Is Usyk an all-time-great fighter?

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by ENI_3300, Jul 30, 2021.



Is Usyk an all -time-great ?

Poll closed Jul 30, 2022.
  1. No

    31 vote(s)
    33.3%
  2. Yes

    62 vote(s)
    66.7%
  1. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Also, comparing Holyfield and Usyk at cruiser isn't exactly comparing apples to apples.

    Holyfield fought at light heavy in the Olympics as an amateur (178) and Usyk fought at heavyweight (200) in the Olympics as an amateur.

    When Holyfield turned pro, he turned pro as a light heavyweight. Usyk fought for a year in the paid ranks in the World Series of Boxing against super heavyweights and turned pro as a heavyweight.

    When Holyfield fought at cruiserweight, the weight limit was 190 pounds. And Holyfield only weighed 190 ONCE (in his last cruiserweight fight) in his first four years as a pro. He weighed in the 170s or 180s for those years.

    When Usyk MOVED DOWN to the cruiserweight division, the weight limit was 200.

    Usyk has never weighed LESS than 198 during his entire pro career. Holyfield was 176 in his fourth pro fight.

    Usyk couldn't even make weight in a 190-pound cruiserweight division.

    Holyfield moved from light heavyweight as an amateur to cruiserweight as a pro to heavyweight. He actually "moved up."

    Usyk has been fighting heavyweights and super heavyweights for the last 13 years. He isn't "moving up." He just isn't "drying out" anymore.

    Just like Hunter never "moved up" to heavyweight. Hunter fought at Super Heavyweight in the amateurs. Was a pro heavyweight for two years. Dried out to make cruiser for two years. And is back at heavyweight for the last four years.

    Briedis, too. He fought at heavyweight as an amateur. Fought nearly all of his first six years as pro at heavyweight - fighting guys like Charr and Danny Williams - before drying out and going after a 200-pound cruiserweight belt.

    None of those guys could've made the 190-pound division Holyfield ruled in before he moved up and became the World Heavyweight Champion. As pros, NONE of them were ever that light or that small.

    So it rings a little false to me to proclaim someone the greatest cruiserweight ever ... when he was actually a heavyweight who just found he could dry out enough to step on a scale for a moment and make a heavier 200-pound cruiserweight division.

    Because beating Glowacki for a belt was an easier prospect than beating Wlad Klitschko for a belt.

    Ray Mercer, Tommy Morrison, Mike Tyson, David Tua, David Izon, Deontay Wilder ... they all fought at heavyweight in the amateurs and didn't fight at cruiserweight as pros ... because either the weight limit was still 190 and they couldn't do it OR, when it moved up to 200 pounds, they decided they weren't going to be BITCHES and didn't choose to fight smaller guys. (LOL)

    Sorry, couldn't help it.

    I get a little tired of the "great Usyk" claims ... when he's pretty much been a heavyweight for the last 13 years but people are still trying to hype how difficult it MUST BE for him to "move up."

    He hasn't gone after the heavyweight title before because it was easier to go after 200 pounders and their belts. That's all.
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2021
  2. miniq

    miniq Tyson Fury Undisputed HW Champion 18/5/24 Full Member

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    Yes

    Especially if they have to rob him on scorecards against AJ, which I don't think will be required
     
  3. Babality

    Babality KTFO!!!!!!! Full Member

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    Is Haye? Cleared out Cruiser too and knocked the **** out of prime Chisora. Usyk got a draw/lost imo vs a weathered version.
     
    Reinhardt likes this.
  4. bandeedo

    bandeedo VIP Member Full Member

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    whats the difference between what taylor did, and what usyk did? i want to see the line between atg being drawn here. the often repeated line that he faced everyone in their back yard carries little to no weight with me, fighters dont lose fights because they are outside their home town. its only become important to resume since usyk came around. nobody gives duran extra credit for winning outside panama. what evidence, besides your eye, do you have that cruiser was a stacked division? what have his former victims gone on to accomplish to establish their quality? i want to know the measuring sticks, so we can see how many other atg's we got right now, or potential for atg, so we can know what exactly they need to accomplish.
     
    Dubblechin likes this.
  5. Reinhardt

    Reinhardt Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    July 30th 2021 ,,Uysk is not an all time great. He beat some good fighters at 200 pounds but his overall work just doesn't add up to that tag.
     
  6. Bigcheese

    Bigcheese Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Pretty tough crowd. You have to be the best cruiser AND the best heavy of your era to be an ATG?
     
  7. bandeedo

    bandeedo VIP Member Full Member

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    is taylor an atg? crawford? will charlo be one if he wins the rematch?
     
  8. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    It's not a very respected division, clearly.

    Just imagine what you'll have to do to make the Hall of Fame if you are the best Bridgerweight champion ever? (LOL)
     
  9. tinman

    tinman VIP Member Full Member

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    After Uysk beat a prime Briedis, a then past his prime version of Breidis cleaned out the division.
     
  10. bandeedo

    bandeedo VIP Member Full Member

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    i would say thats an indication of the rest of the pack. would you be surprised if regis cleaned out 140 once taylor moves to 147? how bout castano once charlo leaves?
     
  11. Bigcheese

    Bigcheese Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Hes already done more than those guys. AJ and Fury are ATG's so obviously if he cleaned out heavyweight he would be as well.
     
  12. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Another amateur heavyweight and a professional heavyweight for six years who "dried out" to 200 to snatch a belt.
     
  13. Bigcheese

    Bigcheese Well-Known Member Full Member

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    So no fighters who cut weight are legit now? Pretty much everyone below heavyweight cuts down
     
  14. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    If we're talking about GREATEST EVER in a division ... I would tend NOT to go with the guys who fought in a heavier divisions for years then decided to go the easier route to a belt and dry out.

    Especially when you're comparing them with champs who had to make weight when it was 10 POUNDS LIGHTER.

    But that's just me.

    I'm sure Hagler would've been the best Welterweight champion in history if the weight limit was moved up to 157. It kind of changes everything.

    Holyfield was a light heavyweight who moved up to cruiserweight and fought when the limit was 190.

    Usyk has been fighting heavyweights and super heavyweights for 13 years who dried out a couple pounds so he could hop on the scale for five seconds and make 200.

    MONUMENTAL difference.

    If the weight limit for cruiserweight was 190, Usyk never would've competed in the division. He never weighed below 198 as a pro.

    And he only manged to get down to 198 TWICE. (LOL) It's not like that was normal for him.
     
  15. bandeedo

    bandeedo VIP Member Full Member

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    such as? dont just rattle off comments like its a given, i know who all the players are too, and what theyve done. i aint no fanboy casual.