Across 24 professional fights, spanning two weight classes and featuring KO artists and heavyweight behemoths, no man has managed to beat Oleksandr Usyk — let alone knock him out.
The gifted Ukrainian is not only the outstanding heavyweight of his era but one of the finest fighters the sport has produced. After conquering the cruiserweight division and becoming undisputed champion with victories over Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev, Usyk moved up to heavyweight and repeated the feat, establishing himself at the top of boxing’s glamour division.
In doing so, Usyk consistently overcame significant physical disadvantages against giants such as Tyson Fury and powerful, athletic heavyweights like Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois. Across six fights with the British trio, only Fury came close to handing Usyk a defeat, pushing him hardest in their first encounter.
As with all great fighters, Usyk’s place in boxing history invites debate. Some believe his standing is inflated, while others are keen to imagine how he might have fared against the elite champions of previous eras. One such figure is a man who competed successfully across multiple weight classes — and who believes he would not only have beaten Usyk, but stopped him.
James Toney was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame four years ago, a fitting honour for a remarkable career that at its peak saw him regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
World titles at middleweight, super-middleweight and cruiserweight, along with a draw against Hasim Rahman for the WBC heavyweight title, offer a snapshot of Toney’s rare talent and versatility.
Speaking to ES News, the outspoken 57-year-old was asked how he would have fared against the Ukrainian had they met in their primes.
“Usyk [is a] good fighter. I would knock his ass out too. Period.”
Toney’s swagger and self-belief would never allow for a different answer, and there is little doubt that the version of Toney who edged Vassiliy Jirov in their 2003 fight of the year contender to win the IBF cruiserweight title would have posed Usyk some fascinating and formidable questions.
