningful. It's a massive and unnecessary distraction away from other important facets of a fight - like actual styles, skills, tactics, for example.

Wide size differences in heavyweight boxing are as old as the division itself, with mixed results.
I can't take the topic too seriously, these days - even though it does stir up lively debate and generates a few gems here and there.

 

Agreed. Fury's plan will be high-risk, either way, and he'll need to bring something extra to push the envelope - because I'm sure Usyk will be looking to improve on his performance too.