World Boxing Information seems on the eleven boxers who maintain a victory over undefeated two-weight undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Usyk is boxing’s primary fighter and Pound for Pound king. The formidable Ukrainian has by no means tasted defeat in an expert ring. Nevertheless, in his early days, Usyk was nowhere close to as unbeatable as he’s as we speak as he struggled to develop into a snug weight class.
He suffered at the very least fifteen losses as an novice in over 100 bouts, together with defeats twice towards two opponents and shedding to at the very least eleven others, together with ex-welterweight champion Shawn Porter.
Unified light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev additionally carded a win over Usyk, however just one foe managed a stoppage – former middleweight Matt Korobov.
These defeats, regardless of how painful, formed Usyk into the champion he’s as we speak and put him able to say the Olympic gold medal at London 2012.
Usyk hasn’t misplaced a struggle in fifteen years, to his appreciable credit score. The final time he tasted a loss was on the 2009 World Newbie Championships. Within the semi-finals, Usyk misplaced on factors to Egor Mekhontsev. Mekhonstev ultimately claimed gold on the identical Olympics within the gentle heavyweight division.
Under, WBN seems at Usyk’s reverses within the order wherein they occurred.
Oleksandr Usyk’s profession losses
Sergey Sklyarov – [June 2005, Saku Suurhall, Tallinn, Estonia]
Lower than a month after debuting as a middleweight in 2005, Usyk misplaced on factors to Skylarov in Estonia. What makes the defeat actually eye-opening is that Usyk, simply 18 on the time, was Sklyarov’s solely recorded novice victory.
Lukasz Wawrzyczek – [November 2005, Leszno, Poland]
Wawrzyczek received a break up determination over Usyk in a Ukraine vs. Poland Worldwide match. The win got here after Wawrzcyzek initially struggled to search out an opponent and nearly didn’t struggle.
In 2024, he defined to the BBC how the struggle occurred.
“I received referred to as as much as symbolize Poland, however the Polish nationwide staff coach advised me, ‘Sorry Lukasz, however they don’t have any member in your weight division. I used to be a welterweight, however they [the Ukrainian team] stated, ‘Oh, now we have a younger boy, 18 years outdated, within the middleweight division. Do you wish to struggle with him?’ That was Oleksandr Usyk.
“He was already a European junior champion. He was a lot larger than me, however I stated, ‘Yeah, why not, let’s struggle,’ and we did. I received the third spherical and the struggle.”
Wawrzyczek turned professional 9 months after preventing Usyk. He loved an eight-year profession however solely managed to land home titles throughout his run between 160 and 168 kilos.
Omer Aydogan – [February 2006 – Debrecen, Hungary]
Turkey’s Aydogan defeated Usyk on factors to win the 2006 Bocskai Memorial Ultimate. There’s no proof that Aydogan ever turned skilled after a combined bag of novice outcomes.
Mohamed Hikal – [May 2006, Istanbul, Turkey and October 2006, Baku, Azerbaijan]
Certainly one of solely two boxers to attain multiple victory over Usyk, Hikal received the 2006 Ahmet Comert Match Ultimate 26-11 earlier than scoring a sensational 17-8 victory utilizing all his expertise on the 2006 World Cup.
Like Aydogan, Hikal by no means turned skilled. He defeated Usyk six months after the same win over one other former pound-for-pound king, Gennadiy Golovkin.
Matt Korobov – [July 2006, Plovdiv, Bulgaria and October 2006, Baku]
Korobov is the second and last opponent to attain two wins over Usyk. He’s additionally the one pugilist who stopped Usyk from listening to the ultimate bell.
In contrast to Hikal, Korobov had misplaced to ‘GGG’ earlier than operating into Usyk three years later. Within the third spherical, he halted Usyk on the 2006 EABA European Championships Semi-Ultimate stage. 4 months later, on the identical match as Hikal, Korobov beat Usyk on factors. He defeated Hikal into the cut price earlier than overcoming Emilio Correa within the middleweight last.
