Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Usyk vs. Murat Georgievich Gassiev

This was supposed to be today. It should've just wrapped up in the last hour or two (current time in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is quarter of 2am) with the afterglow RBR thread banter just now starting to slow down. Alas.

The cruiserweight final of the WBSS has been tentatively rescheduled for 72 days later, giving plenty of time for Usyk's "minor elbow injury" to heal. July 22nd is likely to be the date (that is a Sunday, by the way), but as of this moment the location is anyone's guess. The venue will be somewhere other than Jeddah, as originally planned - but Gassiev's team wants Russia, while Usyk has balked (and I can't imagine that Gassiev will be amenable to visiting Kiev, either) so quibbling ought to ensue for the next month or so before they need to settle on a place and start promoting the event.

Gassiev is a 5/2 underdog, per the odds that were originally published for today's postponed match. He is ½" taller with 2" less reach, and has 5 more knockouts than Usyk has pro bouts. Gassiev is the IBF & WBA champion; Usyk holds the WBO & WBC meaning this will be a complete & thorough unification to determine the Undisputed champion at 200lbs (assuming you don't overvalue the IBO title held by Kevin Lerena)

 

Poll results? 4 votes for Usyk on points so far, that's all.

 

Poll Results: The Cat or Iron Man?

Members who voted for 'Gassiev by stoppage'

• Gil Gonzalez

1 total votes.


Fake news, ballot's working fine.

 

Hopefully the winner hangs around long enough to give Maksim Sergeyevich Vlasov a title shot (or he gets to vie for the vacant strap when Olly & Murat join hands and skip merrily along to greener pastures @ heavy..)

 

Actually speaking of Vlasov, hopefully they feature him on the undercard.

 

Same here.

I think people are right to favor Usyk and I'm probably more of a fan of his than Gassiev's (and have been following him far longer) but I can't help but think (nervously, on behalf of my inner Usyk fan - and excitedly, for the part that is Team Iron) his catlike reflexes, graceful movement and teak-tough chin will at last, for the first time in a boxing ring am or pro, fail to see him through and we could see a jarringly violent upset.