If ESPN and Ring don't include Usyk in their P4P listings after this

lol no it doesn't.

 

There is a bias no doubt.

No formidable American fighter at cruiserweight, or British, so thus no interest from the western boxing establishment.

 

Let's compare their best performances:

Grading: A's are elite opponents, bump + or - depending on just how good and how convincing the bout was. Bs are weak champions, former champions, or good contenders.

Usyk:
Briedis in Latvia (A)
Glowacki in Poland (A)
Huck in Germany (B+ - Huck semi-shot)

Thurman:
Danny Garcia (A+)
Shawn Porter (A-, was really close)
Guerrero (B+)

Spence:
Brook in the UK (A+)
Peterson (B+)
Algieri/van Heerden/Bundu (B)

Rigo:
Donaire (A - would be A+ if Donaire had done reasonably afterwards)
Amagasa (B+)
Ramos (B)

Kovalev:
Hopkins (A - he was old, but very convincing performance + he's an ATG)
Pascal (A-)
Ward I (A - many thought he won and he deserves credit as Ward was a top p4p fighter)

I'd say Kovalev is ahead of Usyk, Thurman maybe a tad ahead, but Usyk is level or ahead on resume with the rest you mentioned.

 

I feel kovalev defeated Ward in their first fight so to me he has the best resume. So he belongs even though he also lost to Ward in rematch. Crawford belongs yes 140 is weak but he unified all belts he belongs. Thurman although inactive has a very solid resume he belongs. That leaves Spence and Rigondeaux. Rigondeaux just lost bad so he's off top 10 for me. Usyk has just as good a case as Spence to be on the list.

 

I mostly agree with this but I actually believe Breidis in Latvia is a better win than Brook in England. Brook already was damaged by GGG. Breidis meanwhile crushed former Hw charr and easily beat former heavy Perez

 

You could be right. I just happen to rate Brook quite highly

 

ESPN certainly won't, they're moronic and harbor a ridiculous bias for American fighters. Usyk didn't get a single point across their panel in the last tally. Wilder got 14.

 

The day an MD win over Briedis is good enough to make you one of the 10 best boxers on the planet will be a sad day for boxing.

Luckily we're not there.

 

If Usyk wins this tournament he must be included.

 

I mostly agree, with couple exceptions.
Rigos dominant win over Donaire destroyed his confidence for a time, but he had a great come back until he met a peaking and hungry Walters. A+ win for Rigo.

Huck is a lock for HOF and an ATG at CW. Past it yes, but still far better than ANY version of Guerrero, who is at BEST a B level titlist type. A journeyman at this point.
Garcia was an elite operator until the Mathysse fight. Since then, lucky to escape with some home cooking v Herrera, dominated then gifted a W v Peterson, fought even with journeyman Guerrero...B+ level entering the Thurman fight.

But other than a few minor differences in opinion, we're of the same mind

 

Yes, I wrote that quickly.

On second thoughts I agree with just about everything you wrote there, fair points.

 

He'll get his just due in time.

Win the WBSS and go from there. Probably next up to heavyweight if he does not decide he wants to unify all 4 belts against Lebedev.