Usyk drops WBO title

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by NullaLexInk, Nov 17, 2025 at 11:27 AM.


Page 5 of 5
  1. Wizbit1013

    Wizbit1013 Drama go, and don't come back Full Member

    13,460
    17,138
    Mar 17, 2018
    Two of those he was contracted to do so either the original fight wasn't happening
    Dubois was a bit lame admittedly but it served him a purpose

    So is it actually him holding up the division or the powers that be

    He dropped a belt so now the pretenders can fight it out

    What do you mean he didn't need to? Every top level boxer will at some stage get to the point where they will be more choosy about what they do as they begin to focus on business first rather than establishing themselves

    It's just the nature of the beast and it's not going to change because fans call for it

    Again personally I'd look at why the last few fights he had were rematches before blaming him
     
    Wizbit1013, Nov 21, 2025 at 3:54 AM
    Wizbit1013, Nov 21, 2025 at 3:54 AM
    #61
    Jackstraw likes this.
  2. Kwabz

    Kwabz New Member Full Member

    4
    2
    Aug 8, 2025
    Totally agree they should make the interim champ and the no1 or no2 ranked boxer fight for the vacant belt
     
    Kwabz, Nov 21, 2025 at 4:12 AM
    Kwabz, Nov 21, 2025 at 4:12 AM
    #62
    Kiwi Casual likes this.
  3. Kiwi Casual

    Kiwi Casual Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,303
    4,575
    Jul 31, 2021
    He chose to drop the IBF so he could rematch the winner rather than defend it. Now he's dropping the WBO despite asking for an extension and having no other obligations.

    It's not a great look, and it absolutely is stalling the division.
     
    Kiwi Casual, Nov 21, 2025 at 4:54 AM
    Kiwi Casual, Nov 21, 2025 at 4:54 AM
    #63
    Finkel, LoveThis and Overhand94 like this.
  4. mrbigshot

    mrbigshot Active Member Full Member

    1,391
    932
    Oct 29, 2021
    Everybody is not happy that wardley was elevated because usyk chickened out . Wardley is definitely man enough and willing to fight for the belt .
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2025 at 10:14 AM
    mrbigshot, Nov 21, 2025 at 4:58 AM
    mrbigshot, Nov 21, 2025 at 4:58 AM
    #64
    Overhand94 likes this.
  5. Wizbit1013

    Wizbit1013 Drama go, and don't come back Full Member

    13,460
    17,138
    Mar 17, 2018
    We're gonna just have to agree to disagree then
     
    Wizbit1013, Nov 21, 2025 at 6:22 AM
    Wizbit1013, Nov 21, 2025 at 6:22 AM
    #65
    Kiwi Casual likes this.
  6. Serge

    Serge Ginger Dracula Staff Member

    81,142
    133,500
    Jul 21, 2009
    Belly wasn't 38-39 y/o, at the end or in the twilight of his career, who had forged a career fighting in his opponent's backyards and on the road (albeit he is a road warrior too) very often as the B-side, and he wasn't a paragon of virtue who hadn't put a foot wrong and therefore hadn't racked up an abundance of good grace points like Usyk has and so richly deserves. Far from it, in fact. Usyk's conduct has been exemplary in and out of the ring

    I would've preferred it if Usyk had vacated prior to Fabio vs J-Park but, as said, we have no idea what's going on behind the scenes or what his plans are or what he is being advised or encouraged to do
     
    Serge, Nov 21, 2025 at 10:07 AM
    Serge, Nov 21, 2025 at 10:07 AM
    #66
    Jackstraw and Kiwi Casual like this.
  7. Kiwi Casual

    Kiwi Casual Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,303
    4,575
    Jul 31, 2021
    Arguably Fury was no spring chicken, and also won all of his belts as a B-side underdog in his opponents backyards.

    Additionally, Usyk is his own man. I don't really accept that someone else would be pulling the strings here. But you're right, we don't have the full story.
     
    Kiwi Casual, Nov 21, 2025 at 12:37 PM
    Kiwi Casual, Nov 21, 2025 at 12:37 PM
    #67
    Serge likes this.
  8. Kiwi Casual

    Kiwi Casual Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,303
    4,575
    Jul 31, 2021
    Fair play brother. Appreciate your point of view.
     
    Kiwi Casual, Nov 21, 2025 at 12:38 PM
    Kiwi Casual, Nov 21, 2025 at 12:38 PM
    #68
    Wizbit1013 and Serge like this.
  9. Serge

    Serge Ginger Dracula Staff Member

    81,142
    133,500
    Jul 21, 2009
    I know he won the belts in his opponent's backyards too and I've always given him credit for that but his conduct in and out of the ring has been far from exemplary. Usyk hasn't put a foot wrong and as said has been a paragon of virtue. He cleaned out all the top fighters in the division and highest ranked guys at the time and he's about to turn 39, Belly fought Wlad and The Dosser but he fought a lot of soft touches.

