Oleksandr Usyk arguably boasts one the most impressive undefeated records in the sport given the catalogue of quality opponents that he has overcome.
However, David Haye believes that there was one fight that the judges got wrong and that Usyk should no longer have his ‘0’.
Usyk and Haye make up two thirds of an extremely elite club, joined by Evander Holyfield as the only three fighters to have held both a cruiserweight and heavyweight world title in boxing history.
Although, unlike Usyk and Holyfield, ‘The Hayemaker’ did not complete the feat whilst retaining his undefeated record, due to his 2004 defeat to Carl Thompson, and he did not claim the undisputed title in both weight divisions.
Speaking with Sun Sport, Haye shared his belief that Usyk’s ongoing 24-fight unbeaten run should have come to an end long ago, stating that Derek Chisora should have got the decision in their 2020 clash, when discussing whether may ‘Del Boy’ swerve his upcoming retirement plan for a potential rematch against the Ukrainian.
“How about, he [Chisora] wins against Wilder and Usyk wants to give him that rematch. If you rewatch that first fight, it was very, very close. I thought that he [Chisora] won, lots of people did.”
“There is an opportunity, if he wins this fight, where, against the undisputed number one heavyweight on the planet, Usyk, someone who he has pushed the hardest out of all of Usyk’s fights at cruiserweight and heavyweight, to have this mega fight.”
Chisora himself agrees, discussing the fight as recently as this year and claiming that he did enough to win. Whilst Usyk has praised the Brit’s punching power and grit, he, along with most in the sport, feel the correct decision was earned.
Wilder-Chisora takes place at the O2 Arena on Saturday night, for what is supposedly the fiftieth and final professional bout of the 43-year-old British fan-favourite’s long career.
