Usyk: late to HW but why?

It isn't just about confidence though. Like I said in my other post you gotta think of the wear and tear that fighting exclusively at heavyweight gives you as a smaller man, and also the way the landscape at heavy is more difficult to navigate unless you have major backing behind you and are preferably US or UK based and have casual friendly styles. Usyk lacks power and size, he doesn't speak English, and he's backed almost entirely by other Ukrainians so can you imagine the nightmare he would have had trying to build himself up at heavyweight? Look at Ivan Dychko for an example of how that goes. Also, do you really think someone like Wilder or Fury would have given him a title fight? Maybe even Joshua wouldn't. He would be locked out in the who needs him wilderness until he's too old and beat up to be a threat anymore. The way he actually did it he got tons of experience and exposure, got all the recognised belts, and was able to fight for a world title at heavy in three fights. He did things the right way for his career and longevity I reckon.

 

Usyk was a Cruiser for 5 years 2013-2018 and has been a Heavyweight for 5 years 2019-2024,no doubt he made the switch when there was nothing else at Cruiser to win and then he and his Team decided the time was right to move up to the higher Division and go for further glory there .

 

I’m not a fan of Usyk but my guess would be that he been training and fighting his whole life. Being on that amateur level he was and with all those fights he had he didn’t have any spear time as a teen and most likely missed out of things that he his friends did because he was in a year around training camp. Even though Usyk hasn’t taken much damage as a fighter his body has went through a lot of damage/milage. I think this is the first time in his whole career that he can actually fight on his terms.

Like I said, I’m not a fan but even I think he deserves to fight whenever he wants.

*Edit, I noticed I didn’t really answer the question…

 

Usyk bettered himself in cruiserweight through years, and he realized he is now good enough to beat guys in heavyweight.

He wasn't too late. He spent years in cruiserweight to gain enough experience.

 

What I was saying is that Usyk and his Team around him obviously went with Cruiserweight first as he could make the weight easily enough and then as he got older with nothing else to fight for the decision was made to move up. However since the move to Heavyweight he has only fought once a year which may suggest he has to build himself up now at this higher weight,in all honesty we can all make assumptions but only Usyk can give the answers as to the what when and why regarding his career .

 

"Also, do you really think someone like Wilder or Fury would have given him a title fight? Maybe even Joshua wouldn't."

Usyk finished his amateur career in 2012, the heavyweight champion at the time was Wlad and would remain so for another 3+ years. When Wlad eventually lost it was in a big upset and had he not lost to Fury it's conceivable that he would have been on top for at least another 2 years (Vitali made his last defence at 41 and politics played a big role in his retirement), that was certainly the plan with his 5 fight TV deal extension a few months pre-Fury. Given that Usyk and Wlad were under the same promotional umbrella and Wlad's/K2's power to choose opponents, it wouldn't have been difficult to make the fight.

So the questions are:

1. Did K2 promotions want Usyk and Wlad to fight?

I strongly suspect they didn't.

2. Did Wlad want to fight Usyk?

Probably not. High risk and not a big fight outside Eastern Europe/Ukraine.

3. Did Usyk want to fight Wlad?

Probably, but given Wlad's A-side unlimited grappling and perhaps his national hero status I don't think he was desperate.

So given he didn't have the option to challenge Wlad, the cruiser path made more sense.

 

Despite WBS, at the time the consensus was that Usyk was too small for heavyweight. This opinion was expressed by several Ukrainian boxing trainers who knew him directly. For example, here's what the trainer of the Olympic team said right before he turned pro:

"If we're talking about professionals, then what concerns me is the weight category. He looked pretty good even in the heavyweight division, but I explained to him: he won because his weight was 207-209 lbs. The guys in the pro league weigh around 264 lbs plus height, arm length. According to anthropometric data, they surpass him. In three rounds of three minutes, he will win due to his speed, but speed is good only when you're fresh. In longer rounds, speed will fade away, and then strength, the force of the blow, will come to the forefront. What if there's a 44-66 lbs difference?"

Usyk himself said at the time that he believed he needed to gradually adapt to pro boxing in the cruiserweight division before thinking about moving up.

Besides, according to Usyk's promoter, they wanted to beat Holyfield's record in becoming the fastest champ in the cruiserweight division (the record was 12 fights).

It's easy to say in retrospect that he could have gone HW right away now that we've seen his career unfold. But if you were following boxing when Usyk was moving up, there were a lot of doubters: people were saying that he's too small for heavyweight and that he lacked power.

Honestly, I don't see why this question is so important: we as boxing fans have no reason to complain because the cruiserweight division was finally exciting and contributed to Usyk's career and legacy in the most positive way.

 

Fury haters call out Fury with the boar meat? That's fine and fair

I expect Usyk needs time to cycle off his Eastern goodies before he is clean to fight

 

Usyk is a small heavyweight these days. He was closer to cruiserweight, This isn't rocket science and your question leaves a lot to be desired.