Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk beats Russian boxer Murat Gassiev to unify cruiserweight division



July 24, 2018 (www.news.com.auUkrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk has unified the cruiserweight division by beating Russian Murat Gassiev by unanimous decision on Sunday morning. Despite facing a hostile crowd in Moscow, Usyk controlled the fight with his jab to add Gassiev’s WBA and IBF titles to his own WBC and WBO belts. After just 15 fights he has become the first fighter in boxing history to hold all WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine world cruiserweight world titles.
Gassiev landed some heavy body shots when he got inside Usyk’s reach, but started to tire and the Ukrainian was utterly dominant in the later rounds as Gassiev swung wild haymakers. Usyk, a former Olympic gold medalist, holds all major titles after just 15 professional fights — the majority of which he travelled abroad to take on rivals in their own backyard. “Moscow, 2018. Bang! Daddy’s in the building,” Usyk said.
Usyk added that he could move up to heavyweight to fight the experienced British fighter Tony Bellow. He called out the British star straight after his victory — putting the entire heavyweight division on notice. “If he doesn’t want to drop down (to cruiserweight), I’ll happily go up to meet him,” Usyk said. “I’ll just eat extra pasta.”
Olexander Usyk was born in Crimea and has said he was forced to leave the peninsula after Russia annexed it from Ukraine in 2014. Despite the tension between the two countries, Usyk and Gassiev embraced warmly after the fight with broad smiles. You may see all 12 rounds of this fight in the window below.

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