    Usyk has gone from Glowacki, Mchunu, Hunter, Huck, Breidis, Gassiev, Bellew

    To

    Witherspoon, Chisora, AJ, AJ, Dubois, Belly, Belly, Dubois

    All in their backyards or on the road arguably sans Dubois I and all the HWs way bigger than him and often as the B-side

    The only soft touch there was Witherspoon and he was a very late notice sub and it was Usyk's official pro HW debut

    Even if Usyk is chasing the biggest possible money fights at this stage of his career after clocking boxing, having achieved al there is to achieve, and after spending his entire career being the epitome of a legacy fighter and doing things the hard and righteous way and treading a path many of his fellow greats didn't do or refused to do, I won't hold it against him because we know his country is at war and what he will do with much of that money and how much he can help his countrymen with it and if he is I believe that will be his motivation for doing so not greed and the pursuit of personal wealth.

    Am I giving Usyk the benefit of the doubt? You're damn right I am because he's Usyk and he's more than earned it
     
    Serge, Nov 21, 2025 at 1:16 PM
    Serge, Nov 21, 2025 at 1:16 PM
    #69
    Grinder, jmb1356, Kiwi Casual and 2 others like this.
  10. mrbigshot

    mrbigshot Active Member Full Member

    1,391
    932
    Oct 29, 2021
    mrbigshot, Nov 22, 2025 at 9:17 AM
    mrbigshot, Nov 22, 2025 at 9:17 AM
    #70
  11. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    28,251
    37,951
    Jul 4, 2014
    Yeah but, now, once Parker beats his problems (and I think he should get a slap on the wrist), he'll be able to rematch Wardley for the WBO belt. And I still think Parker win it.

    I am STILL hoping that Parker-Usyk is doable down the line, but the point is, if Parker just hangs in there, he should get a shot at a belt.
     
    catchwtboxing, Nov 22, 2025 at 9:37 AM
    catchwtboxing, Nov 22, 2025 at 9:37 AM
    #71
  12. Finkel

    Finkel Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,070
    4,851
    Feb 10, 2020
    "You want to call yourself a champion, you need to act like a champion and defend your claim to be the best."
    Exactly this.

    I'm not going to keep banging on about how all this is in line with Usyk being driven by risk/REWARD. As I must admit, I thought Usyk would have at least fought the winner of Wardley v Parker.
    Beating Wardley would have been another name on the Usyk resume. So it's extremely disappointing to see Usyk get another extension to only end up dropping a belt, again.

    One bright spot recently, is that even Sulaiman of the WBC (the most unlikely of heroes) seems to be publicly questioning how Usyk is moving now, and it looks like the WBC are preparing to install Kabayel as the official mandatory in December. Hopefully Kabayel will be official WBC mandatory next month, then negotiations begin after Kabayel's fight in January...

    Surely Usyk can't not fight Kabayel as well
    https://www.dazn.com/en-US/news/box...el-usyk-heavyweight/3tfgk9ck6txz1bxsmmwy4c4s7
     
    Finkel, Nov 22, 2025 at 2:23 PM
    Finkel, Nov 22, 2025 at 2:23 PM
    #72
    Overhand94 likes this.
  13. Grinder

    Grinder Dude, don't call me Dude Full Member

    5,879
    2,594
    Mar 24, 2005
    Usyk has not tested positive. Fury has.
     
    Grinder, Nov 22, 2025 at 2:27 PM
    Grinder, Nov 22, 2025 at 2:27 PM
    #73
    catchwtboxing likes this.
  14. Grinder

    Grinder Dude, don't call me Dude Full Member

    5,879
    2,594
    Mar 24, 2005
    Do you think Usyk is ducking Wardley because he is afraid of fighting him? Do you believe that the contractual negotiations required to make these big fights is simple?
     
    Grinder, Nov 22, 2025 at 2:31 PM
    Grinder, Nov 22, 2025 at 2:31 PM
    #74
  15. Grinder

    Grinder Dude, don't call me Dude Full Member

    5,879
    2,594
    Mar 24, 2005
    Wardley is a world class fighter but Parker was fine when he was given the British stoppage. Huni did look out of it, so that looked a better stoppage, that being said, he was outboxed for the entire fight.
     
    Grinder, Nov 22, 2025 at 2:33 PM
    Grinder, Nov 22, 2025 at 2:33 PM
    #75
    catchwtboxing likes this.
Page 5 of 5