Problem is he's only sticking around for a couple of fights, one will inevitably be a third fight with Fury. It's important he gets a few extra names if he wants to enhance his legacy or that question mark will hang above his head.
I hope not, he beat Fury soundly twice. Both fights may have been close-ish on the cards charitably 114-113 in the first fight but really more like 115-112 or wider and fight 2 was really 116-112 or so. Unless Fury were to beat Wardley or Kabayel I don't think he should jump the line. That said he is the only heavyweight who was truly competitive with Usyk
I guess there's always that possibility, but pretty slim imo. If prime Wilder couldn't keep Fury down I can't see Wardley pulling it off
Let's see fury pull this off first. With his long breaks in between and how he treats his body and his age and size, even ped's will struggle to push him through that. And he would have to look really good to get anyone excited. If usyk-fury 3 does not have major promotion and narratives the numbers will not be great.
Usyk Fury 3 happens because Turki will throw the money at it. Fury's also never really been in top shape he just seems to fumble on through fights. Took Usyk to derail that train
I seem to remember that he did look like he lost a bit of his powers of recovery against Ngannou, it was one of the most embarrassing moments in boxing history for me. He had the sport on his back and he looked amateur at best some of the shots that troubled him were glancing at best the knock down in the third round was pathetic. But he should be back to his best now that he’s just smashed a massive cycle into himself, he’s probably been hiding wild boar carcasses all over the place ready incase he pops again. But the thing about Usyk not wanting to face Wardley is not about ducking for me or even money. He probably knows that it’s always been the opposition that has brought the numbers, there’s no way that Wardley will do enough numbers and in terms of legacy that would look like a decline in terms of opposition quality and viewership, you can say what you want but Wardley doesn’t do the same numbers as wilder or Ruiz does. I’m not saying that Wardley Usyk doesn’t do a stadium fight and sell out but it doesn’t do anything PPV wise. It’s a similar situation with Kabayel but he poses an actual threat and is probably a bad matchup stylistically for Usyk, when you consider the narrative that Usyk doesn’t like it to the body and the pressure that Kabayel could apply makes him a dangerous opponent especially with Usyk being at the end of his career. Chisora was an example of how Usyk could have problems with pressure and having his greatest strength taken away from him, range and distance without that Usyk would and had struggled. There is no other fighter that has a stronger argument for not being a ducker than Usyk. The fights he takes away from home are undisputed evidence of this. If you imagine his decision was a ven diagram of what an opponent would do for his legacy then there’s no situation where Wardley or Kabayel make sense. The Ruiz fight is just as risky as the kabayel fight in many ways but it does numbers that make sense and he’s a former world champion, wilder for me was a poor choice of opponent because it was an absolute walk in the park but in Ruiz he is facing the fastest hands of this generation of heavyweights. Ruiz is underrated poses a challenge that no one else does in heavyweight boxing, He’s probably the got the best tools to counter Usyks movement and that’s his speed and accuracy, but he’s famously undisciplined and his conditioning going into his first title defence in the rematch against Joshua was as disappointing a performance as any in boxing history for me.
I love Usyk but I honestly think he blew it in not signing Parker. If he wants fights from the old era, Parker was #3 and the best one of them still doing it right now. Wilder was a manufactured guy who is now totally done, and Ruiz a flash in the pan. When Parker beats his problems and comes back, Usyk ought to call him. As for the new guys, Kabayel more than Wardley. Wardley has yet to win a big fight without a little British ref help.
"I guess my point is that I feel Usyk has fought the top guys and consistently faced tough opposition". Hes faced 4 HWs since the pandemic. "I am ok with a easy fight like Wilder or Ruiz if he turns around and faces a Wardley or Kabayel type next." All signs say hes not doing that though. Usyk wants former champions and he might want a do over of the Chisora fight. Hes always saying hes got 2-3 fights left. Hes not doing anything else. He hasn't expressed interest in anything else. Go back years of interviews and headlines its Chisora, Parker, Andy Ruiz and Wilder. For a moment Usyk wanted an AJ trilogy. Thats Usyks menu right there. Usyks not Tyson Fury who will loudly change his mind about his life goals every time hes interviewed. If pressure starts mounting Usyk will just say hes old and retire. He wants to do what he wants to do and has shown no sign of budging.
Yep you are right Fury has never looked in good shape but always finds a way to win. It took someone as great as Usyk to finally beat him. A lot of people don't like Fury but the reality is he is very good and he has proven many times that he will not stay down.
Actually Klimis said that after what they saw in Germany they are taking a second look at Kabayel. Say what you will, but that is more real evidence that they are interested in Kabayel than has ever been presented that they are interested in Ruiz.
when your pushing 40 a wild, power puncher like Wardley is a good one to dodge I would like to see Wardly Itauna