Tony Bellew remembered his defeat from the Ukrainian boxer. /p>
Former world heavyweight champion Tony Bellew spoke complimentarily about the world heavyweight champion according to WBO, WBA, IBO and IBF Alexander Usik.
The 41-year-old Briton recalled his fight against Usyk, which took place in November 2018, in a documentary from DAZN. Then the Ukrainian defeated Belew by knockout in the eighth round, defending his title as the absolute cruiserweight world champion.
Tony said that he considered Usik the best boxer of those against whom he had to enter the ring.
“Did I think I could beat him? Absolutely. But thinking you're going to knock someone out and doing it are two different things. Yes, I'm tired, and I'm tired because he tired me. So I give him everything due in the world, Usyk is the best boxer I have faced,” Bellew said.
Let us remind you that on May 18, Usik in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) will fight with WBC title holder Tyson Fury for the title of absolute world heavyweight champion. The fight was scheduled for February 17, but due to an injury the Briton received during one of the sparrings, it had to be postponed.
To avoid another breakdown of the fight, the organizers established sanctions, which will be applied to Usik or Fury if one of them does not enter the ring on May 18. Boxersface a huge fineif they refuse to fight on the scheduled date.
The winner of the Usyk-Fury fight will become the first undisputed world champion in the heavyweight division in the 21st century.
The last “absolute” in the heavyweight division was Lennox Lewis, who achieved this status in 1999 when he defeated Evander Holyfield. Back then, the WBA, WBC and IBF titles were at stake. The WBO belt was recognized as equal in 2007, so the winner of the fight between Usyk and Fury will become the first ever “absolute” heavyweight with four major titles.