Oleksandr Usyk on perfect rival Tyson Fury | Rematch talk ‘too early’ for Daniel Dubois

Oleksandr Usyk took a repeat victory over Tyson Fury to defend his WBC, WBO and WBA world heavyweight titles and prove his greatness; Usyk explained why Fury is his toughest opponent and perfect rival, while the Ukrainian's promoter cautions Daniel Dubois ahead of Joseph Parker fight

John Dennen

Sports journalist

Monday 23 December 2024 06:08, UK

Oleksandr Usyk is a great fighter. He proved that over the course of his two bouts with Tyson Fury.

Usyk won both on the scorecards, converting a split decision in their first fight to a unanimous verdict in their second.

Fury was adamant the judges were wrong, but that was a claim Usyk simply dismissed.

"Okay no problem. I win," the unified WBC, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion said.

"I win, it's enough."

But it was against Fury that Usyk was able to demonstrate his capacity for greatness. Fury was the perfect rival for him.

"He's my best friend," Usyk joked. But he added with sincerity: "I very much respect this guy because I think he's very tough, my opponent. Tyson Fury makes me strong.

"Tyson Fury is a great opponent, big and tough. He's a good man. Tyson does a lot of talk. It's just [for] show. I respect him very much. Twenty-four rounds, listen now it's already history."

Usyk has earned the right to recuperate from another taxing fight, although Daniel Dubois, the holder of the IBF title, was the first to call him out for a four-belt unification.

"My next step. I'm going to rest," Usyk said. "Not think about boxing, Dubois, Tyson Fury. Just rest. Just play with my children."

The Ukrainian's promoter Alex Krassyuk also noted: "Dubois has to fight Joseph Parker and this is a very tough fight for him.

"It's too early to mention Daniel's name in regards to Usyk."

Usyk's greatness is not only due to his excellence in the boxing ring, amassing all the disparate championship belts, first at cruiserweight, then at heavyweight while beating all of the best fighters in each of those divisions.

He stands for something. After defeating Fury, Usyk he held aloft a sabre, an artefact dispatched from a museum, that a "hetman" or field marshall had wielded in a 17th century war against Russia. Usyk knew he represented the struggle of his people against the current Russian invasion.

With his knack for merging the personal and the political in his thoughts, Usyk dedicated Saturday night's victory to his mother.

"This win is for my mama and all the Ukrainian mums," he said. "I'm just happy that I won, that's it. I like to motivate people, to give them the incentive to do something. For me this is my motivation."

Wladimir Klitschko was a dominant heavyweight champion from Ukraine in the era before Usyk. He was celebrating with his country's newer hero in the ring after this most recent fight.

Klitschko would never box Usyk, but had been toying with the idea of coming out of retirement to fight Fury, who dethroned him as a unified world champion in 2015. He was happy to say that Usyk's victory would keep him retired.

He spoke sombrely of the people of their country, with many facing such severe bombardment that, with the internet disrupted, they wouldn't find out the news of Usyk's win until the following day.

"We in Ukraine know that every day is a gift and it's especially important not to look away from this barbaric war that is happening," Klitschko had explained to Sky Sports.

"Oleksandr is supporting our military forces' struggles, supporting Ukrainian struggles, not just financially, not just with his actions of being in Ukraine, but also he is promoting our country through this sport.

"It's another way to show that we Ukrainians are going to defend our right to live in a democratic country."

For Klitschko, Usyk is of course still "the baddest man on the planet". After that second victory over Fury, few would argue with him now.