Connect with us

UK Boxing

Klitschko: Oleksandr Usyk is the best player in newfangled history

Published

on

Usyk beat Fury by split decision to become undisputed heavyweight champion Photo Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Wladimir Klitschko was ringside to watch Oleksandr Usyk defeat Tyson Fury in Riyad.  Photo: Stephen Dunkley/Queensberry Promotions
Wladimir Klitschko was ringside to watch Oleksandr Usyk defeat Tyson Fury in Riyad. Photo: Stephen Dunkley/Queensberry Promotions

After his stunning victory over Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko hailed Oleksandr Usyk as the greatest boxer in “newfangled history”.

Klitschko was at the ring to support his compatriot Usyk, who won a split decision over Fury on Saturday in Riyad and became the undisputed heavyweight champion.

Usyk was first the undisputed owner of the heavyweight divisionsince Lennox Lewis achieved the feat in 1999 to become the second-ever undisputed champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions behind Evander Holyfield, and both were present at the Kingdom Arena for the historic bout.

Klitschko, who lost the heavyweight title to Fury in 2015, praised his compatriot and believes he should be considered the standout fighter of our time.

“This historic victory is crucial not only for Oleksandr Usyk,” said the 48-year-old Heavenly sports.

“Can you imagine the pressure this man has been under over the last few weeks and here in this ring?

“Failure was definitely not an option.

“He showed once again that he is undisputed and he is great in the cruiserweight division, but even more surprising to a lot of people and it doesn’t matter how gigantic, how high, how weighty, how much reach he has and how mobile Tyson Fury was.

“Oleksandr Usyk has shown that he is the best fighter in newfangled history.

“I am very proud of Oleksandr Usyk and I am very proud to be Ukrainian.”

Usyk defeated Fury by split decision to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
Usyk defeated Fury by split decision to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Usyk came close to stopping Fury in the ninth round when he sent the Briton into the ropes, although the 35-year-old received a standing eight count and was subsequently saved by the bell.

The knockdown proved decisive, as Usyk won by one point on one judge’s scorecard and two points on another, with one judge ahead of the competition for the “Gypsy King.”

Klitschko is adamant Usyk deserved to win the fight and expressed appreciation to his elderly rival Fury for surviving a thrilling ninth round.

“When you count points, you can’t be 100 percent sure in boxing, and the judges decided that Oleksandr Usyk deserved this fight,” he added.

“Without a doubt, an excellent performance by both players.

“I’m surprised how Tyson Fury managed to survive the ninth round until the end of the fight, but he did it. Let’s show him respect.

“Most importantly, Oleksandr stayed the same and did what he needed to do, becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion, the Ukrainian heavyweight champion of the world.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

UK Boxing

Anthony Taylor collapsed minutes after Darren Till KO and viewers were left terrified

Published

on

There were disturbing scenes during the last Misfits Boxing gala in Manchester on Saturday evening when Anthony Taylor collapsed after being stopped by fellow MMA fighter Darren Till.

The American took up the fight shortly after Tommy Fury withdrew, but he was no match for Till, who dominated from the very beginning.

In his first boxing fight, the Liverpudlian looked outstanding from the bell, displaying impressive hand speed and having no trouble countering Taylor’s aggressive approach.

Threatening to KO from the start, Till secured a stoppage in the sixth round.

But what happened next shocked those who watched the event. Taylor, who entered the fight with a 7-4 boxing record, broke down in post-fight interviews. He was later taken away from the Co-Op Arena in a wheelchair.

Many assumed that Taylor was then taken to the hospital for tests. However, according to Ariel Helwani, after being given oxygen and found to be stable, he was allowed to return to his accommodation.

Misfits co-founder Mams Taylor later confirmed that Taylor had regained consciousness. He also said Taylor did not need a hospital visit because he was “conscious and well” when he entered the locker room.

He later posted a video on social media in which he spoke clearly and promised to bounce back from the shocking defeat. “It’s OK, I took the L (loss) like a motherfucker,” he said.

“I’ll be back. I’m fine. Thank you all for your love and support, thank you to everyone who makes fun of me too. I don’t give a damn. I deserve it. But at the end of the day, I’ll fucking come back.”

“Pretty Boy,” who has a professional MMA record of 7-5 but has not fought since August 2019, also took aim at Fury. WX wrote, “Now we know why Tommy Fury backed out,” along with two laughing emojis.

The Misfits Boxing 20 main event was only organized after the Manchester fighter withdrew. The younger brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson stated that he was not content with Till’s claim that he would resort to “MMA tactics” if he lost the fight.

Do later denied that he wasn’t stern when giving the warning, saying it was simply a marketing tactic. It wasn’t until December 29 that it was confirmed that Taylor had stepped in as a replacement.

