Oleksandr Usyk shows true colours by admitting one fighter is better than him
The Ukrainian is widely regarded as one of the best fighters of his generation - but has surprisingly named the one fighter who is currently better than him
Oleksandr Usyk has admitted Terence Crawford is the current pound-for-pound No.1 in the sport.
The Ukrainian is widely regarded as one of the best heavyweight boxers of this generation. Prior to making his professional debut, it was evident that the 38-year-old was destined for big things in the sport after winning the World Championships in 2011 before winning Olympic gold a year later in London.
In 2013, Usyk finally turned pro and was quick to become a real household name in the sport. Within three years, the Ukrainian was already a world champion. That said, he was hungry for more. Five years after turning pro, the 'Cat' became an undisputed cruiserweight champion defeating Murat Gassiev on points.
Usyk made the decision to move up to heavyweight in 2019 and scored impressive victories over Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora. In just his third fight at the aforementioned weight class, he became a world champion after defeating Anthony Joshua. He then beat the Brit for a second time before defeating Daniel Dubois. Last May, the 38-year-old became a two-division undisputed champion after beating Tyson Fury on points.
The Ukrainian would go on to beat the 'Gypsy King' for a second time back in December. Despite his accomplishments, Usyk was quick to praise Crawford, telling DAZN: 'For me, pound-for-pound No.1 is Terence Crawford. I like this man, he's a great fighter. For me, maybe I'm No. 17.'
Usyk's comments showed his real colours - proving that he really is all class both in and outside of the ring. Crawford won all the titles at super-lightweight before repeating the breathtaking achievement at welterweight in July 2023 when he toppled Errol Spence. He has since moved up again to claim another title at 154lbs and, in September, he faces the toughest test of his glittering career so far.
On September 13, he will take on Canelo Alvarez for the undisputed super-middleweight titles. Crawford will be looking to keep his perfect record intact, but faces a tough ask against the multi-weight ruler. As for Usyk, the Ukrainian is preparing for his return to competitive action.
The 38-year-old is scheduled to rematch Dubois next month at Wembley Stadium for the undisputed heavyweight world titles. The pair first met back in 2023 - with the Ukrainian going on to stop the Brit towards the back end of the contest. However, the fight was not without drama after Usyk was sent crashing to the canvas following a shot to the body that was eventually deemed a low blow - much to the frustration of Dubois' team.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
34 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
James D'Arcy reveals pleasure at supporting tennis awards
D'Arcy, 49, was one of several high-profile guests, including two-time Olympic medallist Fatima Whitbread and former Lioness Lianne Sanderson, who attended this year's edition of the Tennis Black List, presented in association with Dante Talent and held during the HSBC Championships at The Queen's Club, London on the 11th of June, supported by the LTA. D'Arcy, who holds credits in a blockbuster such as Oppenheimer, Avengers: Endgame and Dunkirk and is a keen tennis enthusiast in his own right, was grateful for the opportunity to attend and lend his voice to support and champion black and mixed black excellence in a sport so close to his own heart. 'It's wonderful isn't it?,' said D'Arcy. 'I know some of the people who work at Dante, so that's how I first became aware of it and very happy to be here and helping them celebrate the evening. It has been such a huge success. 'I started watching tennis when I was pretty young and it was the Borg-McEnroe final of 1980 that got me into it. 'I was always a massive John McEnroe fan because he threw tantrums and I was about the sort of right age for tantrums so although I couldn't match him on the tennis court, I could definitely throw a good tantrum!. 'The Icon award went to Arthur Ashe, who was in a field of one as a black man playing elite tennis at the level he did. 'Now here we are where someone like him is highlighted at these awards. It's great to feel real change coming. 'As with any sport, you would want for something like this to be available to everybody and that just hasn't been the case up until now. It has been kind of elitist and hopefully that's starting to change now. 'It just feels that that's the way the world should be.' Tennis Black List is the global celebration of Black and mixed black excellence across the game — spotlighting the unsung, the visionary and the next generation of changemakers. D'Arcy added: 'Events like this evening are so wonderful and joyful and they're doing such great work that it seems very clear that that's the sort of thing I would like to be involved with. 'I can get behind pretty much any player if they play well but in order to play well, particularly at tennis, you need to have access to money. It's as simple as that. A career in tennis is not something that's just going to happen. Some people are naturally gifted, but it has to be crafted so it's great that we have award ceremonies like this now. 'The people here being honoured must point in the direction of the fact that some of the money is getting to a more diverse group of people and that is wonderful to see.' Founders Anne-Marie Batson and Richard Sackey Addo said: 'This movement is about legacy. Tennis Black List is creating space for Black and mixed-black heritage excellence to be seen, honoured and remembered across all areas of tennis. We are building a global legacy that makes space for what is next.' Launched in 2022; Tennis Black List is the only global platform dedicated to celebrating and documenting Black and mixed-black impact in tennis — from grassroots organisers to elite players. A movement rooted in recognition, legacy, and cultural celebration.
