Is Usyk the best European (descent) heavyweight of all time ?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by MarkusFlorez99, Jul 16, 2026.

  1. MarkusFlorez99

    MarkusFlorez99 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Has he surpassed Mariano and the Klitschko brothers ?
     
  2. Smokin Bert

    Smokin Bert Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I think he is the most skillful one. Still on the fence about how he would do against Prime Wlad head to head.
     
  3. JAB5239

    JAB5239 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Both Lewis and Wlad are better. But Usyk has done more in less time. Pretty impressive.
     
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  4. MarkusFlorez99

    MarkusFlorez99 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I meant european descent, as in white
     
  5. JAB5239

    JAB5239 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Your tilte is misleading. You should have just said white as there have been people of color in Europe since before antiquity.
     
  6. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic War for Souls Full Member

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    No. It's Lewis.
     
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  7. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Loyal Member

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    Here I liked him when he was Canadian!
     
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  8. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic War for Souls Full Member

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    I know. He won an Olympic medal for Canada. Born in London, and at one time "was Jamaican"...it's blurry.
    Born
    Lennox Claudius Lewis

    2 September 1965 (age 60)
    London, England
    Citizenship
    • United Kingdom
    • Canada
     
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  9. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Loyal Member

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    Citizen of the world!

    Itauma will be the same.
     
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  10. thistle

    thistle Boxing Junkie

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    well he might be thought of as such because he has won a World Title,
    but to me he looks just an ordinary good boxer in a weak division, whom, I think, he would mostly lose to TOP True HW's from busier & more competitive Eras.

    so who were the great ones over the years, a Bugner, a Cooper, a Schmelling, a Carpentier, who among the years, probably more than some care to admit.
     
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  11. Flavius

    Flavius Member Full Member

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    If "the best" means the boxer who would beat the other European heavyweights head-to-head, then maybe yes. However, if "the best" refers to overall legacy and career achievements, I would still rank Wladimir Klitschko higher.
    If you're referring to white heavyweight boxers, then I'd rank Wladimir Klitschko, Rocky Marciano, and James Jeffries ahead of Usyk in terms of legacy and career. I'd put Usyk in the same tier as Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney.
     
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  12. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic War for Souls Full Member

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    Rocky Marciano is the best white heavyweight boxer.
     
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  13. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member

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    Wlad is the best on record.

    Marciano might be 'greatest' depending on what you understand by that.

    Vitali might be the best H2H.

    You could argue Usyk as the best H2H and put up a good argument.
     
  14. Boxing GOAT

    Boxing GOAT Active Member Full Member

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    Yes I would put Usyk at the time. Despite Wlad having a deeper resume, Wlad was a big HW who often fought smaller opponents. Usyk is a small HW fighting larger opponents. In a head to head fight I'd choose Usyk. He's a better all around boxer.
     
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  15. Lonsdale81

    Lonsdale81 Active Member Full Member

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    Define HW... because fellas like Tunney & Marciano were basically LHWs.. Fitzsimmons little more than a MW.. regardless tho they were classed as the HW champions so for me its probably those 3 plus Dempsey in terms of historically.. though Dempsey has a little Cherokee in him.. I'd say Schmelling, Jeffries & Sullivan deserve a nod too.. the stand out later ones are obviously Usyk, Fury & K2..
     
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