Usyk became the first undisputed world heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis (1999) and the first in the four-belt era. From this moment, he began to be called the main threat in the cruiserweight division. Usyk became world champion in just his 10th fight—one of the quickest paths to a title in history. “Maybe I can be undisputed for a second time in the cruiserweight division. It’s my plan. When I start to prepare for my training camp as a heavyweight, I have to eat all the time. For me, it’s hard. I don’t like it.” Shortly after defeating Fury the first time, Usyk stunned fans and boxing experts when he announced that he was motivated to return to the cruiserweight division.

Usyk vs. Briedis

• In an echo of what made Ali one of the greats, Usyk is a heavyweight champion freighted with political significance in his homeland.
• Dubois interprets that as a hint the Ukrainian is on the verge of quitting the sport.
• Usyk carries a teddy to all of his fights which was gifted to him by his children.
• The Englishman was upgraded to full IBF champion following a win over Filip Hrgovic and he’s coming off a sensational fifth-round knockout over Joshua.

He swiftly demolished his opponent in a fifth-round TKO to announce his arrival on the boxing scene. But it wasn’t until September 17, 2016, that Usyk won his first world title. Then only 29 years old, he defeated Krzysztof Głowacki via a 12 round unanimous decision to become the WBO cruiserweight champion.

He believes their July 19 bout could be the last fight Usyk has. Daniel Dubois has vowed to send Oleksandr Usyk into retirement when the two heavyweight rivals clash at Wembley over undisputed gold. There had been no indication a split was on the horizon when Usyk and Dubois came face to face. “I’m ready right now,” he said at a press conference in April, while Krassyuk said fans would see “a version of Usyk that you have never seen before. No more controversies, no more question marks”. Although it looked like a clean shot, referee Luis Pabon ruled it as a low blow and allowed Usyk plenty of time to recover, which aided his victory.

DIVISION

Usyk stayed down to recover for a while and many British fans argued the fight should have been a knockout win as the shot was legal. The fight was one-sided; Usyk almost knocked out the Brit in the end. Usyk became a world champion in his second weight class, heavyweight.

This unbeaten run is made even more impressive by the fact that Usyk has fought some of the best boxers in the world during his career. This was Usyk’s usyk dubois first title fight in the professional ring, away from home, against the undefeated Polish fighter. Usyk won and showcased world-class skills like jabs, distance, and ring control. “I think maybe after the rematch, I am going to go down in weight to cruiserweight. I want more fights at cruiserweight,” Usyk told the ‘3 Knockdown Rule’ via the BBC.

Oleksandr Usyk will defend his heavyweight crown in a high-stakes rematch against a resurgent Daniel Dubois, July 19 at Wembley Stadium. The Englishman was upgraded to full IBF champion following a win over Filip Hrgovic and he’s coming off a sensational fifth-round knockout over Joshua. Opinions among boxing insiders were divided, with some claiming that the Englishman’s punch was legitimate and others agreeing with veteran referee Luis Pabon’s decision.

Oleksandr Usyk: Biography, record, fights and more

A big crowd was in attendance and it was enough to inspire him to victory. Even though Usyk won thanks to a stoppage in the ninth round, it was deemed a controversial win after Dubois sent his opponent down to the canvas. Here is everything you need to know about Oleksandr Usyk as we answer all of your questions about the heavyweight star. But it’s not just his fighting ability that makes Usyk stand out. He is also known for his sportsmanship and humility outside the ring.

Dubois and Usyk will meet again in July with the undisputed heavyweight title on the line

This time though, they only fought for three belts after Usyk was forced to vacate his IBF belt to Daniel Dubois – who was mandatory challenger. Looking ahead, it’s difficult to predict what the future holds for Usyk. He has achieved almost everything there is to achieve in boxing, but at just 35 years old, he likely has several years of fighting left in him.

Oleksandr Usyk is the WBA Boxer of the Year

Even though Tyson Fury is retired, there is heavy speculation of a potential return. Daniel Dubois, Joseph Parker, Agit Kabayel, and more are also in the periphery of the championship. In an echo of what made Ali one of the greats, Usyk is a heavyweight champion freighted with political significance in his homeland.

Undisputed cruiserweight champion

Most recently, Usyk defended his unified heavyweight titles against Tyson Fury in December 2024, securing a unanimous decision victory in their highly anticipated rematch in Saudi Arabia. This victory followed their first encounter in May 2024, where Usyk claimed a split decision win to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era. Oleksandr Usyk, of Ukraine, is the undisputed heavyweight world champion. Usyk is also a former cruiserweight undisputed champion and 2012 Olympics gold medalist.

Major world titles

Beyond his achievements in the ring, Usyk has become a symbol of Ukrainian resilience during his country’s ongoing conflict. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Usyk joined the territorial defense forces before receiving special permission to leave and defend his titles against Anthony Joshua. He has consistently used his platform to bring attention to his homeland’s struggle, carrying national symbols into the ring and dedicating his victories to the Ukrainian people. “If the money’s up, then it happens. Back then it was okay now we’re fighting. I think the biggest difference really is a mindset thing.” Boxing was of course a very different sport in Muhammad Ali’s time. He’s beaten Anthony Joshua twice, as well as those two Fury wins and has previously defeated Dubois.

Even as he approaches the twilight of his career, Usyk shows no signs of slowing down and there are still big fights out there for him. Alongside his wins over Fury, Usyk has twice defeated Anthony Joshua, and he also holds a ninth-round stoppage win over the reigning IBF heavyweight champ Daniel Dubois. This second victory over Fury has rubberstamped the 37-year-old lefty as the finest heavyweight of his generation. “My grandfather was 6 foot 3 too. Boxers in the heavyweight division now are 6 foot five to 6 foot nine now. So for him to be doing it at a height disadvantage, I would definitely consider him a legend.” Dubois, looking for revenge after losing his first fight with Usyk back in 2023, expects to be the opponent to bring Usyk’s career to a close.