Doesn't seem like 2 minutes ago that I was watching him in fights with ppl like Glowacki & Hunter.. end of an era.. struggling to find fighters to root for now.. Loma (i don't buy the comeback talk), Usyk, GGG, Kovalev.. some of my favourite fighter's have all turned it in.. had some great nights watching & arguing about those fellas.. now most of the divisions are wastelands full of distasteful entitled dickheads.. slim pickings.. respect champ, thanks for the memories. Off to the HOF & the classic you go..
Fun fact Kabayel is an interim champ whose defended his title already. Usyk doing a Rico rematch while Kabayel fights someone else for the world title with no interim label does not really change the status quo here.
Mr Verhoeven sure was a wake up call to Usyk. Now Usyk can fight or indeed not fight whoever he wishes
Was he? Kinda seems like nobody wanted to pay for the fight with Kabayel and Usyk probably got told by Turki the real money is with Zuffa and fighting Fury again or something along those lines. It's always politics. It's wild people still can't figure that out. No boxer on the planet is going to fight a nobody mandatory for no money when the paymasters are telling him the pot of gold is down another path. I mean, is it not just a bit suspicious that Fury was telling people that if Usyk didn't fight Kabayel that he would? Why would Fury ever bring that up? He's said a zillion times in the past Kabayel is his pal and that he wouldn't fight him. But then, out of the blue, Fury is talking about making that fight happen. Clearly Fury, Usyk, etc. are being told things behind the scenes.
Oh no! I don't want to see Usyk fight Belly again. That's not the right farewell opponent for him. Beating an opponent twice is enough. He should take an easier one, perhaps against Wilder, who is close to the same age.
Yeah I don't need to see the Fury fight again, what's the point? Even though it'd be less competitive, I'd actually be okay with him fighting Wilder. It's the last big name of his era that he hasn't fought. And I imagine it's one he would like to tick off. And he'd be the only one of the "big 4" (Fury, Joshua, Usyk, Wilder) who can say he fought the other three.
Wilder is age appropriate and actually looked like he had a bit left in his last fight. I'd be fine with it.
He is the champion of the world undisputed at cruiser and heavyweight, he’s approaching 40, can’t fight forever, I respect his decision. He can do whatever he wants and he doesn’t answer to anybody. I think he’s probably gonna give Rico a rematch and put to bed that dreadful first performance that he had against him. That is what makes the most sense.
Now he's got more options instead of enforced mandatories... If he signs with Zuffa he can rematch Rico and fight Ruiz. I would not be surprised if both Rico and Fury sign with Zuffa.
I would also like to add that two things happen to undefeated boxers, they either retire at the right time or they overstay their welcome and toss away their undefeated record. That’s it, there is no middle ground.