Oleksandr Usyk says Rico Verhoeven was the toughest opponent of his Boxing career

Rico with his style was a good style matchup against old usyk. Usyk didn't use his feet as well, stamina was down a bit and ricos guard was specialized against straight punches.

Joshua from usyk 1/2 would have knocked rico out. Rico was open to hooks and uppercuts and moved into striking distance erratically. You tell me how that works out against a puncher. So joshua is a bad Style matchup for rico. Any puncher that uses anything but straight punches is. Furys uppercut could be enough for a ko, too. Also rico hasn't got great power. So that's a recipe for desaster for him. And I am neither a fury nor joshua fan.

39 year oly usyk struggled most against rico, i think that much is obvious to everyone. But since there are styles in boxing, that doesn't mean that rico is better than all other opponents of usyk.

But that pressure style seems to be usyks cryptonite. As i mentioned before that fight (which i thought was a foregone conclusion) when i was arguing against those that said usyk clearly beats any boxer in history:
usyk already struggled against briedies and there are many better than briedis and that means there are styles that don't work for usyk as well and there are fighters that aren't necessarily higher in the all time rankings that you have to favor over him. Unless you are willing to accept briedis in an all time heavyweight spot.

 

The probability is he will be closer to Ngannou level than elite level when all is said and done.

 

If he genuinely believes this then he needs to hang them up. Rico might've been awkward and different to what Usyk is used to but he should've figured him out pretty quick given how one dimensional Rico's approach was; especially when the uppercut was there all night.

 

Toughest opponent for Usyk. Yes.
Best opponent. No. Probably the worst, at least at heavyweight.

 

The assumption that AJ would have beaten Rico is fantasy. He's been broken since Ruiz 1, and you're assuming Rico would go in with the exact same gameplan. If Rico can outbox Usyk, he can sure as hell outbox AJ.

 

I couldn't see Ngannou winning a round against Usyk, let alone 5-6 of them.

 

Worse than the likes of Dubios and Witherspoon?

 

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Joshua finished him quickly, but if you've watched any of Rico's kickboxing career at all, you would know that he has never fought with that crouching hunched over style before. He always fights tall, uses his reach, and prefers to fight from distance the majority of time. He developed this style specifically to fight Usyk. It's not a natural style for him at all. So, this fight means very little when evaluating Rico against other heavyweights in boxing. If he loses to Joshua, it will be from an overall disadvantage in boxing skill and experience.

 

Usyk is an honest person if he says Rico was his toughest fight,then that’s what it is . But it was Usyk’s fault that it was his toughest fight .

 

39 years old having won everything and made 9 figures, underestimating the opponent, no footage of him to study. I could see Ngannou winning rounds vs Usyk under those circumstances. He won 4 vs Fury in a 10 round fight.

Ngannou also isnt a pointfighter, he is a KO artist. Not apples to apples. Rico had huge advantages going into the Usyk fight which are no longer in play.

 

Rico was 37.

Trying to KO Usyk didn't work for Chisroa, Dubios, AJ or Fury. What makes you think Ngannou would have any chance of it? Usyk could be 45 and I'd still back him to outwork Ngannou.

 

Thanks Usyk not one excuse made. Just honesty and humbleness.

 

Usyk is 2+ years older, which can be a big deal for a small mover. Im not saying Ngannou KO's Usyk, just that his style is radically different to Rico's, different strengths and weaknesses. They both hugely overacheived against elite HW's and would likely have a competitive fight together. Rico would do better vs some HW's, Ngannou others. Do not be surprised if Rico gets beat by a top 15 guy next if he fights him.

 

Rico may have been his toughest fight. With a large assist from Father Time, and, sub-optimal training from Usyk.

 

Anything is possible, but people are jumping to conclusions based on Ricos particular style for one fight and assuming less skilled heavyweights like AJ will beat him because AJ had success against a stationary plodder in Ngannou. Styles make fights, and Rico appears talented enough to not repeat Ngannous mistakes.