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Ilia Topuria performs another Paddy Pimblett U-turn ahead of UFC 317 after seemingly squashing beef with Brit
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ILIA TOPURIA has seemingly performed yet another U-turn on Paddy Pimblett. The pair almost came to blows at the UFC London fighter hotel in March 2022 after Topuria confronted the submission specialist over comments he made about his fellow Georgians. 5 Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett almost came to blows at the UFC London fighter hotel in March 2023 Credit: INSTAGRAM@ILIATOPURIA 5 But the pair appeared to squash their beef at the most recent UFC London weigh-ins Credit: X@CHISANGA_MALATA 5 Topuria has since revealed he hates Pimblett and wants to knock his block off Credit: GETTY A public war of words has played out over the last three years, although the duo seemingly put their differences aside with a brief embrace at the most recent UFC London weigh-ins. But Topuria, who fights for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 317 next weekend, insists he still has immense disdain for 'The Baddy'. The 28-year-old said of Pimblett in an interview with ESPN Deportes: 'He's a hypocrite. "I'll tell you, I remember we shared a press conference once, and he said something like, 'I'm fighting in the main card, and you're on the prelims,' some kind of nonsense. READ MORE ON ILIA TOPURIA 'DIDN'T WANT TO' Ilia Topuria explains reason for major career change ahead of UFC 317 "And now I'm thinking, I have two belts. Where are you? "Who the f**k is Paddy Pimblett right now and why would he deserve to fight me right now?" Former featherweight king Topuria has already earmarked Pimblett, who picked up the biggest win of his career against Michael Chandler in April, as his next opponent. He said: "Honestly, if I could choose a fight, I would fight him because I hate him. He's a pain in the ass. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 5 Surging Brit contender Paddy Pimblett has welcomed a showdown with Ilia Topuria Credit: REX "I'd love to give that fight to the fans, because for a long time, I believe that in the UFC, you haven't seen a real fight. "Two people who really want to fight each other, and what better way than to fight in front of everyone and put on a show? Ilia Topuria Trains For UFC 317 Clash With Charles Oliveira "I know what's going to happen, and it won't be good for him." Topuria has the small matter of beating former 155lbs titleholder and fan favourite Charles Oliveira before he can think about settling the score with Pimblett. But 'El Matador' believes he'll make light work of the Brazilian, saying: "Charles is a great fighter. "I'd say he's a legendary fighter, one of the few still active in the UFC. "But the truth is that his style fits perfectly with mine to put him to sleep in the first round. "Because he has no mobility, he doesn't move."
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Pole vault icon has broken world record twelve times amid £1m pay day
Mondo Duplantis has now broken the men's pole vault world record 12 times, with the two-time Olympic champion making history once again at the Diamond League in Stockholm Mondo Duplantis broke the men's pole vault world record for a 12th time at the Diamond League in Stockholm, with the 25-year-old achieving a clearance of 6.28m. Duplantis is a two-time Olympic champion and first broke the world record back in February 2020. He has since continued to raise the mark by small increments in order to maximise his bonus money, with athletes receiving a maximum $100,000 (£73,000) payout for setting a new world record. As a result, it is more lucrative for Duplantis to keep increasing the record by small increments rather than raising it as high as possible. Duplantis is not the only pole vaulter to have employed this tactic, with Ukraine's Sergey Bubka and Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva doing the same. Bubka broke the men's outdoor world record 17 times and the indoor world record 18 times, while Isinbayeva broke the women's world record 28 times. Duplantis, meanwhile, is estimated to have earned more than £1m from doing this. Speaking ahead of the Diamond League event, Duplantis stated that breaking the record on home soil was his "biggest dream". He said: "I'm pretty excited. Of course, I would say it's like a mini championship for me. "It feels like that kind of pressure that I put on myself—it means that much. You really have to defend the ground. My biggest dream now—I feel like the only thing I'm missing—is to break the record here at Stockholm Stadium. "It's kind of a thing I can't get off my mind. I have a lot of my family here—pretty much all of my family from both sides. So that raises the pressure quite a bit. In track and field, you don't really get that type of home field advantage that much. "But here, I'm able to really feel that—and it comes with added pressure. But I think it's super nice too, because it feels like I'm representing something a little bit bigger than just me when I'm on the track." Duplantis was born in America, but competes for Sweden through his mother Helena and he was delighted after breaking the record. "The first time I jumped in this stadium when I was 11 years old, it was rainy, cold and I jumped right under four metres," he explained. "It was quite high for how young I was. They etch the names of world record holders here. It's going to be really special to have my name etched in the stadium. "It's the most beautiful stadium, in my biased opinion. It'll be one of the greatest memories for me, I think, in my career." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
