Thankfully, this time, the conversation took place in a ring and we got a definitive answer. In 2024, Usyk separated himself from his peers. This is the great Ukrainian’s second Fighter of the Year award. The incredible run that earned him the honor in 2018 saw him defeat his cruiserweight rivals one by one – all on enemy territory. He unified the division by beating Mairis Breidis in a war, became the undisputed 200-pound champion by outclassing Murat Gassiev
rejig training. Adding all of that to the equation, Usyk’s 15-month-long campaign wasn’t a procession. It was one of technical brilliance but also a triumph of mental toughness, dedication and discipline. Finally, in May, the great and the good of the boxing world descended on Riyadh for the first undisputed heavyweight title fight since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield back in 1999. They were to witness a fight that had the drama, the twists and the turns of
TWO CLOSE WINS OVER TYSON FURY IN 2024 HAVE SEEN THE BRILLIANT UKRAINIAN SECURE ALL-TIME
GREAT STATUS. By John Evans OLEKSANDR USYK: FIGHTER OF THE YEAR 2024
T he world should know exactly who the heavyweight champion of the world is. Over the past decade, a long series of dramatic, unpredictable fights have brought the sport’s glamor division back to prominence, but there has always been a conversation to be had over who truly was the best. Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua reigned as titleholders for years but circled each other without ever getting into the ring. Tyson Fury’s stunning return and thrilling trilogy with Wilder shifted the debate to whether it was him or Joshua who held the strongest claim to being recognized as number one. Before we could answer that question, Oleksandr Usyk arrived on the scene. A pair of victories over Joshua left Usyk and Fury as the last men standing from their generation.
and then defended his titles against Tony Bellew. In contrast, the 2024 campaign was centered around one man. Fighter of the Year awards are usually given for a fighter’s achievements over a 12-month period, but the 36-year- old Usyk had been embroiled in his rivalry with Fury since the fight was first announced on September 29, 2023 – almost eight months before he and the two-time champion first answered the bell. The fight was postponed twice. First, the original December 23 date was pushed back because of Fury’s tougher than expected outing against former MMA champion Francis Ngannou. Just two weeks before the rescheduled date of February 17, Fury picked up a cut during sparring and, having been close to peaking, the fighters had to
the legendary heavyweight clashes of the past and a performance that secured the winner a place among the greats of the sport. Usyk made a quick, active start, stabbing to the body and pressing forward. Fury is a true modern super heavyweight, but he is also blessed with outstanding movement for a fighter of his size and an enormous heart. “The Gypsy King” is also extremely smart. He gradually came to terms with Usyk’s speed and constant movement and managed to gain a foothold in the fight. Although never dominant, he began to tighten his grip on the fight in the middle rounds. His bodywork began to reap dividends, but it was the uppercut that caused the most significant damage.
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