USYK Considers RETIREMENT - Ukraine Press

The greatest champions are those who retire at the right time without tarnishing their legacy by taking post prime losses.

Usyk has fought post prime at the elite level and got away with it thus far, he shouldn’t push his luck.

He should retire now, he doesn’t need any more money and he has a great legacy in the sport.

Look at the hellacious damage Roy Jones did to his legacy by fighting on post prime and being embarrassed in a number of poor losses. If he had retired after beating John Ruiz at HW, just imagine how differently people would view his career!

 

2 or 3 more fights!
Dubois vs Parker winner is the number one contender in the division. It will be a significant fight even if it´s Dubois.
Then there are Zhang, Bakole, and Kabayel.

 

Even if it was confirmed that Usyk had announced his retirement right now, the very nature of the timing would suggest that it wouldn’t necessarily be permanent.

There simply hasn’t been enough time since the Fury rematch for Usyk to solidly and even handedly consider his options - unless, his decision was pre med and made before the Fury rematch (subject to Usyk winning, which he of course did).

Now, if in another few months Usyk did announce his retirement, that would reflect a far more well considered and more likely permanent decision.

As fighters often say after a big fight, they’re gonna have a good rest for a time, think about nothing else and revisit their options at later date to decide what they’re going to do next, which is a very wise approach, of course.

 

I kind of have to disagree with some people on the whole retire before defeat stuff. I think it's important for the sport to have passing of the torch type fights and L's, yes it's bad for fighter's own legacy but imagine if every fighter took this approach, you wouldn't have any continuation in the boxing "canon".

The smart choice for Usyk himself would be to retire, if he wants to pass the reigns to the next dude be it Dubois or whatever and give back to the sport, that's also very respectable.

 

I sort of agree, I don’t see it as passing torches but more of challenging oneself until one knows it’s enough.

 

Can’t compare Usyk to Roy. Roy didn’t fight a lot of his contemporaries while carefully moving through divisions and he absolutely refused to travel to fight. Usyk has been a road warrior his whole career and has fought the top contenders some of them twice. Jones would NEVER do that.

 

He should, whilst on top. Similar to Lewis. Currently his resume is hard to match will go down a generational fighter. The longer he hangs about the more likely he would potentially get starched. Easily can happen in the heavyweight division.

 

The parallels are that both were multi weight world champions and in the p4p list at the higher weights. And both reached a point undefeated at the pinnacle of the sport.

But yes, agree that Roy never travelled and Usyk has been a road warrior. Roy definitely picked his opponents more carefully than Usyk who fights anyone.

 

There's not a lot left for him to do at this point except lose. Would love to see him get a decisive win over Dubois and silence his detractors but even if he doesn't, history will still show he won that match. Haters need to take it up with the ref, Usyk just did what any other boxer worth his salt would do in the same scenario.

 

Fully well deserved and he really should. Nothing else to prove.

 

Why not he beat 1 and 2 over 4 fights and already stopped the other title holder literally has zero challenges left at heavyweight

 

Parker would be a worthy challenger if he beats Dubois. Same with Kabayel if he gets past Zhang. In just two more fights, Usyk can clear out the entire division.
Then there are Bakole and Wardley, but those wouldn´t be as significant, at least not yet.

 

He might be timing it perfectly. Dubois is a real threat and seriously troubled Usyk in their first fight. Does he want that smoke again? Not sure. Does he need it? No.

The 3rd Fury or AJ fights would be nonsense, Zhang, Parker, Kabayel? They just may not be worth it legacy wise or economics.

Usyk has always been about the championships and in that regard he has done it all, going undisputed 2x will be the only thing that can keep him going.

 

Probably going to let the division play out for a year and a half and see what big money fight remains.

 

I don't know about this report. Maybe true. Maybe not.

Usyk has said he wants to take a break. Anything can happen durring that break. He will have time to think and consider his options.

He might come to the conclusion he enjoys spending time with his family more than the grind of the gym. The grind doesn't get easier as you get older.