If Usyk turned Pro at heavyweight instead of cruiserweight

How is boxing history changed?

He won the Cruiserweight title in 2016. Fury dethroned Wlad in 2015. Does AJ ever become a champion?

 

Heavyweight goat probably, he'd have surpassed Lewis and Ali, objectively, but i need to see him against Kabayel and Wardley to be sure. Those 2 have the most unique styles in the division. Kabayel is definitely better than Chisora and Joyce at pressure fighting and breaking you down

 

Kabayel, maybe. But Wardley?

I guess not many can get beat every minute of every round until they land a knockout punch.

 

How does beating Wardley and Kabayel elevate him above Lewis and Ali? Neither of them would be in the top 5 wins for Lewis or Ali.

 

You can’t say “objectively” in a hypothetical fantasy convo bro.

 

This assumes he'd have already cleared the era apart from Wardley and Kabayel. It asks what if Usyk turned pro at heavyweight, he'd likely have beaten everyone. But Wardley, Zhang and Kabayel are the most unique boxers in the division and Usyk has never came across anything like them

 

I think he did right. The big names weren't there at heavy for him to obtain elite greatness, and if he had beaten Joshua and Fury back when, they would not have had even the cache they do today. So bossing the best cruiser division ever and moving up to beat Joshua and Fury after they developed was the right path.

 

Nothing unique about Wardley at all. He losses every round until he finds his big punch, and there are clouds over both the Huni and Parker fights over quick stoppages. I wish him well and think that Usyk should have taken it, but calling him "unique" is just wrong. He basic, powerful, and determined.

Zhang is pretty unique outside of maybe Corrie Sanders, but as a 4 round fighter with health problems, he's not that good.

Kabayel is a unique fighter in that he work as a boxer, puncher or swarmer, but for all his talent, his big wins of Zhang, Makhmudov, Sanchez and Chisora are less then stellar. Again, I am hoping he gets his chance to shine soon, but I don't think he's on Usyk's short list at all because he isn't marketable, so I am hoping Usyk gives up the WBC belt and allows him to carry it. I am curios about this Knyba fight, because Knyba actually has some talent, though he has no experience at a high level.

Wardley and Kabayel would be decent additions to Usyk's resume, on a Dubois level. Zhang is best left as a curious footnote in heavyweight boxing history.

 

Nobody in this era fights similar to Wardley regardless of him being a tough bruiser. The entire package is unique. Wilder is the most common comparison but Wilder is a pure gunslinger who can only throw a jab and a right hand, far more limited and he can't counter punch. He's not like Joyce. He's way more athletic, he's a better combination puncher, he's awkward because of his less fundamental style, he throws punches from odd angles and atypical combinations (like the uppercut followed by the left hook) which is far more dangerous than you think (that uppercut he caught Parker with in round 10), he has great reflexes when he's in control of the pace (his pull counter is an example along with Wardley violently twisting his upperbody to roll with punches) and he can fight off the ropes. Tell me who has even 3/4ths of this bundle ????

"Clarke fought Wardley to a draw and Huni schooled him for 9 rounds Parker will dominate him"

Wardley is going to wreck Dubois and I can't wait. Then it will be over, nobody can take his wins away from him.

 

I think you are seeing some things that aren't really there, but I'll leave it at that.

 

Being from the UK I love Wardley and his story but Usyk stands him on his head with one arm tied behind his back.

 

I didn't see him losing to Parker thats for sure

 

Solid post. I agree.

If Usyk isn't fighting Kabayel or Wardley next they should fight each other as well. Fascinating match up.

 

Usyk improved his skills in cruiserweight. I think he wouldn't be this successful if he had started at heavyweight. He would probably be knocked out at some point before becoming the undisputed champion.

 

The problem is with threads like this is you're changing history and some of Usyk's notable wins at Heavyweight wouldn't have the same impact.

There's so many different variables for example.....

If Usyk beat Wladimir before Fury or Joshua fought Wladimir then their records and standing would also take a massive hit.

Would Fury become champion ? Probably not.

Joshua wouldn't have the title wins.

Would Wilder still have the trilogy vs Fury ?

And that's what I'm saying with Usyk entering the Heavyweight division alot sooner it would impact on the likes of Joshua and Fury's careers.

So the point I'm making is that Usyk beating Fury and Joshua probably wouldn't of had the same impact because they wouldn't of had the careers they had if Usyk become a Heavyweight sooner.

So all in all whilst Usyk would have more title wins at Heavyweight I don't necessarily think he would be higher on the all time P4P rankings.

Usyk's Cruiserweight resume adds alot to his career.