Who is Oleksandr Usyk, the Cossack from Crimea Who Became One of the Greatest Boxers in the World?

Oleksandr Usyk isn’t just Ukraine’s greatest boxer—he’s a living legend. In May, he toppled Fury to claim the WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF titles, unifying the heavyweight division for the first time in decades. Even the Klitschko brothers—Ukraine’s historic boxing icons—never went this far.

• Vitaliy Klitschko was a two-time WBC heavyweight champion, first earning the green belt in April 2004 and successfully defending it ten times. 

• Wladimir Klitschko ruled heavyweight boxing for 11 years, collecting 15 titles and cementing his legacy as one of the sport’s most dominant champions.

The Klitschko brothers shared their achievements. Usyk, however, holds all his titles alone, earning him the title of the most decorated Ukrainian boxer and one of the most successful fighters in the world. He is thus recognized as the undisputed champion—an honor last achieved in the heavyweight division nearly 25 years ago by the UK’s Lennox Lewis.

How did Usyk achieve this?

Oleksandr Usyk was born in Simferopol, Crimea. He remains a vocal supporter of Ukraine, consistently referring to Crimea as Ukrainian territory and raising the Ukrainian flag after every fight. Usyk is actively involved in rebuilding Ukraine and serves as an ambassador for the UNITED24.

Initially, Usyk aspired to become a soccer player, but realizing his limited success, he turned to boxing at age 15. By 19, he competed in his first European Championship, and in 2008, he joined Ukraine’s Olympic team in Beijing. He participated in the World Boxing Championship a year later, eventually winning gold.

The 2012 Olympics in London marked a major turning point. Usyk not only won gold but also introduced a signature performance: entering the ring dressed as a Cossack and dancing the hopak, a tradition he continues today.

In 2013, Usyk signed a contract with K2 Promotions, the Klitschko brothers’ agency, which managed his professional career. Over his professional tenure, Usyk has fought 22 matches with zero losses, securing 14 wins by knockout.

Usyk became the first Ukrainian boxer to unify all major cruiserweight titles, then replicated the feat in the prestigious heavyweight division. He is the first Ukrainian to become a champion in both weight classes.

In 2019, few believed Usyk could succeed as a heavyweight, particularly during the dominance of American Deontay Wilder, British Anthony Joshua,  and Tyson Fury. Many assumed any of them could defeat the Ukrainian boxer with ease.

However, Usyk silenced critics in 2021 when he defeated Joshua, a victory he solidified in an August 2022 rematch. After the bout, a frustrated Joshua dramatically dropped two of Usyk’s belts to the floor before storming off, only to return to deliver a passionate speech in the ring.

Usyk later fought in Wrocław, Poland, where he defeated UK’s Daniel Dubois.

Notably, Usyk is considered the ultimate Road Warrior—a term for a boxer who fights and triumphs on his opponent’s home turf, in stark contrast to “home champions.”

The rematch with Fury will be Usyk’s second fight in a year, the first time he has scheduled two bouts within a calendar year since 2018. Back then, he secured two victories in six months, defeating Latvian Mairis Briedis and winning the World Boxing Super Series final against Murat Gassiev.

Why does Usyk currently hold three belts instead of four?

The reason is technical. Each of the four belts belongs to a separate organization with its own rules. Although Usyk defeated Fury to claim all four—WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF—and agreed to a rematch, the IBF insisted that Usyk must fight their mandatory challenger instead of Fury. Consequently, Usyk voluntarily relinquished the IBF belt to honor the rematch clause.

The system for determining world champions in boxing is far more complex than in most other sports. There are nearly two dozen weight divisions, each with its own champions across multiple boxing organizations. Rankings are determined independently by each organization, and champions must periodically defend their titles. Defenses can be mandatory—against top contenders—or voluntary, where champions choose their opponents with organizational approval.

If two fighters hold belts from different organizations, the winner of their bout unifies the titles.

Beyond the convoluted rankings and mandatory defenses, business and promotion often play a more significant role in organizing championship fights than pure sporting merit. This is why achieving “undisputed champion” status—holding all four major belts—is a rare feat, which is what makes Usyk’s success so remarkable.

The highly anticipated bout between WBO, WBA, and IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk and WBC champion Tyson Fury was years in the making. Negotiations stretched over months, with the fight’s date postponed twice. The unification of all four major belts required both fighters to agree to a rematch clause in the event of victory.

This clause became problematic, as the IBF opposes mandatory rematch stipulations. While the IBF supports title unifications, it insists that a newly crowned champion must defend the belt against its mandatory contender—not the previous opponent. With an IBF challenger already in line, Usyk was faced with a choice. He opted to relinquish the IBF belt voluntarily, having already cemented his status as the world’s top heavyweight.

Now, on December 21, Usyk will defend his remaining titles once again.

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