Usyk vs. Fury I - One Year Ago Today, The Undisputed Heavyweight Drought Ended

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by NullaLexInk, May 18, 2025 at 5:06 AM.


Was it worth the wait?

  1. Yes

    27 vote(s)
    93.1%

  2. No

    2 vote(s)
    6.9%
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  1. NullaLexInk

    NullaLexInk Well-Known Member Full Member

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    And it ended in a most glorious fashion, one that made the near quarter of a century wait worth it :ggg

    It was the first time all four major belts were on the line at heavyweight. Usyk brought in the WBA Super, IBF and WBO titles and was also recognized as the champion by The Ring. Fury brought in the WBC title and was widely recognized as the lineal champion of the division due to his win over Wladimir Klitschko nearly a decade prior.

    This wasn't just a unification of belts though. It was what an undisputed fight oughta be - two guys who stand head and shoulders above the rest coming together to prove who's the man at their weight class. Them being unbeaten sweetened the pot even more. Furthermore, it would also answer a question many have debated for decades at this point - could a fighter you'd find in Ali's era hang with the super heavyweights of the modern age? This is the type of thing you'd expect to see as the setup of a boxing movie.

    And it played out about like you'd expect a movie to do too. The smaller man had a great start, the bigger man began to come on strong to a point many saw the end as a forgone conclusion by the halfway mark, and then the underdog came roaring back on the way to a competitive, hard earned victory.

    But enough of my talking about it. It's readily available on Youtube, courtesy of the man who made it happen.

    This content is protected


    Unfortunately, the wait for an undisputed defense continues, as Usyk was stripped of the IBF title about a month after the fact. Thankfully though, the wait for another undisputed champion won't be nearly as long and will come to an end on July 19th, barring a no contest or draw. It'll likely be the man who it oughta still be anyways and against a dude he's already thoroughly beaten, but hey, at least the wait won't be as long! :lol:
     
    NullaLexInk, May 18, 2025 at 5:06 AM
    NullaLexInk, May 18, 2025 at 5:06 AM
    #1
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  2. OddR

    OddR Active Member Full Member

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    I was thinking it's a year today.

    What a night. Excellent from both men but Uysk had too much from R9 onwards.
     
    OddR, May 18, 2025 at 5:10 AM
    OddR, May 18, 2025 at 5:10 AM
    #2
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  3. AdamT

    AdamT Boxing Addict Full Member

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    A year already
    That's ****** mental
     
    AdamT, May 18, 2025 at 5:22 AM
    AdamT, May 18, 2025 at 5:22 AM
    #3
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  4. Kiwi Fish

    Kiwi Fish Member Full Member

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    It was definitely good, I don't know if it beats how good Klitschko vs Klitschko or Joshua vs Wilder would have been though.

    It is nice to have a clear undisputed best heavyweight as well.
     
    Kiwi Fish, May 18, 2025 at 5:41 AM
    Kiwi Fish, May 18, 2025 at 5:41 AM
    #4
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  5. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    This fight should have happened in April of 2023. Usyk wanted it and Fury was trying to price himself out of it.

    If we had gotten the Usyk-Fury fights over in 2023 (both of them), we could have potentially seen Usyk-Zhang or Usyk-Parker or Usyk-Kabayel by now. Not all of them but maybe a couple of them.

    Such a pity it took an extra 14 months and that embarrassing clown show vs Nnganou and the cut for this to happen. If we do not end up getting Usyk-Parker, then the delays by team Fury are responsible.

    Glad Usyk won. He is the rightful champ.
     
    dmt, May 18, 2025 at 5:43 AM
    dmt, May 18, 2025 at 5:43 AM
    #5
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  6. JackSilver

    JackSilver Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Was Usyk stripped of the ibf title or did he give it up because he didn’t want to face their mandatory challenger?
     
