Usyk Criticised by Boxing Legend Johnny Nelson
Oleksandr Usyk has been branded as an 'average' southpaw by former cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson, just days after the Ukrainian vacated all his heavyweight titles. Speaking on the Fight Your Corner podcast, in partnership with Midnite, Nelson said: 'As a southpaw, he is average.'
Usyk, 39, stunned the boxing world last week by relinquishing his belts following a contentious 11th-round stoppage victory over Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, in May. Despite stepping away from the titles, the Ukrainian has confirmed he is not retiring yet and plans at least one more fight.
Nelson and Bellew Debate Usyk's Skills
Nelson compared Usyk unfavourably to Tony Bellew, whom Usyk defeated in 2018. 'I thought Tony was ahead on points, and I back up my comments that he is a more talented fighter. But Tony was a fan of Usyk,' Nelson said. Bellew, who lost to Usyk by knockout, admitted he was exhausted during the fight: 'The thing that caught me out the most was his footwork. Never in my career have I got tired, but I was so exhausted that night.' Nelson added: 'As far as I am concerned, Tony was outboxing and outthinking Usyk until he got gassed. He showed he had the skill to beat him.'
Usyk's Plans for Final Fight
Despite the criticism, Usyk remains focused on his farewell bout. In a social media video, he stated: 'It's a good day to say that I want to vacate all the belts I currently hold. I want to make them available so the guys who are next in line can fight for them. I'm leaving the belts but I'm not leaving the sport because I still have my last dance.' Reports indicate Usyk is open to facing Deontay Wilder or former UFC champion Jon Jones. According to Usyk's team director Sergey Lapin, talks are underway with Zuffa Boxing, backed by Dana White and Turki Alalshikh. 'We are in direct discussions with Zuffa Boxing at the highest level. At this stage, no agreements have been signed,' Lapin told the BBC. 'Usyk has already stated that he sees Deontay Wilder as the opponent for his last dance. It is a match-up with significant potential from a sporting, media and international perspective.'
