Why Did It Take So Long For Usyk's Talent To Be Recognized Properly?

Many posters here know that I'm one of the biggest Beterbiev fanboys in the world. But the interesting thing is that I have never once in my life posted or said that Beterbiev was p4p better than Usyk. Never happened. It pains me to say that, but it's the truth.

I've had Usyk p4p 1 for 6 years now. Long before 95% of the rest of the boxing world did. At that point he had cleaned out the strongest division in boxing. So it seemed pretty obvious to me. Don't exactly know for sure what the other 95% of the boxing world wanted to see.

My theory is that Cruiserweight is probably the least respected division outside of the ultra-low weight classes. It's always been hard for Cruiserweights to get recognized for their abilities and resume. It also hurts that being a Ukrainian fighter, he did not have a large ethnic following. Promoters want to promote Mexican, American or British fighters because that's where the money in boxing is.

 

When Usyk had moved up to HW, most people were not expecting him to replicate the same success he had at CW against the likes of Fury and AJ whose stock was pretty high then.

In Usyk's second fight at HW against Chisora his stock went down a bit as it was a somewhat competitive fight until he outclassed AJ as the underdog in their first fight.

I think a lot of people, including me to be honest especially against a skilled mountain in Fury thought that Usyk was too small to go undefeated and rule the HW division.

 

That should tell you something about your assessment 6 years ago.

A lot has changed since 6 years ago though.

 

No one wanted CW to begin with. If a BW comes up and takes over HW it'll be the same. No one wants BW.

 

Because you were giving unworthy praise.

 

The film doesn't lie. Turn on the film from 6, 7, 8 years ago and that's the highest level fighter in the world.

 

Back then I viewed Loma as superior to Usyk p4p.

 

It's not the P4P number 1.

Who said so? 95% according to your own post.

 

Fighters from places that aren't big media markets are not talked about in high regard until they beat a bunch of fighters who are from bigger media markets

 

80k posts 20k people agreed, hang it up man you have a journeyman resume

 

He still is superior. If Loma and Usyk were the same size, Loma would win, even Usyk would tell you that.

I have Usyk as p4p number 1 but Loma was special

 

6 years ago is commendable, and you're right - about 95% of fans were still probably sleeping on him around then.

@CST80, however, made multiple threads predicting his HW dominance over a decade ago.

And then you have lil ol' me - singing his praises since the amateurs and the lone voice in the wilderness telling everyone that no, Lomachenko isn't head and shoulders above the rest of his Ukrainian peers, and that from his generation Usyk is at least as good if not better p4p. People thought me an absolute lunatic for that.

Or for saying that before the dust was settled, Usyk would carve out a legacy that posterity would view as equal to Holyfield's at cruiser & heavy, if not greater.

Well...

 

As we see now with the Turkyi's evil promotor routine pushing Fury, the difficulty of Parker at getting his shot, and the wasted careers of Dychko, Jalolov, etc....it is very hard for a non-Brit to be recognized. The few good American's there are can do it because they can still find a market, but EE and CA fighters are mostly screwed. Usyk was just so good he broke through.

 

On paper Usyk is no where near an all time great heavyweight. Why? based on wins over Fury, Joshua and Dubois? He's got great skills no doubt but that resume isn't top 30 by any means.