Usyk puts the heavyweight title up against the fighter making a second ever pro boxing fight

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by capuano, May 24, 2026.


  1. capuano

    capuano Member Full Member

    234
    28
    Dec 25, 2006
    How is this much different than Floyd Patterson putting his heavyweight title against a fighter making his pro debut?
    Seems very weak on both their parts.
    Are there are other instances in history where heavyweight championships have done this to this degree?
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2026
    capuano, May 24, 2026
    capuano, May 24, 2026
    #1
  2. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Loyal Member

    31,431
    42,292
    Jul 4, 2014
    Please add some if you have them:

    Patterson-Rademacher (Patterson down)
    Ali- Spinks (seven fights)
    Holmes-Spinks (Michael was new to the division, jumping up two weights)
    Fury-Ngannou
    Mayweather-Conner (tougher than it should have been)
    Now Usyk-Verhoeven

    Post script:

    Louis-Conn
    Johnson-Ketchel
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2026
    catchwtboxing, May 24, 2026
    catchwtboxing, May 24, 2026
    #2
    Serge and Redbeard7 like this.
  3. Redbeard7

    Redbeard7 Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,244
    3,236
    Oct 9, 2022
    CW/HW ex-kickboxers:

    Vitali
    Briedis
    Povetkin
    Whyte
    Miller
     
    Redbeard7, May 24, 2026
    Redbeard7, May 24, 2026
    #3
    catchwtboxing and Serge like this.
  4. Glassbrain

    Glassbrain Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,013
    2,046
    Apr 9, 2016
    Louis vs Billy Conn was quite reminiscant of last nights fight.
     
    Glassbrain, May 24, 2026
    Glassbrain, May 24, 2026
    #4
    catchwtboxing likes this.
  5. MarkusFlorez99

    MarkusFlorez99 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    17,132
    19,097
    Jan 13, 2021
    Whats funny is the belt organization's confirmed if Rico pulled off the upset he wouldn't even become champion and Usyk would have just gotten stripped, so this title defense was an illusion
     
    MarkusFlorez99, May 24, 2026
    MarkusFlorez99, May 24, 2026
    #5
  6. Serge

    Serge Ginger Dracula Staff Member

    83,932
    139,368
    Jul 21, 2009
    Patterson was in his prime not 39 y/o at the end of his career after having unified the division x 2 and having faced nothing but fellow champs in world title fights, the highest rated contenders pretty much B2B, with the sole exception being a mandatory defence against a murderous punching giant who is now a 2 x HW champ, and doing so all in his opponent's backyards or on the road
     
    Serge, May 24, 2026
    Serge, May 24, 2026
    #6
    catchwtboxing likes this.
  7. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Loyal Member

    31,431
    42,292
    Jul 4, 2014
    Yes!

    And add Johnson-Ketchel on top of that!
     
    catchwtboxing, May 24, 2026
    catchwtboxing, May 24, 2026
    #7
  8. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic War for Souls Full Member

    8,732
    9,061
    Nov 3, 2021
    Leon Spinks won the title in his seventh or eighth pro fight, I don't know exactly.
     
    ikrasevic, May 24, 2026
    ikrasevic, May 24, 2026
    #8
  9. Serge

    Serge Ginger Dracula Staff Member

    83,932
    139,368
    Jul 21, 2009
    The equivalent of what Patterson did would be Usyk fighting the Olympic gold medalist at HW, not SHW but HW, in his 2nd HW title defence and even then he would've been 36.5 y/o
     
    Serge, May 24, 2026
    Serge, May 24, 2026
    #9
    catchwtboxing likes this.