Association fight in London: Finally “legend”: Usyk celebrates the next K.-O.-Sieg

Shortly before midnight, a good hour after he had finally crowned one of the best boxers in the story, Oleksandr Usyk only wanted to go to bed. “I want to rest,” said the Ukrainian, who also asked the question of the possible next heavyweight spectacle aside: “Now I want to go home and then decide what will come next.”

After his k.-o. victory in the fifth round against the British Daniel Dubois, the 38-year-old left the London Wembley Stadium as the undisputed world champion with the glittering belts of the four most important associations. The titles of WBA, WBO and the WBC already held Usyk, which the IBF brought back from Dubois. His promoter Frank Warren had to admit: Usyk is the legend of today.

The Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj also congratulated his compatriot. “Thanks for the strength and inspiration that you give the whole country with every win,” Selenskyj wrote on the X. platform “Thank you for fighting every fight with Ukraine in your heart.” He also called Usyk “a legend”.

Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis – Oleksandr Usyk

Accordingly, the Gretchen question, which is also popular in other sports in other sports, was discussed again and again – who is the best of history? Before the press conference, some British even broke the law based on a specialist book, not to cheer as a journalist and journalist (“No Cheering in the Press Box”), and applauded the four-time world champion.

With his titles and his record of the 24 unbeaten professional fights, the Ukrainian certainly does not have to hide from a sporting comparison with legends like Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson. “He would be great in every generation,” said Warren. Those who could challenge him as the next opponent fall back significantly.

“I will continue with the boxing and training,” said USYK. The name of New Zealand Joseph Parker (33) often fell. Usyk mentioned the British Chisora (41), Anthony Joshua (35) and Tyson Fury (36). Against Fury, the Ukrainian won his first unification duel on points last year. As the current WBC interim world champion, the German Agit Kabayel (32) is also automatically contested for a World Cup fight.

“I can’t say it yet,” said Usyk and gave understandable reasons for it. “I prepared myself for months, I didn’t see my family,” said the 38-year-old. “I spent every day with my team, with 14 men, the same faces every day.” Before the next concrete planning, there should be peace. A career end was not an issue in the approach.

At 38, no “old man” certainly

Before the fight in London, the rumor persisted that Usyk also thinks of a super fight against compatriot Vladimir Klitschko (49), who would have to give a comeback after eight years as a box pensioner. The fact that age does not necessarily play a role showed Usyk impressively against the eleven years younger.

“38 is just the beginning,” Usyk called to the cheering 90,000 spectators immediately after his knockout. Dubois had made the age difference on the subject of the preliminary plan and said that his opponent was “an old man”. Usyk was not personally insulted, everything that happens before the actual fight was “just a show,” he said.