Who poses the biggest THREAT to Usyk right now?

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by VOXDEI, Jul 19, 2025.


Who stands the best chance of causing an upset?

  1. Kabayel

    32 vote(s)
    44.4%

  2. Fury

    14 vote(s)
    19.4%

  3. Parker

    18 vote(s)
    25.0%

  4. Okolie

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  5. Itauma

    5 vote(s)
    6.9%

  6. Hrgovic

    1 vote(s)
    1.4%

  7. Bakole

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  8. Someone else

    2 vote(s)
    2.8%
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  1. VOXDEI

    VOXDEI Active Member Full Member

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    This isn't a list of who is most deserving of a shot or anything like that. Who has the best chance of beating Usyk right now?

    For me:

    1. Kabayel
    - Still an unknown quantity to a great degree, but I rate his skills, he's a vicious body-puncher and represents something different to anything Usyk has faced to date.

    2. Fury
    - A great commendation to Usyk that I think the second toughest fight he could possibly take right now is against a guy he has already beat quite soundly, albeit Fury gave him some very tough moments in both fights.

    3. Parker
    - I've always felt Parker is too similar in terms of strengths to Usyk, but worse. Call him pound-shop Usyk. But perhaps youth could be enough to see him through against 39ish year old Usyk?

    After those three I struggle to envision anyone having much of a chance, before tonight I'd have had Dubois either No.1 or No.2 on this list and he just got smoked lmao.

    4ish. Itauma?
    - Maybe he's the real deal and heir-apparent etc, he certainly has the speed to match Usyk and at least good if not excellent power. Does he have the skills? Largely unproven; this is a total guess.

    5ish. Bakole?
    - Might seem a strange inclusion because he recently got flattened by Parker, but everyone has always said that Usyk is too small for the super-heavies, so what if we just got the biggest guy in the division, got him actually in decent shape and see if he's too much for Usyk? I rate his skills, and he clearly hits hard, though I suspect he's just too slow on his feet and his gas tank is too poor.

    6ish. Okolie?
    - He definitely isn't the sixth best heavy in the world but he's so ****ing awkward to fight, is there an outside chance that Usyk finds him a bad stylistic matchup? Constantly smothered by the octopus arms, constantly out-of-range, Okolie also has decent enough power to could keep Usyk honest. Maybe I'm being an idiot here, because on one level I think Okolie is a bit of a fraud, but there's no denying his awkward unorthodox style appears to get him results.

    7ish. Hrgo?
    - Same argument as Okolie really, he's awkward to fight and maybe there's an outside chance Usyk struggles to deal with him.

    Beyond those guys I can't even make an argument for anyone. Anyone else have any suggestions?
     
    VOXDEI, Jul 19, 2025
    VOXDEI, Jul 19, 2025
    #1
    Loudon, Serge, wifly and 1 other person like this.
  2. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Jul 4, 2014
    No one but Parker deserves the opportunity to prove it.

    Never mind Kabeyal and the body shots. Another false narrative, just like all the ones were heard going into tonight.
     
    catchwtboxing, Jul 19, 2025
    catchwtboxing, Jul 19, 2025
    #2
    captain hook, MixedMartialLaw, BubblesUK and 5 others like this.
  3. JohnJax

    JohnJax Member Full Member

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    Dec 5, 2020
    Parker
     
    JohnJax, Jul 19, 2025
    JohnJax, Jul 19, 2025
    #3
    catchwtboxing and Kiwi Fish like this.
  4. CroBox29

    CroBox29 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Parker and Kabayel.
     
    CroBox29, Jul 19, 2025
    CroBox29, Jul 19, 2025
    #4
    like a boss and catchwtboxing like this.
  5. Serge

    Serge Ginger Dracula Staff Member

    80,256
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    Jul 21, 2009
    1. Usyk







    2. God
     
    Serge, Jul 19, 2025
    Serge, Jul 19, 2025
    #5
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  6. offshoot

    offshoot Member banned Full Member

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    Jun 4, 2025
    Only Fathertime. Though there's no signs of it yet.

    No one is beating Usyk. He's a phenomenal fighter, and arguably the GOAT.
     
    offshoot, Jul 19, 2025
    offshoot, Jul 19, 2025
    #6
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  7. Kiwi Fish

    Kiwi Fish Active Member Full Member

    1,035
    1,690
    Dec 13, 2024
    Parker, he is more proven at the top level and has just gone from strength to strength. It can't be understated how much his strength and conditioning has improved, like I don't think people genuinely understand how bad it was before.

