Is it inevitable that Usyk will be considered the H2H GOAT in boxing history

a win over Kabayel could age really well. Maybe not, but it might.

but yes, Parker is the very obvious one for Usyk. If he gets past Dubois, the very obvious one is Parker. I actually think retiring without fighting Parker would be a bit of a ding against Usyk.

 

This is a good post. I agree that it could age well. but that makes Usyk take the fight on "could."

 

Usyk kicked Chuck Norris in the head. Chuck Norris cried.

 

Sometimes works the other way, though. For example, Holmes, who was not well-liked in his time, and is now rated by a good number on here as #3 all-time for beating Norton, Witherspoon, and 18 lesser fighters while never unifying, or even facing a #1 contender. In no real universe is this man higher than MAYBE the bottom end of the top ten, and that is if you have some kind of category for your perceived head-to-head. Even that is dodgy as he never proved great head-to-head abilities, since the competition was not there, and he failed to maximize what was.

Another example is Liston, who also ranks very high on many top tens and is held up as a head-to-head monster, though his four best wins were guys under 200 pounds. Liston's reputation, in tatters after the dodgy losses to Ali, grew because Foreman and Tyson both loved him, and because his life because a tragic narrative.

So it goes both ways. If Fury Joshua, or Dubois have another good run (and I think only Dubois has that chance), Usyk's reputation as a head-to-head great may yet grow.

 

If Usyk retires undefeated I would say the only fighter capable of beating him would be Wlad. The simple reason is that along with the size and boxing skills, he can bomb with both hands and Usyk couldn't afford any mistakes. If Wilder had a hook like his RH I would even include him, and he always had a puncher's chance in his prime, but since Fury avoided the full RH until the 12th in the first fight, I think Usyk could have managed it too. I also put Wilder in to be inclusive.

But I actually believe Fury showed he could have got a win against Usyk in better condition (bit younger, less concussive damage). It won't go down in the books like that, but he had the tools to do it. Even if you don't like Fury, I think it's obvious Usyk has never had to dig himself out of a hole like that.

 

fury was ahead and cruising in that first fight until he got caught. Never recreated that magic after or in the second.

thing is he did look damn good in the second. I think on that night he’d have beaten anybody else active right now.