    JackSilver, May 18, 2025 at 5:43 AM
    JackSilver, May 18, 2025 at 5:43 AM
    #6
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  7. miniq

    miniq AJ IS A BODYBUILDING BUM Full Member

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    It's actually hilarious how far ahead of their peers Fury and Usyk are and I don't think either of them performed at their best nor can they anymore as they're both on the steep decline

    I can only imagine what a fight both would put up both firing on all cylinders. They matched up great stylisticaly also.

    If Fury won he'd be in a rut right now and overweight again but Usyk has given him a new lease of life. The ability to dream again and he will be back and probably be champion again.
     
    miniq, May 18, 2025 at 6:02 AM
    miniq, May 18, 2025 at 6:02 AM
    #7
  8. Overhand94

    Overhand94 Active Member Full Member

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    It's Usyk who vacated the belt.
    AFAIK the IBF agreed with him keeping the belt for the rematch.
     
    Overhand94, May 18, 2025 at 7:42 AM
    Overhand94, May 18, 2025 at 7:42 AM
    #8
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  9. JackSilver

    JackSilver Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Yeah he will be the champion customer at Andy Ruiz’s new pizza place haha
     
    JackSilver, May 18, 2025 at 8:21 AM
    JackSilver, May 18, 2025 at 8:21 AM
    #9
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  10. Serge

    Serge Ginger Dracula Staff Member

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    One of the most iconic moments in boxing history and certainly the most iconic in a very long time

    ''Do not be afraid, I will not leave you alone''

    This content is protected
     
    Serge, May 18, 2025 at 8:52 AM
    Serge, May 18, 2025 at 8:52 AM
    #10
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  11. FrankinDallas

    FrankinDallas FRANKINAUSTIN

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    Wow. A year ago today. Not to brag but I attended that fight. The tension was palpable from the first round and the usually quite crowd went bonkers during that fateful 9th round. I turned to the woman sitting next to me....a Brazilian girl....and she had her hands to her face. "I forgot to breathe during that whole round!".
     
    FrankinDallas, May 18, 2025 at 9:02 AM
    FrankinDallas, May 18, 2025 at 9:02 AM
    #11
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  12. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    It honestly might have been the best moment of my life...a great fight, the right guy won, and most important, my kids shared it with me. In the ninth round, I started jumping up and down screaming, and I noticed someone else was screaming, and I looked to see my two-year old jumping up and down and screaming with me. She had no idea what was going on, but daddy was jumping up and down screaming, so she started doing the same.

    Then I grabbed her up and hugged her, and my six-year came running and shouting, "daddy, what's wrong?"

    And I said, "Nothing baby, our boy's winning!" And throughout I got on here and talked trash in the round by round.

    Until then, the most I ever enjoyed a fight was Foreman-Holyfield, which similarly had great memories of my Uncle, RIP, my mom, and our friends coming over. People were coming in off the street in the seventh asking if Forman won. But my kids being there with me at that moment made this a great, special day.

    And you guys too, in the round-by-round.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2025 at 12:42 PM
    catchwtboxing, May 18, 2025 at 9:27 AM
    catchwtboxing, May 18, 2025 at 9:27 AM
    #12
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  13. Ice8Cold

    Ice8Cold Still raging that we didnt see Bowe V Lewis Full Member

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    The first fight between Fury and Usyk was brilliant.
     
    Ice8Cold, May 18, 2025 at 10:41 AM
    Ice8Cold, May 18, 2025 at 10:41 AM
    #13
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  14. OddR

    OddR Active Member Full Member

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    I thought both very fast and more explosive more so than the rematch were there were more wary of each other.
     
    OddR, May 18, 2025 at 10:42 AM
    OddR, May 18, 2025 at 10:42 AM
    #14
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  15. AdamT

    AdamT Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Yeah it was a pretty good fight, especially for heavyweights
     
    AdamT, May 18, 2025 at 11:15 AM
    AdamT, May 18, 2025 at 11:15 AM
    #15
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