AS the final pre-fight press conference unfolded and the love-in continued, Oleksandr Usyk’s manager Egis Klimas couldn’t hide his unease at seeing most openly root for a Tyson Fury victory.
Usyk’s head trainer Sergey Lapin and promoter Alex Krassyuk both smiled to themselves, as if they knew something we all didn’t. Seven months after defying the odds to become undisputed world heavyweight champion, completing the set across two divisions, Usyk produced an even more complete display in their rematch.
When asked about Fury kissing his head as he prayed at the final bell and the connection between them after 24 rounds together, he was jovial but sincere.
“He’s my best friend! He’s a very tough opponent, made me strong and continued to motivate me. A good man, he talks a lot but it’s just for show. I respect him a lot, 24 rounds [between us], it’s already history.”
Klimas made a point to address the media with a hypothetical question in the post-fight press conference, upon hearing Frank Warren’s unhappy comments about the wide scorecards.
Usyk meanwhile played conductor, getting laughs aplenty from the assembled media when sharing his opinion the 72-year-old is perhaps blind if he felt that way and a “crazy” man.
“Every single bout Oleksandr fought, Frank was putting [backing] his fighters. Dubois, Fury the first time and second, even in his comments, always complaining and trying to push his fighters ahead,” Klimas said.
“Now I have a question for you, the media and world, what else does Usyk need to prove that he’s the best? Does he need to prove anything else? I don’t hear answers… thank you very much.”
That was the 60-year-old’s mic drop moment, a definitive exclamation mark at the end of another exhausting fight week where they would’ve felt like the B-side despite assuming all the risk in this world title defence. Usyk’s ninth, having knocked out Thabiso Mchunu in his first at cruiserweight eight years ago this month.
37 and with the willpower to continue, the pound-for-pound star acknowledged the immediate need for an extended rest period after an arduous year where he missed several important family engagements to hone in on an undisputed dream – three months delayed but not denied.
A father-of-four, he missed the birth of youngest daughter Maria while training in Valencia earlier this year. His wife Yekaterina sent him a video showing the 10-month-old baby saying daddy for the first time this weekend, while he again sported the Eeyore stuffed animal toy his older daughter Yelizaveta gave him as a good luck charm.
He spoke with pride about his two sons winning judo competitions elsewhere on fight day too. Mykhalio won orange, Kyrylo green before telling his dad that he’d be next to win in the rematch with Fury – another source of heartwarming motivation. What’s next though, is a simple wish and no-one can begrudge him that.
“I want to go home, [turn] off my phone, close my house and relax, look in the sky and watch the trees grow. I want to rest, not think about boxing… Daniel Dubois, Tyson Fury… just rest and play with my children.”
