Having recently defended his three heavyweight titles by defeating Brit Anthony Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs), Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) has been voted the best fighter of the year 2022 by the authorities of the World Boxing Organization.
Back in August, Usyk beat the Englishman in Saudi Arabia to retain his WBA ‘Super’/IBF/WBO heavyweight belts. The triumph took place eleven months after dethroning Joshua at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
The rematch between Usyk and Joshua was delayed due to the fact that the former has joined a territorial defence battalion in Ukraine at the start of the Russian invasion in March. However, thanks to his status as the father of three underage children, Usyk was allowed to resume his career and eventually win yet another fight against Joshua making boxing news headlines.
”I didn’t want to leave. One day I went to a hospital where I met wounded soldiers and they asked me to take part in this fight for our country. They told me that by doing this I would help our nation more than by serving the army,” admitted Usyk, who was also rumoured to have discussing the matter with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The rematch against Joshua was the fourth heavyweight bout for Usyk, who has been the grand champion of the junior heavyweight category in the past. The Ukrainian won his first WBO belt with a win over the then defending champion Krzysztof Glowacki in September 2016. Two years later, Usyk emerged as the winner of World Boxing Super Series in Moscow after beating Russian fighter Murat Gassiev.
“Your have a big heart. We all know you were fighting for your people. Now, you are the fighter of the year and I hope you enjoy,” WBO president Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel told the Ukrainian during the 35th Annual Convention.
Three heavyweight division belts are in Usyk’s possession at the moment. The 35-year-old previously dominated the cruiserweight division, winning the World Boxing Organization, World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation belts in the process. However, the only belt that is missing from Usyk’s collection remains in Tyson Fury’s (32-0-1, 23 KOs) possession.
Sport.ua claims that the British and Ukrainian’s representatives have negotiated for a unification fight in the last couple months, but failed to reach an agreement. Fury, the ‘Gypsy King’, is set to face Dereck Chisora (33-12, 23 KOs) – whom he has already defeated twice – for the third time.
According to various media reports, Usyk is highly likely to become Fury’s next opponent. Their encounter is expected to take place in March 2023 in Saudi Arabia.
”As an orthodox Christian who doesn’t fight during the fast before Easter, I would prefer March 4. It should be all before or then after orthodox Easter (April 16),” Usyk stated recently.
As things currently stand, the Ukrainian does not have a designated opponent for the time being in a possible pre-fight clash with Fury.