    That on top of his fast hands, for heavyweight, and having Andy Lee in his corner, he has the best chance of giving Usyk a challenge.

    Thats not to say that Usyk isn't the clear favourite of course, but Parker would be the best option for Usyk's longer term legacy.

    Kabayel gets an honourable mention, but he doesn't have the same level of experience or big fights at the top level.
     
    Kiwi Fish, Jul 19, 2025
    Kiwi Fish, Jul 19, 2025
    #7
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  8. NahMateNoWay

    NahMateNoWay Member Full Member

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    Jun 2, 2024
    I'm a big Parker fan, but Usyks biggest threat is father time imo but Usyk has his number so far
     
    NahMateNoWay, Jul 19, 2025
    NahMateNoWay, Jul 19, 2025
    #8
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  9. miniq

    miniq AJ IS A BODYBUILDING BUM Full Member

    47,850
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    Oct 23, 2011
    Fury

    Nobody else has anything to offer really....not sure Fury has any more form to offer though. It might be like Ali vs Holmes
     
    miniq, Jul 19, 2025
    miniq, Jul 19, 2025
    #9
  10. DaRealJT

    DaRealJT Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Sep 26, 2021
    Agit Kabayel by FAR.

    He is the only heavyweight who even has a remotely realistic chance of beating Usyk in the 2 years while Usyk is still the right side of 40 years old.
     
    DaRealJT, Jul 19, 2025
    DaRealJT, Jul 19, 2025
    #10
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  11. wifly

    wifly Active Member Full Member

    867
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    Age.
     
    wifly, Jul 19, 2025
    wifly, Jul 19, 2025
    #11
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  12. UmarIFLUmar

    UmarIFLUmar Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Jan 8, 2021
    This is what I was about to say.

    There's nobody in the division who's even close to his level and if he loses it's because he got old.
     
    UmarIFLUmar, Jul 19, 2025
    UmarIFLUmar, Jul 19, 2025
    #12
    wifly likes this.
  13. LoveThis

    LoveThis Sweet Science Full Member

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    Feb 20, 2025
    Parker almost (some say more than almost) lost against zhang, fought a shot to bits wilder and had the freak shot of his life against bakole on a one day notice (meant to hit the other side of the face).

    I like parker and he is one of the most deserving opponents to usyk, but what does he really bring to the fight? Wilder now loses against anyone around the top 20. There is nothing left. That was clear even before the parker fight. And against zhang he dropped his punch output like crazy.

    It's like with Dubois - none of these fights help him the tiniest bit against usyk. Usyk has everything Parker has but better. And parker doesn't have the punch or jab dubois has. I just don't see how parker wins against usyk.

    Kabayel is at least a wildcard. Though I don't expect him to win at all, I think he is crafty and unusual enough to pose some questions usyk hasn't been asked in the division yet.

    And that is the best we can hope for - bring something new out of usyk.

    We have a historic fighter right now and every fight is a gift for the fans. It's like a great author and you can only hope that he writes as many books as possible for eternity. And as there aren't going to be that many more books I don't need one of them being parker.

    PS: Usyk - Fury 3 ends with a ko against fury
     
    LoveThis, Jul 19, 2025
    LoveThis, Jul 19, 2025
    #13
    VOXDEI likes this.
  14. VOXDEI

    VOXDEI Active Member Full Member

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    May 17, 2021
    Cmon stop being boring and make some outlandish suggestion at who might have a chance at beating Usyk at the current moment. I suggested Okolie ffs!!

    Also - saying time is a total cop out because I said "right now" implying he won't age.
     
    VOXDEI, Jul 19, 2025
    VOXDEI, Jul 19, 2025
    #14
    Kiwi Fish and LoveThis like this.
  15. LoveThis

    LoveThis Sweet Science Full Member

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    Feb 20, 2025
    Shannon Briggs!
    Jake Paul with a no punching clause!
    Bivol at Light heavy!
    Huni with reyes gloves against usyk with 20 oz gloves
    Some MMA Fighter in an MMA fight (though he would have to be very good and only fight on the ground)
    A woman - because I doubt he would punch her
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2025
    LoveThis, Jul 19, 2025
    LoveThis, Jul 19, 2025
    #15
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