There was a huge night of boxing this past weekend, with huge implications on the heavyweight title scene. As predicted, it was Oleksandr Usyk that furthered his claim as one of the biggest names in the heavyweight division, as he produced a controlled performance to beat Derek Chisora.
There were a lot of eyes on the Ukrainian for this fight, as it was considered his first big test since moving into the heavyweight division. And, it’s fair to say he passed that test with flying colours in a stylish display against the hard-hitting British opponent.
Boxing News: Usyk Claims Win
Most of the boxing experts from around the world predicted that Usyk would win the fight, but many were also wary of the power of Chisora. This was the first fight that Usyk had been involved in since becoming a heavyweight where there were serious doubts about him getting knocked out. However, the Ukrainian answered those doubters with quick feet around the ring to tire out his opponent.
Chisora started the better of the two men, and was looking to put immediate pressure on the former Olympic gold medallist. However, it almost seemed like it was part of Usyk’s gameplan, as he began to pick Chisora apart after the early rounds. Usyk was lethal in his punching in the win, while his footwork was also extremely impressive throughout. In the end, there wasn’t much doubt about the winner when the fight went to the scorecards.
Boxing News: What’s Next?
One particular boxer would have had added investment in the fight as he watched from ring side, as WBO champion Anthony Joshua was in attendance. Usyk was the mandatory challenger for that title even before this fight, but this performance and result now means that he keeps that claim. It is expected that the two stars will be going toe-to-toe at some point in 2021.
However, the date of the anticipated bout will largely depend on the unification fight between Joshua and Tyson Fury. That unification will take precedence over the mandatory challenger, which could mean that boxing fans will need to wait nearly a year before seeing Usyk challenge for the titles. And, even then, the Ukrainian may not be coming up against Joshua, as Fury could instead be the rightful owner of all the belts in the division. Either way, it’s an exciting time to be a boxing fan.
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