Oleksandr Usyk was not raised as a boxing talent. In fact, he began boxing at age 15, having spent several years playing youth football in Ukraine. His first coach, Serhiy Lapin, helped shape the building blocks needed to achieve great things throughout his very successful amateur career.
Although an amateur, Usyk has had 350 fights and has won 335 of them – an incredible achievement by any standard. His top achievement came during the 2012 Summer Olympics when he won gold in the 91 kg weight category. Shortly after turning professional in 2013, he began working his way up the ranks.
By 2018, he had already made history by becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion with his victory over Murat Gassiev. Alone this feat places him among the elite boxers, but Usyk’s ambition does not stop there. He has chosen to step up to heavyweight division, with even greater challenges of both opponents and punches.
The Fights That Really Mattered
Usyk’s heavyweight career has been characterised by fights against strong opponents and finding ways to win, including situations where he wasn’t the bigger man. His victory over Anthony Joshua in September 2021 was a significant moment. Although fans feared Joshua’s size and strength would lead to a dominant performance, Usyk controlled the fight to secure his win. A similar outcome came in their 2022 rematch with Usyk demonstrating great consistency at top level boxers.
Then came the highlight of his career. In May 2024, Usyk outpointed Tyson Fury to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999. A closely contested and fiercely fought battle in which he proved himself capable of being the best boxer in the division.
He deals with important challenges calmly and step by step. He does not attack looking to deliver a knockout blow – he builds up momentum round by round. In a way, that steady, step-by-step progress is similar to how people approach strategy-based games, even something casual like a tower rush casino game, where timing and patience often matter more than taking wild risks.
What Makes Usyk Stand Out
Despite not being known as the hardest puncher in the heavyweight division, Usyk makes up for it with skills and discipline. He employs movement, precision and endurance rather than raw power to achieve his goals.
A few traits that define his style:
- Strong footwork and balance
- High endurance over long fights
- Tactical approach rather than relying on knockouts
- Success in both cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions
- Willingness to fight top opponents on the road
In addition to building his career through fighting, he has also established himself outside of the ring by creating his own promotions company, Usyk17 Promotions, after starting with K2 Promotions.
The Road Ahead: One More Test?
The question now is simple: Can Usyk complete his career without losing? The feat of going through an entire career without suffering a loss is a rare one in boxing, even more so in the heavyweight division.
His next scheduled fight is set to take place on 23 May 2026 in Giza, Egypt, as he will defend his WBC title against former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven. Although Verhoeven is relatively new to professional boxing, his size and striking ability make for a fascinating opponent.
Regardless of what happens next, Usyk’s place in boxing history is already secured. He has won championships in two divisions, taken down some big names and has maintained a high level of performance for more than a decade. Remaining undefeated at retirement would be a fitting way to conclude his career – but even if he retires without that, his career will still be remembered as one of the best of his era.
Michael is an experienced writer and editor in sports media circles. As the founder and owner of Last Word On Sports INC, a partner at Sports Heroics, he brings a wealth of experience to the ownership group at Sports & Media Investors Group, LLC, which owns NYFights.com.