The word is unified, four-belt heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk will have two more fights before calling it a great career. The 38 year old isn’t expected to fight again this year, so it will likely be a 39 year old Usyk we next see in the ring. Against who, we don’t know, but there are some good, hungry challengers out there for Usyk, including Joseph Parker and Agit Kabayel. Also, Usyk has spoken of his desire to exit on the back of an MMA fight.
But one man who has been around the sport almost all of his life, and who has seen, as he put it himself recently “too many sad endings,” wants to see Usyk retire right now. Teddy Atlas, who spoke with Grosvenor Casinos, said he would love to see Usyk get out now while he’s on top and has already long since reached nothing else to prove status.
Atlas Fears Another “Sad Ending” in Boxing
“I’ve seen too many sad endings, Usyk should retire……I’ve seen too many sad endings,” Atlas said. “I’ve seen the Muhammad Ali’s. I’ve seen the other guys that get far less fanfare, but it’s no less terrible to witness. I want to see a happy ending to this great movie. This Usyk movie has inspired so many people in so many ways outside of boxing, so that’s what I want. I know I’m not going to get it, I know that.”
Teddy, who added how he understands that Usyk is still on top right now, that he is “still in his prime in many ways” and could as such fight again and win, simply doesn’t want to see Usyk take the risk. As great as any fighter is, Father Time, as the saying goes, is undefeated.
Should Usyk Resist the Temptation of Fighting On?
It really would be a shame if Usyk, who has been an incredible fighter as well as a truly inspirational figure, were to lose to, no disrespect, a fighter who wouldn’t have been able to lace his boots when he was in his prime.
Is Usyk, 24-0(15) still in his prime in many ways and as such capable of winning another couple of fights? Or should the Ukrainian hero resist the temptation of finding out?