The Florida-based Russian turned professional in 2008 and loved a six-year undefeated run earlier than shedding to Andy Lee for the WBO middleweight title. Regardless of a mini-revival, losses to Jermall Charlo, Chris Eubank Jr., and Ronald Ellis ended his profession through the pandemic.
Shawn Porter – [December 2006, Harvey, United States]
Probably the most stunning identify on the checklist is former IBF and WBC welterweight champion Shawn Porter. What seems like a colossal mismatch now that truly occurred at The Harvey Boxing Membership throughout a USA vs. Ukraine Worldwide. Porter was a middleweight on the time earlier than shifting down when turning professional and having fun with a Corridor of Fame profession.
After 4 rounds with Usyk, Porter misplaced on two of the judges scorecards. Leonid Loivskiyy carded for Usyk 19-11, whereas Allan Stockdalle sided with the Ukrainian 38-36. Sadly for Oleksandr Usyk, US choose Zachary Younger scored so vast for Porter at 39-22 that it was sufficient to sway the outcome within the American’s favor 23-20.
Babacar Kamara – [May 2007, Ahmet Comert Sport Hall, Istanbul, Turkey]
Kamara managed to see out a 17-15 determination over Usyk on the 2007 Ahmet Comert Match Preliminaries. Usyk had lastly realized he wanted to maneuver up in weight however nonetheless couldn’t grasp the choice.
Artur Beterbiev – [August 2007, Kaliningrad, Russia]
Combating Usyk on dwelling soil, future light-heavyweight champion Beterbiev scored a detailed 12-10 overcome Usyk on the 2007 Amber Gloves Russia vs Ukraine Worldwide. Usyk must wait 5 years for revenge, which got here on the most important stage on the 2012 Olympic Video games. Usyk beat Beterbiev within the Quarter-Ultimate on his approach to the gold.
Beterbiev grew to become one of the vital feared punchers in boxing and nonetheless holds a 100% knockout ratio.
Viktar Zuyeu – [March 2008, Pescara, Italy]
On his approach to qualifying for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Usyk misplaced to Zuyeu within the 2008 European Olympic Qualifier Ultimate. His efficiency within the match was sufficient to ensure a spot on the Ukrainian Group. Nevertheless, Usyk misplaced within the Olympic Quarter-Ultimate to Italian Clemente Russo, the identical man who knocked out Zuyeu within the first spherical.
Xiaoping Zhang – [June 2008, Istanbul, Turkey]
As a part of one other Ahmet Comert Match, Usyk misplaced 14-5 [in the final] to Zhang, the eventual light-heavyweight gold medalist in London, in a warm-up for the 2012 Video games.
Clemente Russo – [August 2008, Beijing, China]
Then got here the Russo defeat for Usyk. The skilled champion beat Usyk and Deontay Wilder when claiming gold on the Employees’ Gymnasium. Once more, 4 years later, in London, Usyk avenged that loss when successful the novice sport’s most important chunk of treasured metallic.
Osmay Acosta – [December 2008, Moscow, Russia]
Months after his Olympic disappointment, Usyk confronted Cuban Osmay Acosta within the 2008 World Cup Ultimate. Only some months earlier, Usyk had defeated Acosta and was the favourite to prevail. This time round, Acosta took the spoils and the title.
Egor Mekhontsev – [September 2009, Milan, Italy]
Lastly, the final man to beat Oleksandr Usyk fifteen years in the past was Egor Mekhontsev. Usyk was on a nine-month undefeated streak when he bumped into the Russian novice southpaw on the 2009 World Newbie Championships Semi-Ultimate.
Mekhonstev took a 14-10 victory in what could be the turning level for Usyk’s profession. After this loss, Usyk was adamant he’d by no means lose one other struggle.
Like Usyk, Mekhonstev grew to become the Olympic champion on the London Video games, this time at 81 kg, earlier than turning skilled in the US a yr later. He fought 14 professional bouts and by no means misplaced, however not like the title-laden Usyk, a world title eluded him.
Learn all articles and unique interviews by Phil Jay. Study extra in regards to the writer, skilled boxing author, and World Boxing Information Editor since 2010. Observe on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
