Which of these does Usyk beat

All of them

 

I’m not ready to make him a definite under dog or a definite favorite over any of those guys. To be clear, I think Usyk is a very good fighter. He unified the belts in two weight classes and at an advanced age has still proven himself the best. He’s always in great condition, has a high workrate and is brilliant. But let’s face it. Fury looked horrible against an MMA fighter who had never boxed professionally. Anthony Joshua was knocked out by Andy Ruiz. Chisora had seen better days and Chaz Witherspoon wasn’t very active or world class for that matter. The Daniel Dubois fight was controversial. While I’m still fond of Usyk, the opponents he’s beaten don’t make me jump at the chance to favor him over Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis etc

 

I’m sorry he isn’t listed but of all the heavyweights consistently called great I believe it’s Evander Holyfield I get the feeling he’d put a highlight win in against. I believe he has a good chance against Sonny Liston and his hardest match ups would be to me Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko. I haven’t thought about him against George Foreman, Larry Holmes Joe Louis, Joe Frazier or Muhammad Ali.

 

Not going to vote because he COULD beat any of them. However, they are all great fighters and have something that makes it plausible for them to win in return. There are some I think he beats 6 or more times out of 10, and a couple that maybe go the other way stylistically.

Out of respect I leave it at that.

 

Fury does not hit hard and he had Usyk in trouble.
Now imagine Liston hitting him.

 

This.

 

This is a tough list. Considering everyone on the list is at their best he could possibly lose all of these fights.

 

The only one on that list that I definitely don't think Usyk beats is Tyson, hes probably the worst style match up for Usyk and I can't see any situation in which Usyk beats Tyson.

I also wouldn't favour Usyk over Lewis, Frazier, Ali.

Usyk vs Liston, Holmes, are very close fights that could go either way.

But I think Usyk beats Foreman, Louis, Wladimir.

Overall Usyk would have mixed results I could see him winning a few but he would definitely have a few losses aswell. No Heavyweight in history fighting that level of competition wouldn't have atleast a few losses.

 

I wouldn't bet on him to beat any of them. Might get a win over Wlad and could trouble Louis for a few rounds.

 

I'd favor Liston but using this logic, Joshua would've destroyed him.

 

He "might" beat any of them, he's that good. Now they aren't ATGs for nothing so it can go the other way too. I can make arguments for all of them either way.

 

I am a big fan of Usyk but folks are getting carried away.

Usyk has a speed advantage over Fury and Joshua. Yes, his wins over those 3 are magnificent. Usyk has shown that he can handle skilled super heavyweights with ease.

But just because Usyk has shown he can dominate one style at heavyweight doesn't mean he can dominate any style.

Usyk would not have a speed advantage over Holmes. In fact, a 28-30 year old peak Holmes is arguably a shade quicker than a 34 year old peak heavyweight Usyk.

Usyk certainly would not have a speed advantage over a 25 year old peak Ali or a 22 year old peak Tyson. In fact, he would be at a speed disadvantage vs them.

I love Usyk but its very hard to imagine him keeping a rampaging Mike Tyson off him. Mike is quicker on his feet. The pre Douglas Tyson would not get caught with uppercuts so easily. And while Usyk does throw some solid uppercuts, there is no evidence he could use them to keep a rampaging young Tyson off him the way Douglas did. I see Tyson stopping Usyk in 6-7 rounds.

Ali-Usyk is interesting. On one hand, Ali never faced a southpaw even remotely as good as Usyk. And Usyk's jab, southpaw left and high work rate would no doubt allow him to win some rounds. However, Ali's faster hands would allow him to beat Usyk to the punch. And Ali could move and fight for 15 rounds so in a 12 rounder, he could up his work rate even more. Usyk is at a speed disadvantage here and he does not have a major work rate advantage either. Even in his cruiser days, he was always the faster man. He has never been the slower man. I think Ali decisions him in a close fight. In a triology, i could see Usyk winning 1 out of 3 but to favour him over Ali as if it is some obvious pick is silly.

Here is how i see it:

vs Ali - Ali wins 2 out of 3. Ali a pretty significant favourite to me, let's say 70-30 Ali.

vs Tyson - Tyson wins. Tyson a big favourite here, bad stylistic match up, 90-10 for Mike.

vs Holmes - Usyk wins 2 out of 3. Usyk a slight favourite, lets say 60-40. Holmes never faced a southpaw and he wasn't as quick or gifted as Ali. He didn't have Ali's lead right hand which is a great weapon against a southpaw. Holmes was great but he was a bit basic as a fighter- did everything well but not especially creative like Ali was.

vs Lewis - i call it a 50-50 fight. Lewis has a better jab and a bigger right than either Fury or Joshua. On the other hand, i am not convinced that Lewis has the defense to anticipate Usyk's lovely straight left. If Holyfield and Briggs could hurt Lewis with lefts, Usyk definetely can since his left is trickier to anticipate and defend against. Usyk has a speed and work rate advantage but Lewis has a huge advantage in strength and power. Lewis's amazing uppercut could also play a role. Really hard fight to call.

vs Foreman - Foreman a 70-30 favorite. young George traps him on the ropes easily. Usyk might stun him a few times on his way in but unlike Lewis, Foreman would not be dissuaded from moving forward. I don't see Usyk being able to absorb the body beating Ali did. I think Big George stops him but if Usyk can survive 8 rounds, he could potentially win. Foreman was relentless pre Zaire.

vs Wladamir - 50-50 fight. Wlad had faster hands and a bigger punch than either Joshua or Fury. I am assuming we actually have a fair ref here. Not the Germans who allowed Wlad to shove and push his opponents at will. Wlad also has a proven track record vs southpaws. Very hard fight to call as Usyk did have advantages in skill, footwork and work rate but Wlad has such enormous advantages in size and power.

vs Frazier - I say Frazier a 70-30 favourite. Frazier will make Usyk miss more and he has the stamins to go 15 rounds. Frazier can apply much better pressure than Chisora and for much longer. Usyk has never faced a guy who can deliver a sustained body beating with this kind of intensity for 15 rounds.

I will do the rest later. I would slightly favour Usyk over Louis for stylistic reasons and have him about even with Liston. But all of these guys have different styles. Usyk has never faced a faster fleetfooted boxer like Ali. Nor has he faced a swarmer with the technical ability, speed and power of a Tyson at any weight. Nor has he faced a boxer mover as well rounded as Holmes. Or a swarmer with the stamina and body punching of a Frazier.

Against many of these guys, he either does not have a speed or work rate advantage or he is actually at a speed disadvantage. To make him a favourite over such stylistically diverse heavyweights without him ever having fought those styles is absurd.

And i say this as one of Usyk's biggest fans.

 

If Ruiz Jr. had got his s**t together he would have wiped the division including Usyk