Author: Sean Crose

It’s been going on for years – a phenomenon of novelty boxing matches pitting famed fighters against fighters who are generally looking for either a payday or one last moment of glory. MMM legends vs. world-class boxers, MMA legends vs. social media influencers, great boxers of the past fighting far beyond their shelf life, it’s a circus that sometimes borders on tragedy – if there weren’t so much money at stake. Yes – these pioneering matchups can attract many eyes. Indeed, they often rank among the most watched combat sports events in the years in which they take place.

Most of these novelty matches make a lot of financial sense for the parties involved. For the underdogs who almost always lose, there is a pot of gold at the end of this rather painful rainbow. And for a fighter representing the current boxing establishment, it’s uncomplicated money. The truth is that these fights are usually very predictable: an over the hill or inexperienced boxer is defeated (sometimes in brutal fashion), while a member of boxing’s current royal family pockets a huge and easily earned payday.

One thing that wasn’t entirely predictable was heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to fight an pioneering fight himself. In a sport that can sometimes seem clownish, Usyk has been a role model for the seriousness of his profession. While some of his peers like Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder may enjoy a bit of clowning around, Usyk takes all of boxing seriously, and it’s not because he doesn’t have a good sense of humor. This is indeed the case. However, no one questions his dedication, because the guy approaches each fight as if it were his last.

That’s why it was strange to many when Usyk announced he would fight Rico Verhoeven in Egypt, anywhere else, on a major pay-per-view event. Usyk always seemed to roll his eyes at such feats. Here, however, he is going to fight one of the best kickboxers in the world. The thing is…. When you think about it, Usyk has every right in the world to engage in his own pioneering fight. He was the undisputed cruiserweight champion, then the undisputed heavyweight champion, defeated the absolute best in the business and showed what a gifted athlete a professional boxer could be.

And although there is no doubt that Usyk will win Saturday’s fight literally in front of the pyramids, there is also no doubt that the man will not make a career against undeserving opponents. Indeed, Usyk has made it clear that he intends to retire soon, so he wants to get on the gravy train while the going is good. And really, who can blame them? Again, he fought everyone in his path, he comes from a war-torn country, and he has done nothing but make the sport look more reputable than it probably deserves.

Usyk thus deserved the right to Saturday’s penalty kick. As long as he doesn’t look terrible and get beaten up, we’ll soon forget about it. With only a few opponents left after Saturday’s fight, we’ll focus on who he’ll fight next. There is nothing modern about this, especially when it comes to someone like Usyk, who sums up his legacy as perhaps one of the greatest in the heavyweight division. This, of course, will be decided by history. Boxing fans can get absorbed in this moment, whether it involves something modern or not.