Carlos Takam would have welcomed former undisputed cruiserweight king Oleksandr Usyk to the heavyweight division by now if the unbeaten southpaw had not suffered an injury to his bicep that forced him to postpone his May fight with the Cameroon-born Frenchman. Now though, Takam says he cannot wait until September, when the fight with Usyk is expected to be back on.
Takam, speaking with The Express, said he will not only get the win but that he will knock Usyk out in September. Takam says he will get another fight in before the September bout, suggesting he might even appear on the big Eddie Hearn card at The O2 that is topped by Dillian Whyte against Oscar Rivas on July 20th.
“I am going to fight Usyk again in September,” Takam said, meaning the fight has been rescheduled. “But I still don’t know whether that’s going to be in Maryland or the UK or somewhere else. I’m not going to wait, I think I’m going to have one more before the fight with Usyk in September. I can take everybody. I don’t care. I am ready for anyone. I wish that he (Usyk) recovers well because I am waiting for that match and I know I am going to win. I’m going to knock him out.”
Takam, 36-5-1(28) who has been involved in good fights with the likes of Anthony Joshua, Alexander Povetkin, Dereck Chisora, Tony Thompson and Joseph Parker, added how although Usyk is “a very fast guy,” he has never taken a heavyweight punch before – “he’s never had a punch from a heavyweight guy, I’ll say that,” Takam stated.
It’s an interesting fight and though Usyk was the favourite going into the date in May and likely will be the pick to win in September, there are questions asked of any cruiserweight when he makes the move up to heavyweight. “Uysk, I’m waiting for you in September,” Takam said quite menacingly.
Usyk has passed all tests as a cruiserweight, faced all manner of styles, yet the heavyweight division has proven to be a step too far for many a 200 pounder. Can Usyk do what Evander Holyfield and David Haye managed to do or will 38 year old veteran warrior Takam revive his own career with one big win?