Oleksandr Usyk gave a rather unexpected response, branding his former foe a ‘terrible guy’, when asked to name the toughest opponent he has ever faced.
The masterful Ukrainian is, of course, no stranger to elite competition, having previously claimed an Olympic gold medal and more recently become a three-time, two-division undisputed champion.
While campaigning at cruiserweight, Usyk came up against a selection of established world champions and worthy contenders, including the likes of Mairis Briedis, Murat Gassiev and Michael Hunter.
Briedis, in particular, is thought to have given the pound-for-pound king his toughest test in the professional ranks, with many believing that he had done enough to edge their encounter in 2018.
But Usyk, nevertheless, claimed a majority decision victory and extended his unbeaten record, before moving up to the land of the giants.
It was there where he secured career-enhancing wins over Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, beating each of the Brits on two occasions, and firmly cemented himself as the greatest heavyweight of his era.
And yet, quite surprisingly, it was Derek Chisora who, according to the man himself, gave Usyk his toughest night’s work in 2020.
While Usyk emerged with a convincing unanimous decision victory, the relentless work rate of Chisora nonetheless gave him a stern introduction to heavyweight boxing.
For that reason, the Olympic champion told talkSPORT that, in terms of difficulty, his fight with the British veteran eclipses any other assignment he has been involved in.
“I think it is Derek. My friend, Derek. Hey, Derek, I am coming for you!
Derek is a terrible guy, terribly tough. It’s just hard [fighting] Derek. He was just very difficult.”
While Usyk’s suggestion of Chisora, who he named as his toughest opponent in February 2025, might come as a surprise, it could be said that the physical nature of their contest made it seem particularly demanding for the skilful southpaw.
