Oleksandr Usyk warned Wladimir Klitschko that he may have to move up and take his titles for years before he becomes the undisputed champion.
In 2013, the Klitschko brothers ruled boxing's heavyweight division with a dominant run that saw them share all the gold. Vitali retired on top as WBC champion, while Wladimir reigned with the WBA, WBO and IBF belts.
Meanwhile, a young Usyk was working his way into the professional ranks after winning gold at the 2012 London Olympics. And during a TV segment, he informed the brothers that if they weren't careful, he would have to come over and spank them.
Oleksandr Usyk warned the Klitschko brothers that he would come and take their belts
After winning Olympic gold for Ukraine at heavyweight in the London Games, it took just over a year for Oleksandr Usyk to step up to the paid ranks. However, from the early days of his career, he was highly praised, albeit in the cruiserweight division.
There was a belief that the likes of superheavyweight gold and silver medalists Anthony Joshua and Zhilei Zhang might be too big if the transition to professional was made. That's why he chose to start with a lower weight.
However, during a TV segment with the Klitschko brothers, Usyk bluntly told the duo: “You leave and leave your belt or I'll have to get in the ring.”
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Vitali laughed at the suggestion and told the then 26-year-old: “That's a good question, Oleksandr. I can tell you won't wait for me to box with you. In that sense, we do everything we can to ensure that you, as far as possible, compete for the world title.
“I think we need a year or two to gain experience for this. Experience is one of the most important things.”
Wladimir then added: “This man, the Olympic champion Oleksandr Usyk, I like him despite everything!”
Oleksandr Usyk is now the undisputed heavyweight champion
One of the problems with the Klitschko era was the inability to unify the heavyweight division. The brothers would never fight each other, meaning they kept the belts splintered for years, creating a problem that would continue until this year.
Now, more than a decade later, Oleksandr Usyk has been able to unify the title with his victories over Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He became WBO mandatory for unified champion Joshua in 2021, taking home the WBA, IBF and WBO titles when he defeated him in their two fights.
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After a mandatory defense against Daniel Dubois, Usyk could move on to a host of Saudi Arabian showdowns with Tyson Fury this year. The Briton has been WBC champion since dethroning Deontay Wilder in 2020, having vacated the IBF, WBO and WBA titles in 2016.
Usyk handed Fury his first defeat as a professional in May with a razor-thin decision victory decided by a big knockdown he scored in the ninth round that changed the course of the fight. And on Saturday night he won their rematch by unanimous decision in an even more dominant display.
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