is Usyk the definition of "no filler fights"

The cruiserweight division isn't more valuable than the heavyweight division. It's not a personal opinion. It's fact. The cruiserweight division has never been bigger than the heavyweight division.

Usyk's biggest win at cruiserweight was over Gassiev. He made $400,000. A few thousand people attended.

His biggest win at heavyweight was Anthony Joshua. He made more than 10 TIMES that. More than 60,000 people were there. It made global news. And he'll make double when he defends against Joshua.

Are you doubting this?

Charles Martin made more than 10 times what Usyk made against Gassiev when he made his first defense against Joshua.

Usyk could've been doing this five years ago at heavyweight against Joshua, and Wilder and Fury ... and even Wlad, who came back in 2017. He could've gone straight from fighting Joyce and Hrgovic in the WSB to fighting them.

Instead of fighting Mchunu and Glowacki.

What's done is done. But don't tell me it wasn't a waste. It was. Especially since it's clear now he could've at least have beaten Joshua.

Maybe he'd have beaten them all ... instead of dueling it out with Marco Huck. (LOL)

 

And who was Deontay Wilders 3rd opponent at heavyweight?

 

When I'm talking about 'value' I don't mean money ... I don't know why you keep coming back to this. Not everybody cares that much about money.

If Usyk wanted to make money he should focus on learning English, move to the US, and spend a lot of time with the media, investing in businesses, getting into advertising etc.

To make a lot of money in Boxing alone it's not so much about the division as the persona and the degree to which it is marketed. No reason why he couldn't have done it at Cruiserweight with sufficient marketing, maybe taking a few HWs at catchweight.

But it isn't about money.

Cruiserweight is just another division in boxing with just as much inherent prestige value, especially with as great a level of competition as Usyk faced.

 

Literally nothing in your post is true.

They are prize fighters. They fight for money. The heavyweight division has always been held in higher regard and held more prestige than the cruiserweight division. World Heavyweight titles are more valued than cruiserweight titles. Usyk never got as much attention, made as much, or was held in higher regard or earned more prestige than when he beat Joshua and won his heavyweight belts. And he hasn't needed to learn "the language" to win everyone over afterward.

He could've done all this five years ago and ignored the cruiserweight division altogether.

What would've happened if Usyk didn't move down to cruiser? They would've held a WBSS and Mauris Briedis would've won it, instead? That happened the moment Usyk left anyway.

And we could've seen all the fights we're seeing now at heavyweight five years ago when basically all of them were in their primes.

Like I said, what a waste.

 

Literally everything I said is true.

Caring about money ≠ Money being the primary motivation.

Everyone wants a good job, but that's not to say they're fools for not always going where the money is.

And of course you ignore the other part of the post: if you're mostly interested in money, there are much better options both in and out of boxing than simply spending more time at Heavyweight. Learn English, get the best promotional team, spend time in media, advertising, business.

'What a waste,' for whom? Usyk will go down as an ATG. He'll be remembered as the only unified Cruiserweight and Heavyweight of the four-belt era. He'll have beaten the best at two stacked weight divisions. He'll have more money than he needs. Who is wasted here? Do you really think Usyk will ever once feel regret at these accomplishments?

 

Your original theory (which is plausible in the case of most cruisers, even good ones) was that Usyk lacked the confidence and ability to beat the likes of AJ but this has proven to be badly wrong. HW offers far more money and status so if Usyk always believed he could get to the top as he clearly did, his reasons for fighting at cruiser must have been something else entirely. I suspect that his plan was to be a unique undisputed champion at cruiser and heavy who beat the best men and went on to retire undefeated.

In a way that offers far more prestige because people view him as a former cruiser (including the officials) rather than a small heavy, so his P4P accomplishments are all the more impressive. Wilder mooted winning a cruiser title at one point and had he done so before moving up to HW, he would have been seen as a top P4P fighter. So legacy-wise this makes a lot of sense. And if Usyk goes on to beat AJ again and later becomes undisputed, he will have beaten the men at the very top and that's what matters most, not how many Parker's, Whyte's and Ruiz's you defend against. Usyk is not a normal fighter who cares primarily about money or fame so it's a mistake to judge him by those standards.

 

I have no problem with Usyk's record you do.
Great response though man.
Well thought out with knowledge to back it up.
Well played.