Usyk has injuries "invisible to the outside world" - Requests 90 day extension

Oleksandr Usyk to take time in choosing next opponent - ESPN

Hmm can that be read as evidence of injuries won't be forth-coming?

Their request for a 90-day extension (basically another three months) was quite ... long.

Thoughts?

 

Lapin is right. Usyk has earned the right to do whatever he wants, as long as he plans on retiring soon

 

lol @ don’t push the horses

 

He’s beat Fury, AJ, and Dubois all twice which were essentially the #’s 1, 2, 3 in the division let him have an extension.

 

"Dmitry Bivol has been ordered by the WBO to produce medical documentation about his back injury, surgery, and prognosis. The WBO is insisting on transparency for his recovery and wants to view the physician’s reports."

So Bivol has had an operation on his back and the WBO are insisting on medical reports and transparency. Yet Usyk, suffering from injuries 'not invisible to the outside world,' is getting a free ride from the very same organization?

Where is the consistency here??

 

I think the WBO giving Usyk 30 days extra is the correct course of action, but, as @like a boss points out, where is the evidence for this injury? His team asking for 90 days suggests he wanted to move back to fighting once a year, which isn't really on.

Wlad held three belts and was also an older champion:
2011: 1 fight (Haye)
2012: 3 fights
2013: 2 fights
2014: 2 fights
2015: 2 fights

Usyk as HW champion is:
2021: 1 fight (Joshua)
2022: 1 fight
2023: 1 fight
2024: 2 fights
2025: 1 fight (requests 90 day extension)

 

Bivol ended his last fight happy to see the final bell. Usyk didn't let his opponent see the final bell.

 

elaborate?

 

Has Usyk ever requested an ext. due to injury before?

Some might argue that even if unprecedented it’s because he’s getting older but that would be contrary to the celebration of his age defying performances to date.

I don’t think any Champ ever “earns” the right to do “whatever” they want - though it has been a long held, artificial value in boxing that doesn’t account for the expense and disruption to contenders eligible for their own timely shots at the big prize.

 

Dubois isn't in the same tier of Beterbiev tho, hope we can agree on that

 

Not sure why that is relevant?

If Usyk's reason for requesting an extension is injury, the WBO should be consistent and apply the same level of scrutiny as they are of Bivol.

 

His first fight at heavyweight was to be Carlos Takam. He cancelled due to a bicep injury then team Usyk moved off Takam and he ended up fighting Chazz Witherspoon instead of Tyrone Spong.

Regarding age defying performances, this might be due to his activity levels. Klitschko was looking pretty listless from his schedule over the years by the time he got to Fury. He then has a break, gets back in camp for Joshua, and puts in one of his best performances in years. Something to consider

 

WBO needs to strip him

Right NOW

 

Bivol won his last fight by the skin of his teeth so it's far more irritating that he'll be holding up the division. Usyk is very clearly the man at HW. He's earned far more leverage.

 

I would settle for transparency at this stage.

What injury? Produce medical documentation with the doctor's prognosis.

If that can't be provided or it isn't seen as a valid reason....then strip him.