Boxing
Usyk’s victory may cost him more than the P4P ranking
Oleksandr Usyk retained his heavyweight title in Egypt, but his place at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings did not survive his fight with Rico Verhoeven intact.
Usyk was already on his way down most pound-for-pound charts due to his decision to face a kickboxer rather than a top heavyweight.
Despite DAZN’s insistence during the broadcast that Usyk remained number one, even in their own rankings Naoya Inoue was sitting above the Ukrainian before the blow was dealt at the Pyramids.
This alone suggested that Usyk was never going to retain his long-held number two position, regardless of the result.
The only real question was how far it would fall.
Usyk vs. Verhoeven fight
As detailed in WBN’s round-by-round live coverage, the performance itself only accelerated the slide.
Usyk fought for long stretches with Rico Verhoeven, a GLORY kickboxing legend taking part in only his second professional boxing competition.
Instead of controlling the fight with the dominance you’d expect from one of boxing’s elite pound-for-pound stars, Usyk looked uncomfortable, frustrated and at times truly defenseless against Verhoeven’s awkward movements and odd timing.
Even when the champion finally succeeded delayed and forced a dramatic stoppage, more damage had already been done to his aura.
Usyk’s pound-for-pound decline
After ten rounds of the fight with Verhoeven, WBN decided on number six for Usyk, just above Devin Haney.
Naoya Inoue currently remains number one, with Shakur Stevenson, Jesse Rodriguez, Dmitry Bivol and David Benavidez overtaking the heavyweight champion after the worst performance of Usyk’s career.
This leaves Usyk outside the sport’s true elite class for now, even as he insists on his top-flight status.
However, this is not about depriving Usyk of his achievements. It’s about recognizing the decisions made and the results achieved.
The Ukrainian remains undefeated, still holds the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles, and has won victories, among others. over Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.
However, the pound-for-pound rankings are intended to reflect current form and dominance relative to expectations.
The heavyweight champion, widely considered one of the best fighters in the world, should not lose heavily in rounds to an opponent who is just emerging in professional boxing.
There is no escape from this reality, no matter how extraordinary Verhoeven’s boxing style and pedigree.
Usyk is no longer untouchable
The irony is that Usyk will likely win the rematch much easier if the two meet again.
The intrigue around the second fight had largely disappeared, as Usyk was now expected to prepare specifically for the unconventional attacks that had surprised him in Egypt.
However, the first impression cannot be erased, because for one night at the Pyramids, Oleksandr Usyk no longer looked untouchable.
And for a fighter at the very top of pound-for-pound boxing, that image will be challenging to erase from his legacy.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
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