Who's the next Ukrainian Heavyweight champion after Usyk?

It's a fine history Ukraine has in the heavyweight division since becoming an independent nation.

They have some good fighters coming up in the heavyweight division too

Vladyslav Sirenko 21-0 (18)
Oleksandr Zakhozhyi 19-0 (15)
Tsotne Rogava 9-0 (7),
Andrii Novytskyi 11-0 (9)
Viktor Vykhryst 12-1 (8)

 

None of these guys are that good. I seem to remember Sirenko had some talent but he has a chronic hand injury, apparently.

Zakhozhyi was used as a opener for Vykhryst, who was a bust, so how good can he be?

 

Sirenko is back. He's had two fights this year and is looking sharp. He's a good talent I think he can be a top 10 player at least.

Zakhozhyi recently became European Champion in destructive fashion. And Vykhryst only loss was because of an injury.

Rogava has been really active this year, trained by Joe Goosen, and eith a new promoter in the USA and he's been impressive. I like how he goes to body a lot. He looks more suited to the pros than he was the amateurs.

Novytyski is signed with Egis Klimas and looks quite good. Early days though.

It's not as bleak as you're making out. Ukraine have decent heavyeights rising up. One or two might turn out to be be right up there.

 

I am not sure as i haven't seen much of any of these guys.

Interesting that Ukraine does have so many heavies though. In many other countries, guys that big would go into basketball.

 

They don't have many though at all. Ukraine only have 27 current active heavyweights. Whereas USA have 329 current active heavyweights, the most of any country in the world by far.

It's about quality. Ukraine are just good at boxing/fighting.

And anyway regardless, someone who bounces a ball generally isn't someone who likes to fight. Fighters are fighters.

 

I actually hope you are right but none of these guys are giving be a championship vibe.

 

Boxers usually come from the 'working class'.
The future ones probably all died or got crippled in the war, since common people are the cannon fodder.
If they didn't get physically destroyed, they'll end up leaving and 'changing nationalities'.
They'll become Nigerian/Indian/Pakistani/Vietnamese etc. for a 'better life'.

Some might even go to Germany/Sweden/UK/France/Netherlands/USA/Canada.

 

Might never see one again...

 

I wonder how the war will affect the future of Ukranian boxing

 

I think Sirenko has the best chance. But I don't think we'll see any of them, and it'll be a while before we see a Ukrainian world heavyweight champion again.

 

Basketball or Rugby

 

It has affected them. Many boxing gyms have closed or been destoyed, many boxers have died or been injured. RIP Maksym Galinichev and Oleksandr Onyshchenko in particular.

There's was hardly any pro boxing shows there before then. Now their are virtually none.

Yet still they are producing top fighters against all odds, without making excuses (unlike other nations).

 

They can only market people whose surname is double syllables.

Most Americans would struggle to pronounce a 3 syllable Eastern European surname.

Brits are a little more intelligent and refined and wouldn't struggle as much but even then it's hard to market a foreign fighter and make good money from them

Usyk has a feel-good story - toppling giants, overcoming challenges and becoming Undisputed HW champion - while his nation is battling Russia.

It's a real David Vs Goliath story being played out in front of the world both literally and metaphorically and can be marketed well.

 

I think people are sleeping on Vlad Sirenko. He's very good. Hopefully he gets a chance on one of them big Saudi cards.

 

Zakhozhyi looked formidable in his last fight. But I think he will struggle to get solid opponents without the amateur pedigree of former Ukrainian HWs.