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Longest Reigning Cruiserweight Champion Calls Oleksandr Usyk an Average Southpaw

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"Longest Reigning Cruiserweight Champion Calls Oleksandr Usyk an 'Average Southpaw'"

Oleksandr Usyk is appreciated almost unanimously amongst boxing fans for his remarkable career and elite skill, but there is one former cruiserweight world champion who believes the Ukrainian to be an ‘average southpaw’.

After claiming the gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Usyk excelled as a cruiserweight in the professional ranks, becoming the first four-belt undisputed champion of the division by trumping the likes of Krzysztof Glowacki, Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev on away soil.

Usyk then defended the undisputed crown against Tony Bellew before moving up to heavyweight and sensationally replicating the feat by dethroning Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury – and also coming out on top in rematches against both men.

Now, as Usyk’s career reaches its final chapter, with a farewell fight currently being discussed, fans are beginning to reflect on his inspirational success.

The longest-reigning cruiserweight champion of all time, Johnny Nelson, seems less impressed, telling the Fight Your Corner podcastof his opinion that Usyk is and always has been an ‘average southpaw’.

“I have said, Oleksandr Usyk is an average southpaw. I’m not saying that he is an average fighter, but as a southpaw, his style was average. You get outstanding southpaws that make you think, ‘wow, you have got it’, Pernell Whittaker, people like ‘Naz’ [Hameed]outstanding southpaws who use that style to the best of their ability.

“I didn’t say that he was average, as a southpaw he was average. In regards to when he was fighting Tony, to this day I thought that he [Bellew] was doing really well, I thought that he was ahead on points.”

Usyk’s career finale is likely to be a bout with former WBC heavyweight ruler Deontay Wilderwho he has been keen to face in order to complete his hit-list of rival heavyweights in his generation.

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Boxing

Jose Benavidez Sr Declares Unbeatable Welterweight Champion in Boxing News

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"Jose Benavidez Sr Declares Unbeatable Welterweight Champion in Boxing News"

Jose Benavidez Sr is the father and trainer of potential Fighter of the Year candidate, David Benavidezwho has risen the pound-for-pound rankings with his solitary outing of 2026.

Now, Benavidez Sr has given praise to another reigning world champion, believing that nobody in his division can defeat him.

Benavidez made the 25lb leap up to cruiserweight earlier this year and dethroned unified world champion, Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez upon his debut in the division as he announced himself to the 200lb scene in style.

In December, Benavidez will look to add an additional cruiserweight title to his collection, expected to collide with newly-elevated WBC cruiserweight king, Michal Cieslak, in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday, December 12.

Although, whilst his son is receiving credit for his efforts this year, Benavidez Sr told Fight Hub TV how impressed he was by WBC welterweight titleholder Ryan Garciawhen witnessing ‘King Ry’ halt Conor Benn inside two rounds earlier this month.

“It was spectacular. Ryan Garcia has a lot of speed, he is super fast, he has got that hook. It’s unbelievable. When Ryan focusses and stays sharp he is a very dangerous fighter in that division.

“I just don’t see nobody beating him and he brings a lot of people, so at the end of the day, the sky is the limit for him. He is doing great, I am a big fan and I think that, at this point right now, I don’t see nobody beating him.”

Like Benavidez, Garcia is also looking to compete again before the end of the calendar, eyeing up a December showdown with Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz.

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Arturo Torres Collapses After Fatal TKO: Shocking Video Highlights Tragic Boxing Incident

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"Arturo Torres Collapses After Fatal TKO: Shocking Video Highlights Tragic Boxing Incident"

Horrific footage has emerged showing Arturo “Lobito” Torres collapsing in the ring moments after his final fight was stopped in Mexicali.

Torres died on September 25six days after suffering serious injuries following his fight at Parque Vicente Guerrero on September 19.

The 26-year-old’s corner had already stopped the contest when Torres remained on his feet for a matter of seconds.

Then his body gave way.

Footage shows Torres slumping limply to the canvas as those around him immediately rush to his aid.

He was subsequently hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery, but his injuries ultimately proved too severe.

Torres died six days after stepping into the ring for the final time.

Arturo Torres Funeral

Torres was laid to rest in Mexicali on September 28 as family, friends and members of the local community said goodbye to the young fighter.

Footage from Mexico showed a lengthy funeral procession making its way through the city nine days after his final fight.

Sadly, the sight of a boxer’s limp body slumping to the canvas is not unfamiliar in this sport.

Having covered boxing for 16 years, World Boxing News is all too familiar with the distressing sight of a fighter in trouble after a hard contest.

Sometimes the consequences mean the end of a career. On terrible occasions, they are far greater.

For Torres, what happened after his final fight ended with a young life being cut tragically short.

The footage is difficult enough to watch without knowing what happened next. Knowing that Torres never recovered makes those final moments in the ring considerably harder.

Nine days after the fight, the streets of Mexicali filled for his funeral procession.

Arturo “Lobito” Torres was only 26.


About the Author

Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.

Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.

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Mike Tyson vs. Larry Holmes: The Underrated Crown Jewel of Boxing History

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Mike Tyson vs. Larry Holmes: The Underrated Crown Jewel of Boxing History

What happens when an unstoppable force at the peak of his destructive powers collides with one of the craftiest, most durable former champions in heavyweight history?

Today we take a closer look at a defining world heavyweight championship clash from January 1988: undisputed, unified powerhouse “Iron” Mike Tyson squaring off against living legend and former long-reigning heavyweight champion, “The Easton Assassin” Larry Holmes.

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While general consensus often points to Tyson’s 91-second blowout of Michael Spinks as the eternal highlight of his prime, his battle with Holmes remains vastly overlooked. On paper, critics were quick to dismiss the 38-year-old former champion returning from a lengthy 21-month layoff. To many, an aging Holmes was simply being served up to a relentless young demolition man.

Yet, when the opening bell rang, the narrative shifted. Holmes did not enter the ring merely to collect a paycheck. Armed with an 81-inch wingspan, an all-time great jab, and deep veteran savvy, Holmes brought a cynical, tactical game plan designed to neutralize Tyson’s explosive combinations, tie him up, and drag the young phenom into deep, frustrating waters. It was wisdom and experience against a peak destructive force.

However, underestimating peak Mike Tyson’s discipline is a dangerous mistake. Guided by Kevin Rooney, Tyson was far more than an athletic slugger. He displayed calculated poise, cutting off the ring with terrifying patience while systematically solving an all-time great veteran puzzle.

Did Iron Mike deliver an emphatic statement that history has unfairly buried? Is this the single most underrated victory during the long and illustrious career of the Easton Assasin?

This edition of Rummy’s Corner breaks down the tactical clash, the subtle ring craft, and the enduring historical vindication behind this classic heavyweight showdown. This is Rummy’s Corner (written, narrated, and produced by Geoffrey Ciani).

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About the author

Geoffrey Ciani

Geoffrey Ciani has covered boxing since 2000 and is the creator and host of the popular YouTube channel Rummy’s Cornerwhere he delivers in-depth analysis, storytelling, and breakdowns of classic and modern fights.

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