Usyk is a generational GOAT

[Croaker]

Ward is an ATG, no doubt about it and a legend of sport. That being said, consider the following:

Usyk's unique achievements include being the first and only boxer to unify all four major world titles at cruiserweight, as well as holding the record for the fewest fights required to win a cruiserweight world title, (breaking Evander Holyfield's record). Additionally, he is only the second boxer after Evander Holyfield to have held unified world titles in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions.

I don't know where i'd rank him but what he did is not just rare, it's extremely rare. he could retire tomorrow and he'd easily be ranked somewhere in a TOP 10 best in boxing history.

The fuck he would lmao

does he even crack top 10 HW all time? Gotta get there first. Cruiserweight is a notoriously shallow divsion. He's probably top 5 there all time. He's not even a top 10 heavyweight all time, let alone top 10 boxer all time. This is some major glazing ITT

 

[nonoob]

Man, he sure got goated quick for whoopin' HighTrunx !
​

 

[PrideNverDies]

You guys said the same thing when I said Haney was a bum and Garcia was gonna whoop him.. so don't be so sure of your opinions because you guys often agree with me before it's all over !

Ryan was roided out of his mind that fight though. Literally

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

The fuck he would lmao

does he even crack top 10 HW all time? Gotta get there first. Cruiserweight is a notoriously shallow divsion. He's probably top 5 there all time. He's not even a top 10 heavyweight all time, let alone top 10 boxer all time. This is some major glazing ITT

Usyk has only had like 6 fights at heavyweight. He hasn't done enough to be rated a divisional Top 10 heavyweight. However, at cruiserweight, he's arguably #1 all-time and no worse than #2 behind Holyfield. Overall his entire boxing career achievements are highly impressive when you look at what he did in the amateurs and now in the pros. This GOAT talk is hilarious though.

 

[Croaker]

Usyk has only had like 6 fights at heavyweight. He hasn't done enough to be rated a divisional Top 10 heavyweight. However, at cruiserweight, he's arguably #1 all-time and no worse than #2 behind Holyfield. Overall his entire boxing career achievements are highly impressive when you look at what he did in the amateurs and now in the pros. This GOAT talk is hilarious though.

I never claimed what he has done isnt impressive. He is just no where fucking near top 10 all time.

When we're comparing all time, pros highly outweighs amateur. No matter how good of an amateur Teofimo Lopez, he isnt a top 50 boxer all time. Amateur is its own thing. What Loma did is impressive too, but his pro resume goes way further in my book. Its like two separate careers.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

I never claimed what he has done isnt impressive. He is just no where fucking near top 10 all time.

Like I said it really depends on what we're talking about. At cruiserweight he is. Easily. At heavyweight he isn't. Doesn't have enough fights there. Overall (P4P) he isn't a Top 10 ATG. He'd need to have a larger body of work to be rated that highly. That said Usyk absolutely is one of the best fighters of his generation. Let's just leave it at that.

 

[Poirierfan]

Usyk is a great fighter, but he wouldn't have been the best if he had fought in the late 80's early 90's imo. HW boxing isn't what it use to be, I think it has a lot to do with the emergence of MMA. Back then all there was was boxing.

 

[Roids]

He's not even top 50 all time at HW, the recency bias is insane he has barely fought at HW. As for all time he only has 21 fights, thats not enough fights to be talking about one of the greatest. He is one of the best of the current generation so far, no need to get carried away.

 

[Phisher]

The fanboy reaction at the end to meeting Holyfield is very wholesome.

 

[KAZSoliloquy]

Usyk is a great fighter, but he wouldn't have been the best if he had fought in the late 80's early 90's imo. HW boxing isn't what it use to be, I think it has a lot to do with the emergence of MMA. Back then all there was was boxing.

other sports as well. heavyweight boxers were millionaires in the 70's. an nba/nfl contract back then was like $100K a year

 

[that Indian]

I'm glad to see Usyk finally get his flowers. It was surreal to see this former cruiserweight stalk and hunt and giant across the ring, and he's been the predator in every one of his fights at heavyweight. Hard to know how he would have done in a different era--it's very possible he picks up losses. But it's unquestionable that he could hang in any era.

