Is Usyk a good boxer in relation to looking at him alongside some heavyweight greats in boxing history? Let’s take a look.
Oleksandr Usyk is certainly considered one of the great cruiserweight boxers of the 21st century.
Boxing everywhere on the road battering everyone and remaining undefeated and continuing to improve many times since he moved up to heavyweight often times.
He is the heavyweight champion of today’s times and is still unbeaten and is considered an outstanding technical boxer in these times.
But if you compare his boxing ability to that of say Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard and all time greats is he really an all time great?
He competes in a very weak heavyweight era in these times and has only been able to fight the competition in front of him.
He is surely the best Ukrainian boxer ever but that doesn’t make him an all time great.
The main problem with him is his shocking choice of a kickboxing opponent for his next heavyweight boxing defense in 2026 against a kickboxer called Rico where he boxes him next month in Egypt.
This is a stain on his career and has damaged his credibility with boxing and the sport’s fans immeasurably this year.
It was a strange move from him as well to pick that opponent as he and boxing had been doing so well.
Boxing is going great as a sport regardless again right now anyway but Usyk has himself in the foot and only has himself to blame with the backlash he is seeing from everyone in boxing and of course everyone in Eastern Europe too at the moment.
He is a technically good boxer he does everything well, a good jab, good distance, solid power, solid chin and stamina but he doesn’t do anything particularly brilliantly.
You can’t call him a heavyweight all time great year in hindsight, even though we may have suggested that previously, until he fixes his level of competition as in the fans and sports eyes now he has tarnished his legacy with an easy opponent choice next month.
The sport will continue on regardless to do well but next month is not the right opponent for the current heavyweight champion.
Who knows what will happen Usyk this year.
