How great is the CW division that we should anoint Usyk for 'cleaning it out'?

People on here make it sound like Usyk had to walk through the valley of the shadow of death or something...

Really, does old man Huck, part time movie star Bellew, and some guy named Breides pass as the new Murderers' Row?

'But, but.... he went on the road to beat them' .....
ok fine, give credit where credits do...
I guarantee none of those road wins had the type of hostile crowd that James Kirkland faced when he went to Mexico and KOd a still prime Alfredo Angelo....hell I can even say Shane Mosely faced a more hostile crowd in his own home state when he beat Margarito at the Staples Center. I was at that fight, it was nothing but flag waving, drunk Mexican fans. About as rowdy of a crowd as it gets, nothing like what they are used to in Europe.

Let's see Usyk beat Andy Ruiz at Staples Center with all the esés there to support Ruiz. That would be a road win I would be impressed by.

 

Usyk is fighting against the crowd! He MUST fight a more hostile and dangerous crowd otherwise he'll never be given the credit he deserves! = this thread.

Seriously...who were seen as the best 3 cruisers at the time? Bellew, Briedis and Gassiev. Who did Usyk face, IN A ROW and all in THEIR BACKYARD? Bellew, Briedis and Gassiev.

Enough said.

He is either p4p number 1, or p4p number 2. Any lower and that person is obviously clueless.

To go to Russia and fight a monster in Gassiev takes balls. To fight Briedis in Latvia takes balls. To come to the UK with the sometimes dodgy judges to fight Bellew, it takes balls.

Nobody should be throwing Usyk's achievements down the gutters. Nobody. What more do you want from Usyk? He's done everything there is to do as a cruiserweight and come out the other side with flying colours.

 

Oh please. Cruiser was a shark tank when he cleaned it out. Huck, Breidis, Glowacki. Dorticos, Lebedev, Gassiev, Hunter, Bellew, Mchunu. If that's not the valley of the shadow of death, then no division is. There's more. If he didn't beat the guy then he beat the guy that beat the guy.

Full props to Usyk for what he's achieved so far.

I await to see if heavyweight is a step too far.

 

It is a very dangerous division and so strong in the period Usyk fought in. He just beat them all. Al the guys at the top of the CW division now will be considered legends of the reasonably young weight class once it's all said and done.

 

In order, worst to best:

Bellew was UK trash. I don’t rate that win.

Huck was still good, even if old.

Glowacki was good, but limited. Usyk got him at his peak.

Gassiev looked very good going in, but Usyk was able to expose him as a late starter with limitations. Gassiev is a B fighter, but that wasn’t totally clear going.

Hunter was high risk, low reward, and Usyk deserves credit for that.

Breidis is a very good Mikkel Kessler type.

So two A-/B+ wins (Breidis and Gassiev due to pitching a shutout), a B+ win and some two Bs.

It’s good but a little thin on A levels. Good enough to be top 2 all time at cruiser.

 

Please name another fighter in any division who has done what Usyk has done at cruiser. He cleaned out the division and never needed a questionable hometown decision. Compare him to guys like Andre Ward or even Crawford who fought so many big fights in their backyard hometowns. Usyk went into enemy territory and legitimately beat all top contenders. He didn’t duck anyone or rely on friendly judges. I’d say he did it in spite of judges.

The haters can try to poke holes in this guy’s opponents or ranking but please name another modern fighter who has accomplished what Usyk has done. I hope he faces Ruiz someday. You can bet, if he does, it will not be in the Ukraine.

 

Usyk deserves about the same credit that Crawford deserves for becoming an undisputed champion in a weak division. Cruiserweight like light welterweight is a weak division and likely always will be, but occasionally a great fighter will pass through and use the division as a stepping stone.

Holyfield and Haye were excellent talents that used the cruiserweight division as a stepping stone for moving onto the heavyweight division just like Bradley and Crawford used light welterweight for moving onto the welterweight division, but it would t kill Crawford to stepup the competition.

Besides Bellew, who I thought would provide a challenge to Usyk due to his experience and timing and he did I knew Usyk would easily beat everyone else in the division. Usyk becoming undisputed at heavyweight would be far more impressive, but he needs to get to work, since he isn’t getting any younger.

 

It's one of those runs that's impressive... If you follow the division and know the opponents, rather than just looking through boxrec

 

Who the **** is Alfredo Angelo?

Is he a cousin of Jesus Canelo?

 

A fairly honest breakdown

 

How would beating Ruiz at HW confirm Usyk's CW legacy? That makes no sense.

He beat everyone in his division thought to be a threat and did so without home comforts of friendly judges and refs, familiar environments etc. You totally miss the point people make when highlighting the challenges of winning on the road. How rowdy the fans get, is so far removed from the real difficulties of winning in opponents' back yards, I can't think you actually believe this to be a major factor either.

You're obviously not stupid but you try WAY too hard. Take a day off...

 

OP ever heard of euthanasia? And no its not something GGG related is something you need to ask for ASAP.

 

You think you sound cool but you just show how little you know.
Yet another ridiculous thread.


Also, “some guy named Briedis”?
1. That’s how you spell his name
2. He’s only the best CW on Usyks resume, WBC champ at the time, and he’s about to be the winner of that same tournament Usyk won.
3. You’re a ****.