Continue Reading

UK Boxing

Darren Till’s Mystery Woman Tattoo Explained in Response to Paige VanZant’s Claims

Published

on

Former UFC welterweight title challenger Darren Till covered up a tattoo of a girl, sparking debate among fight fans.

The Liverpudlian is set to make his Misfits Boxing debut tonight against Anthony Taylor, almost two years after his departure from the UFC. Till left the MMA promotion to explore other opportunities. He was scheduled to make his professional boxing debut against former Mexican WBC middleweight boxing champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr last July, but the fight was ultimately canceled.

Instead, he faced Palestinian mixed martial arts champion Mohammad Mutie in an exhibition boxing match at Social Knockout 3 in Dubai the same month. Despite a blow to the back of Muti’s head, Till was declared the winner by technical knockout in the second round.

He is currently expected to move to Manchester but faces a tough opponent in Taylor, who has extensive experience in the Misfits world. Fans noticed that Till covered up a tattoo of his girlfriend’s face with a gorilla. He previously stated that he got the tattoo so that the woman, the mother of his two children, would always be close to him, even during fights.

Many fans wrongly believed that Till’s tattoo resembled former UFC star Paige VanZant, but the Liverpool MMA fighter rejected such suggestions. “That’s my girl,” Till explained about the ink. “It was a surprise for her on her birthday. I thought, ‘Yes, I’ll do something different. I’ll put a tattoo on her face.”

The topic of tattoos continued, but Till insisted: “It’s not Paige VanZant, I don’t even know who she is. As I said about my girlfriend, she is second to none. So every time I fight, she fights too. And she gets beat up by me, so if she pisses me off, I just go to the gym and let some guys beat me up.”

The combat sports world has also been abuzz with news of Till’s potential fight with Tommy Fury, which has now fallen apart. Fury explained his decision to withdraw in a statement on social media: “I can’t believe I’m writing this but now I’m not fighting Darren Till on January 18. For one straightforward reason: Darren has repeatedly stated that he does not want to follow the rules of professional boxing and that if he loses a fight, he will resort to kicks and other stupid MMA tactics.”

Fury continued to explain, emphasizing his dedication to boxing and lamenting the wasted preparation. “I’m a professional boxer, I’ve been out of the ring for over a year and I wanted it to be a great boxing match for the fans. I wasted weeks in training camps. We are working demanding to find a fresh opponent and I promise that I will find a better opponent and a better fight for you. Good news just around the corner.”

Continue Reading

UK Boxing

The former Chelsea footballer joined the KSI boxing fight amid a major career change

Published

on

Former Chelsea footballer Wayne Bridge is reportedly set for a surprise career change after being lined up as KSI’s next boxing opponent.

The former Chelsea and Manchester City star won the Premier League playing under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 and added the FA Cup and EFL Cup in 2006-07.

In 2009, he moved to Manchester City, where he spent three years before spending time on loan at West Ham, Brighton and Sunderland.

The former England international retired from football in 2014 after leaving Reading. However, he has remained in the spotlight because he is married to singer Frankie Bridge (née Sandford), former lead singer of girl band The Saturdays.

Now he is ready for an unexpected career change from football to boxing after being selected as one of KSI’s potential opponents.

According to Daily mailBridge is “one of the names mentioned” to fight the famed YouTuber and social media personality, with the fight scheduled for March 29.

KSI – whose real name is Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji and also goes by the nickname “JJ” – got into boxing alongside fellow YouTubers Logan and Jake Paul.

The London-born star is a household name in the celebrity world, having released her own rap album and enjoying success in various ventures, including The Sidemen and launching a drink called PRIME.

The 31-year-old recently expressed his desire to fight former UFC champion Conor McGregor in an exhibition fight. However, it looks like he will face a completely different opponent in Brydra.

Bridge, now 44, was plagued by injuries later in his career but is now said to be in “top form”. He has also entered the ring once, so he is no stranger to fighting with ropes.

Seven years ago, he faced Spencer Matthews, who previously appeared on the reality show Made in Chelsea, in a charity fight for Sport Relief and emerged victorious.

In the meantime, KSI fought Logan Paul twice and his record in six fights in the ring is 4-2.

His only defeat was against Tommy Fury in September 2023, when Fury, the younger brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson, won the fight by majority vote.

He has previously touched on the topic of fighting bridge when the topic was broached by another former footballer, Peter Crouch, on his podcast in October 2023.

He said, “You know, if you ever need someone to step in, I know someone who trains all the time. So if you need someone last minute, Wayne Bridge.”

KSI replied, “If he really cares about it, it would definitely be great to have him on Misfits.”

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending