When it comes to the superb Oleksandr Usyk, fans seem to be in two minds. On the one hand, some fans feel it would be great to see Usyk do that rare thing in the sport, and that’s walk away unbeaten, at the top of his game, this before Father Time does what no other fighter seems capable of doing, and that’s beat him. On the other hand, we so enjoy watching Usyk fight, indeed put on a masterclass time and again, we want to enjoy him for as long as we possibly can.
Now, having cleaned out the cruiserweight division in becoming the unified four-belt champion, and with the Ukrainian southpaw having twice accomplished the same feat as a heavyweight, there isn’t anything obvious for him to go on and do. This is certainly the opinion of Eddie Hearn, who said when speaking with The Ring that he feels Usyk should retire right now.
Certainly, Usyk, in 24 pro fights, most of them fought on the road away from home, has made a heck of an impact on the sport and he will be revered for many years to come. Usyk may or may not stick around for one more fight, who knows, maybe a couple more. But nobody could possibly hold it against him or criticise him if the 38 year old did announce his retirement in the coming weeks or months.
What Could Take Usyk Back Into the Ring?
“What more is there to do? He should retire,” Hearn said of Usyk. “It was a great performance against Dubois. If he’s loving what he’s doing, good luck to him – carry on. But what else is there to do? I just can’t see him losing. Usyk is the unquestionable number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He is streets ahead of the rest. He’s sensational, a genius, a generational great.”
Is There Anything Left to Prove at 38?
Usyk, in the strong opinion of some experts, quite a few in fact, has crashed the top 10 all-time great heavyweights, while due to all he did at cruiserweight Usyk is now seen as one of the very best pound-for-pound fighters who ever lived. It is now a case of, can Usyk put any more icing on his beautiful cake of a ring career?
What would wins over the likes of Agit Kabayel, Joe Parker, or Fury in a needless third fight add to Usyk’s legacy? In short, Usyk has nothing to prove. At all.
Now, as for his future, it’s his call. For what it’s worth, I agree with Hearn; Usyk should go out now, perfect, pristine, untouchable. Leaving us wanting more, of course!
