Top 10 Interesting Facts about Oleksandr Usyk
Boxing is an incredible sport for so many reasons, with one of our favourites being the sheer talent of the professionals who continue to increase its popularity. Amongst the names many people will reel when asked are the sports standout stars is Ukrainian powerhouse Oleksandr Usyk. Known as a great to so many people, we want to find out what makes this fighter special, so we have pulled together some of our top Oleksandr Usyk facts.
Oleksandr Usyk is incredibly popular with fans worldwide and holds various titles that have firmly cemented his position as a boxing great. He has beaten the odds to become one of the most respected fighters out of the 20,000-plus professionals competing yearly. His story also proves that boxing has the power to transform lives, giving young people an opportunity to reach the heights that most people can only dream of. With a clear passion for sport showcased from an early age, Usyk’s career has been filled with exciting bouts and title battles which he succeeds in time and time again.
Not one to sit quietly on the sidelines, Usyk has recently hit the headlines for threatening to retire if fellow boxing supremo Tyson Fury does not agree to fight him in the coming months. This comes after a sensational win over Anthony Joshua in 2021.
We know that this fighter has got what it takes to be the best classed as one of the best, but how has he achieved boxing stardom? Lace up those gloves as we are about to find out!
Top 10 Oleksandr Usyk facts
- Known as ‘The Cat’, Usyk was born in January 1987.
Despite his warm and kind nickname, Usyk has been a sporting dynamo to be intimated by since his childhood which was spent in Simferopol, Crimean Oblast, Ukrainian SSR. Born on the 17th of January, Usyk embodies the traditional fiery Capricorn spirit, with emotional endurance and boundless energy being two of his main characteristics. His family also instilled a sense of hard-working from a young age, with Usyk’s mother having moved to Simferopol before he was born to support her ambitions to study. His date of birth is also special as he shares the day with his own boxing icon, Muhammad Ali. The 17th of January is clearly a special date in the boxing calendar!
2. It’s not always been all about boxing for Usyk as he started his sporting career playing football.
We always talk about the merits of transitional skills in sports as we think that there are many crossover opportunities both in training and professional levels. Oleksandr Usyk is the perfect example of somebody who can appreciate the merits of different sports, having played football until 2002 when he then switched to boxing. As a youngster, he trained at the prestigious SC Tavriya Simferopol. This centre specialises in sports training and is the school of choice for Olympic reserves.
Usyk still has a love of the field sport to this day, In fact, he trained with and played for FC Polissya Zhytomyr earlier in 2022 as part of his training.
3. He is only the fourth EVER boxer in the history of the sport to hold the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles at the same time.
This accolade was achieved back in 2018 and reinforced Usyk’s position as a boxing legend. Bridging the gap between different class weights to prove his dynamism as a fighter, he is also one of three stars who have been able to achieve just a sporting accomplishment. These titles have also led him to be called the ‘world’s second best active fighter’ by the pound-for-pound rankings, Ring magazine, and Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (TBRB).
4. Usyk was a well-respected amateur fighter before turning professional.
Ending with a record of 335-15, Usyk had made a name for himself before even setting foot inside a professional match ring. In many interviews, Usyk has spoken about his love of boxing as a passion and that he aims to bring light to the people of Ukraine through his sporting achievements. As an amateur fighter, he travelled all around the world, which meant that he had an impressive following before he even made his professional debut.
5. Usyk turned pro in 2013 after a successful career as an amateur fighter.
He was signed to K2 Promotions, one of the world’s leading boxing promoters that are owned by fellow icons and boxing legends, Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko. Not one to do things by halves, Usyk’s pro career has seen him rack up a 20-0 winning record, with 13 of his wins being a result of an opponent flooring knockout. His first professional fight was against Felipe Romero in November 2013, which saw him win by W-TKO 5/6. It also only took him ten times in the ring to win the WBO cruiserweight title in September 2013.
6. Usyk has also made a name for himself at the Olympic games.
Usyk has a shiny gold Olympic medal proudly hung alongside his boxing accolades after winning big at the London 2012 games. The victory was awarded in the heavyweight category. It is said to be one of the fuelling factors in the Joshua rivalry as he also won gold at the same games but at the super-heavyweight level. Despite his various wins in the ring and high-profile titles, the Olympic medal is one that Usyk holds as the biggest win. He has been quoted as saying, “The Olympics is still my greatest achievement… I have many belts, but there is only one Olympic gold”. Well said!
7. Joshua and Usyk are the boxing duo that love to hate each other.
Usyk was the driving force behind this sensation showdown in 2021, which he dubbed himself as ‘The Perfect Storm’. Taking place in September 2021, the fight saw Usyk come out as the winner having excelled in every bout and been awarded the victory as a unanimous decision. Determined to come out stronger than before, Joshua’s team immediately announced a rematch which took place in August 2022. The result? You probably guessed it; Usyk defeated Joshua again proving that he just keeps getting better. The win was this time a split decision, so we wonder what a round three would look like.
8. Usyk is said to have conquered the world when he won the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) in 2018.
Usyk was awarded the title of winner of the first-ever WBSS by defeating previously unbeaten Murat Gassiev in an exciting, 12-round fight. The event was one filled with fire and passion, with tension being apparent even at the press conferences. One moment that fans will remember was when fellow competitor Marco Huck pushed Usyk when not in the ring. Usyk simply smiled and decided to sort things in the ring like the professional that he is. The result was a flooring three days later during their fight.
9. Usyk boasts more than an impressive scorecard.
After almost a decade of fighting professionally, Usyk has a perfect scorecard, having won all 20 of his high-profile fights. This has consisted of 9 title wins, 7 title defences, and 3 fight KO wins, all showing the diversity of his skills as a fighter.
10. Usyk has earned more than £3.8 million in heavyweight wins.
Proving how higher win records can improve earning potential for boxer stars, Usyk has gone from earning £37k for a win to over a million. This is also without including his PPV and endorsements which as of 2021, saw the cumulative figure stand at £10 million. The Joshua 2022 fight has elevated his net worth to a whole new level, with both him and Joshua taking home an eye-watering £32.5 million each!
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Whether you like to box for fun or have dreams of competing with the big players, boxing is attainable for everyone in one way or another. We wanted to share our top Oleksandr Usyk facts as not only is he an interesting character, but he proves that with hard work and dedication, you can be the best.
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