Oleksandr Usyk
Southpaw footwork and a pace heavyweights cannot match.
- Born
- January 17, 1987, Simferopol, Crimea, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
- Nationality
Ukraine- Height
- 191 cm (6′3″)
- Reach
- 198 cm (6′6″)
- Stance
- Southpaw
- Style
- Southpaw volume boxer
- Weight
- Cruiserweight, Heavyweight
- Active
- 2013–present
- Status
- Active · age 39
The record
Professional; as of his May 2026 win over Rico Verhoeven, confirmed by ESPN. He vacated his WBA, WBC and IBF belts in June 2026 but has not retired record
2012 Olympic gold (heavyweight); 2011 world champion, 2009 world bronze
The story
leksandr Usyk, born in Simferopol in 1987, won the 2011 world amateur title and Olympic heavyweight gold in London in 2012. He turned pro in 2013, won the WBO cruiserweight title in 2016 and in 2018 won the World Boxing Super Series to become Ukraine's first undisputed champion. Moving up, he beat Anthony Joshua twice, and in May 2024 he outpointed Tyson Fury to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era. He beat Fury again, then knocked out Daniel Dubois in 2025 to be undisputed for a third time. In May 2026 he stopped former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza, and a month later he gave up his belts, saying he still had one last fight in him.
- Undisputed cruiserweight champion (2018)
- Undisputed heavyweight champion (2024, and again 2025)
- First undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era
- World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight winner (2018)
- The Ring Fighter of the Year (2018, 2024)
- BWAA Fighter of the Year (2018, 2024)
Defining fights
- 2018WINvs Murat Gassiev (UD 12, undisputed cruiserweight title)
- 2021WINvs Anthony Joshua (UD 12, won WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles)
- 2024WINvs Tyson Fury (SD 12, undisputed heavyweight title)
- 2025WINvs Daniel Dubois (KO 5, undisputed again)
- 2026WINvs Rico Verhoeven (TKO 11, Pyramids of Giza)
Win with your feet and your output: Usyk controls distance with constant southpaw footwork and keeps a high punch rate for all 12 rounds. Pair footwork drills with long sparring sessions so your work rate does not fade late.
2002–now
