Oleksandr Usyk just gave boxing fans another reason to admire him. While most fighters dream of being recognized as the pound-for-pound best, Usyk, despite his incredible accomplishments, doesn’t see himself worthy of the title. Instead, the humble heavyweight champion believes Terence Crawford deserves the honor, calling him the true number one.
This rare humility in a sport often driven by pride has not only earned Usyk widespread praise but also reinforces his reputation as a “good dude” among fans and fighters alike.
In an interview ahead of his highly anticipated rematch with Tyson Fury the coming weekend Usyk gave Crawford his flowers and praised his hard-as-nails spirit.
“For me number one pound-for-pound is Terrence Crawford. I like this man, he is a great fighter. Terribly tough boxer.”
View this post on Instagram
For the longest time, Crawford has been regarded as the pound-for-pound king, a status he solidified methodically by destroying Errol Spence Jr. last year. While other names such as Naoya Inoue and Canelo Alvarez also make a strong case for the top spot, Crawford’s style transcends his weight class and would be a tough challenge for any boxer to deal with.
Being a student of the sport, Usyk recognizes that. But having been the first man to unify all heavyweight titles, it would have been easier to claim that he deserved the title instead and no one would have questioned him.
Instead, he showed a lot of humility, which fans have been reciprocating by showing their love for him.
This fan simply said, “He’s stating pure facts.” Another fan added to Usyk’s statement and said, “Terence Crawford will show his greatness against Canelo at 168.”
This guy spoke about the mutual respect between the two boxers and said,“Respect. Bud said he was, now he paying the respect back”
Another fan added Usyk to his list of favorite fighters and asserted, “USYK is my #2 goats know goats.”
However, being compared to Crawford will not be high on Usyk’s mind, especially with his Fury rematch happening in a couple of days.
Usyk and Fury’s opposite approaches to fight camp
Heavyweights Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury have taken very different approaches in preparing for their highly anticipated rematch in Saudi Arabia this Saturday, especially when it comes to staying connected with their families.
Fury, 36, hasn’t spoken to his wife, Paris, or their kids in three months, choosing total isolation during his camp in Malta to avoid distractions. “I’ve sacrificed a lot,” Fury admitted. But it will be all worth it when he beats Usyk, Fury claims.
While the decision has been entirely his, the British boxer has been severely criticized for taking such a drastic step, that some even consider unnecessary, especially since his family had gone through a terrible tragedy earlier this year.
Paris, who tragically lost their baby just before the first fight and couldn’t be ringside, said on Instagram,
“It’s been tough, but if it’s what he needs…”
Meanwhile, Usyk has taken the opposite approach. While he hasn’t seen his family in five months, he makes it a point to speak to his wife and kids daily. “It’s my real motivation,” he shared, beaming about his daughter Maria’s first steps.
