Where do you rank Oleksandr Usyk as an ATG great heavyweight?

I find this a wee bit ridiculous when you say things like they are:

Beached whale Douglas
Post 40 Foreman
Post 40 Holmes
Post Prison, drug addict Tyson
Bowe, who never had a decent win BUT FOR Holyfield

Usyk would have beaten any two on the same night. And that is no disrespect to Foreman, Holmes or Tyson, who simply were not what once they had been.

 

Such a refreshing take amongst the always divided boxing fan base. Cheers to you.

 

Many of the consensus ATG HW's have fought and defeated other consensus ATG HW's, especially the likes of Ali, Foreman, Frazier and Lewis and you can argue that case for several others while Usyk doesn't have that on his resume, which incidentally is far from being his fault.

I think there's a strong argument for 6-10 but, I struggle putting him any higher. At CW he is the GOAT for me, especially given the fact that Holyfield was more juiced than Captain America for most if not all of his career.

 

If he beats Parker, he’s in the discussion for #1-#2. As it stands, he’s in the discussion for #3. Tonight was insane. Walked right into the lion’s den, knocked the lion out, stole his lunch money

 

Ali Louis Holmes Foreman Lewis
After that Usyk is in the mix with the bottom half top 10.
The only thing Usyk doesn’t have is longevity and title defenses.. H2H, he is money with all of them.

 

He has 5 opponents in hw , with aj and fury only two noteworthy . So either its impossible to rate him at all or below top 100 imho .

That said i think his ring iq and boxing skills are world class .

 

The best ever, conquered two divisions, stopped fighters significantly bigger than him, still undefeated at the age of 38, he didn't allow himself to be defeated by a worse fighter..

 

I'll wait until he's retired, but if he retired today i can't see why he wouldn't edge into my top 10, certainly top 15.

 

Top 10.

 

Dubois is noteworthy for sure.

 

Yes, I'm being hyperbolic, but the point remains: when Usyk went 12 with Chisora, I recall people saying he had no business at heavyweight and Chisora got robbed, and all that nonsense, now suddenly he's the GOAT. For the record, I think a post 40 Foreman actually gives Usyk a tough fight. If Chisora could use his weight and crudeness to throw himself about, then Foreman and his iron chin would've had success as well.

 

Lower top 10, will probably make it to the top 5 if he puts Parker away too and another top 10 HW after it.

Cruiser he's the GOAT imo.

 

I'm sorry but, Parker is not a once in a generation talent, he's a very solid, world level HW who has beat a number of solid contenders and competed well with a bunch of previously rated top 10 ranked fighters. This current run he is on has seen him defeat a washed Wilder and a fighter in Zhang who has a 4-6 round gas tank, after which point he's ripe for the taking. Bakole shouldn't have been anywhere near a boxing ring when Parker humiliated him.

There is no one left for Usyk to truly cement his legacy against unless Itauma goes on a ridiculous tear for the next 18 months, smashing the likes of Whyte, Parker, Dubois, Wardley et al, in which case Usyk would be going up against the next up and coming generational talent.

 

Ali was saved by smelling salts vs 185 pound British fighter Henry Cooper in his prime

 

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