I hate to see guys like Garcia and Tank taking the headlines when this guy should really have been the face of boxing for the past 8 years.

 

[Poirierfan]

other sports as well. heavyweight boxers were millionaires in the 70's. an nba/nfl contract back then was like $100K a year

Good point, it's obvious to anyone that grew up in the previous era's that boxing's HW division doesn't have near the depth it had like in the earlier days, it's not even comparable. I could name 10 HW's just from the early 90's that could give Usyk all he could handle, and 5 outta that 10 would probably bully him.

 

[KAZSoliloquy]

Good point, it's obvious to anyone that grew up in the previous era's that the boxing HW division doesn't have near the depth it has like in the earlier days, it's not even comparable. I could name 10 HW's just from the early 90's that could give Usyk all he could handle, and 5 out of that 10 would bully him.

i can't confidently pick more than a handful as a sure thing "this guy would definitely beat usyk" but i think the depth of that 90's HW talent pool would be impossible to come out of unscathed. sooooo many wily veterans just in the top 20-30 who could give the ATG's a run for their money on any given night. bert cooper, bonecrusher smith, razor ruddock, david tua, oliver mccall, alex stewart. that's not even counting the real champs like moorer, holyfield, lewis, mercer, bowe, tyson, morrison, etc. just too deep a division.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

The fanboy reaction at the end to meeting Holyfield is very wholesome.

Holyfield recently recalled that when he met Usyk many years ago he said that he'd become undisputed at cruiser & heavy. It was always his goal like it was for Holyfield back in the three-belt era. They were chasing the same dream and both managed to actually accomplish it. That's pretty cool.

 

[lewddude]

he could retire tomorrow and he'd easily be ranked somewhere in a TOP 10 best in boxing history.

And yet Ray Mercer would put him down in four. Recency bias is real.

 

[StopDucking]

The fuck he would lmao

does he even crack top 10 HW all time? Gotta get there first. Cruiserweight is a notoriously shallow divsion. He's probably top 5 there all time. He's not even a top 10 heavyweight all time, let alone top 10 boxer all time. This is some major glazing ITT

Why would Usyk need to be a top 10 HW in order to be a top 10 boxer?

A boxer’s status should be judged based on his ENTIRE career, not just his accomplishments at the last weight class he competed at.

Pacquiao was a world champion at Flyweight, Super Bantamweight, Featherweight, Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Super Lightweight, Welterweight and Super Welterweight.

Is Pacquiao a top 10 Super Welterweight? Fuck no. Does that take away his all-time great status?

How can you think it’s ok to judge a fighter’s career while discarding 90% of his accomplishments?

 

[kfighter]

Usyk is way higher than Floyd in the GOAT discussion. For one, he hasn't fought the majority of his fights in Vegas.

Not even close

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

And yet Ray Mercer would put him down in four. Recency bias is real.

So is rosy retrospection.

 

[StopDucking]

Why would Usyk need to be a top 10 HW in order to be a top 10 boxer?

A boxer’s status should be judged based on his ENTIRE career, not just his accomplishments at the last weight class he competed at.

Pacquiao was a world champion at Flyweight, Super Bantamweight, Featherweight, Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Super Lightweight, Welterweight and Super Welterweight.

Is Pacquiao a top 10 Super Welterweight? Fuck no. Does that take away his all-time great status?

How can you think it’s ok to judge a fighter’s career while discarding 90% of his accomplishments?

Just noticed I took the time to write all this in response to a guy who thinks Usyk is “probably” a top 5 CW. Fuck me.

 

[that Indian]

I said before this fight that if Usyk wins, he would have to get the #1P4P title and I stand by that. Based on merit and what he's done for the sport lately, I think you have to give Usyk the best P4P. And he is that in the truest sense of the word, seeing as he's been significantly outsized in all of his fights lately.