Usyk too small to compete at HW? I just don't see it.

LMAO!

Hey, not bad Yungsta; you know a little of your history.

 

Yeah, I remember the Charr fight. I also watched him go 10 with a fat supermiddleweight last weekend. Although to be quite honest, that guy showed a lot more heart than Gassiev.

 

Yeah, he lacks size, from a historical perspective. You look at the current Ring toptten and the average size is close to 6 5 235, iirc. And dominant HWs have always either A. Been larger than average for their time or B been harder hitting than average.

I suppose there is an argument that is coincidence, but the odds for a coincidence like that are very long.

And it makes intuitive sense to me. Movement can be best utilized with size, like Ali in his day and Fury in the modern era. Movement against a top SHW when you are smaller will be less effective. Can't close range and land as much; you get hit coming in by a longer fighter, even a slower one.

Maybe Usyk can prove me wrong and defy history. I'll give him full credit if so. But he should be regarded as an underdog to AJ and wilder at this point.

 

Although I suspect his lack of power will ultimately let him down at HW I don't think it will be a lack of size.

If you look at his frame you can tell he will have no trouble putting on some mass, how that effect him is another matter but he could easily weigh 220 and still be pretty lean..

6'3" 220 pounds would be too bad..

 

I was with you until you mentioned Wilder's name at the end. Wilder's actually quite a good bit of proof that you don't need to be huge weight-wise to compete on even terms in the current HW division. You can argue that his height and reach allow him to do that, but he isn't especially adept at utilising either, and mostly wins fights because he hits harder than his opponents. Proof perhaps that power can take you a long way in the division, but proof also that you don't have to be 230 plus to generate it or last against top five opponents.

Usyk lacks both power and size, of course, but he doesn't lack in toughness, and has more than enough skill to outslick almost anyone in the division right now. It's been a while since a guy won fights at HW with pure boxing talent, but it's been done before so there is a precedent. I guess I'm just saying don't rule Usyk out because he doesn't quite fit the current mold. There's been no one like him at HW in a long time.

 

Get a bigger TV.

 

He doesn't need to put on mass. His assets are his speed and stamina, and both would suffer the higher in weight he goes. He'll never compete as a power puncher anyway, so it makes no sense to go down that route. Look what it did for Adamek.

 

Haye had a bigger punch that would stop a lot of heavies walking him down, Usyk has to get by purely on skill..Although Joshua and the rest at heavy Parker Whyte etc aren't pressure fighters they could come forward far more down to Usyk's cruiserweight power than normal..I agree Frazier and Tyson would stylistically be a nightmare for Usyk definitely. My opinion is Usyk is skills wise far far better than anyone at heavy, I just don't see how he can beat bigger men consistently one after the other. Itll be a struggle keeping them off him. Hope i'm wrong though

 

I reckon there’s only a couple that he could struggle with. Let’s be honest, the HW division isn’t rich with high level fighters.

The problem that Usyk has, which you eluded to, is that he would have to fight a perfect fight for 12 rounds, consistently.

 

I don't watch TV. I read newspaper reports and use my imagination.

 

Ain't that the truth.