Was Usyk Unbeatable At Cruiserweight ?

Limiting analysis to fighters who fought in the CW division, as opposed to HWs from previous eras who weighed in at the modern CW limit, Usyk is uneqovically top 2 greatest all time at CW, but no one is unbeatable.

I'd make Usyk 50/50, prime for prime at CW, vs Holyfield and favour him to beat anyone else, but others would have a chance. Haye would have a punchers chance early, for example.

1 judge scored his fight vs Briedis a draw, the other 2 scored it 7-5 to Usyk. If Briedis came close, there are others at CW who would potentially have a chance, even if, Holyfield aside, I'd make them all clear underdogs.

 

Nobody is unbeatable. Usyk is right there at the top though.

 

I think Holyfield and Toney beat him at 190 pounds.

 

I'd favour Holyfiled about 60/40 over Usyk at CW.

 

Briedis came close, I think that fight could easily have been scored a draw and Usyk couldn't really complain. While Mairis was very good fighter, I don't think many would describe him as great. Usyk wasn't flawless.
I think Juan Carlos Gomez would be very difficult style for Usyk. Holyfield would be very tough one of course. Prime Haye and Johnny Nelson would be tricky for him also. I'm curious how prime Steve Cunningham could've done.
On his day Usyk could beat every one of them, but if They all competed in the same era, I doubt He'd get through them all unbeaten.

 

The problem with "in history" is that you pull in scenarios like a young Muhammad Ali cutting/draining down to 200 to fight at CW. Or Joe Frazier simply leaning out. Or a young Joe Louis being a young Joe Louis.

If we look only at fighters who have actually fought cruiser, he's got to get through Holyfield to make a claim like that.

 

I think he's the cruiserweight GOAT, but a few people could've beaten him stylistically. I think Qawi would've been a very interesting fight.

 

When he beats Fury and retires undefeated we will be asking if he could be beaten at heavy.

 

I think he'd whip a lot of ATGs, more than most people here would like to admit.

 

The Mr Pedant (as MDWC once lovingly called me during a long drawn out debate) just can't stay inside the "penned" division in this case.

Usyk was weighing around 208 fight night and this brings so many guys into the equation is simply not funny particularly given how much some of these guys drop thru dehydration. Usyk's first fight at heavyweight saw him around 215 from memory so perhaps he was cutting from around that.

Straight away you've got the likes of Marciano, Louis, Frazier, Patterson and Dempsey are straight in the mix.

You don't even need to take green Holyfield, he was weighing around 208 at Heavyweight in his early years and he'd dry that off in the blink of an eye.

You also have to believe guys like Ali, Holmes, Liston and possibly even Tyson (215 3/4 for Holmes) could melt down and bounce back pretty well.

That's what i call apples to apples and tho there's a little speculation i am sure plenty will agree some of these guys could cut and perform just dandy. Holmes sweet spot was 212 and he'd be bouncing back to at least 208.

It's a tough bunch.

 

Going back in time and choosing fighters - he is beatable at Cruiserweight and here we include heavies that nowadays fall into. That way no one is unbeatable, but takes nothing away from a fighter.

 

For actual CW's, Holyfield has to be considered a favorite over Usyk, but not overwhelmingly so.

For Old HW's who fought around 190, there are a whole lot who would be either favorites or close to it.
For the record, I'd love to have seen Langford vs Usyk.