Oleksandr Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, reacted to promoter Oscar De La Hoya’s assertion this week that the unified heavyweight champion Usyk will return to cruiserweight to face the winner of Saturday night time’s unification battle between champions Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and Chris Billiam-Smith. Usyk nonetheless should slay the ogre once more earlier than he can decide about whether or not to return to the lifeless, lifeless cruiserweight division to turn out to be undisputed once more. I wouldn’t do it if I have been Usyk.
Krassyuk mentioned Usyk focuses solely on his December twenty first rematch in opposition to Tyson Fury. No determination can be made by Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) till after that battle. Alex notes that De La Hoya is doing his job selling ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez’s profession. In different phrases, De La Hoya will do no matter he can to create pretend hype for Ramirez’s battle in opposition to Billiam-Smith.
Goodness is aware of, there’s virtually no buzz for the Ramirez-Billiam-Smith battle from U.S. followers. They view that as a lackluster battle, largely as a result of Zurdo Ramirez has a boring fashion, and Billiam-Smith is an obscure champion who clinches incessantly.
It’s the kind of battle the place the common fan turns the channel and watches one thing else. The true curiosity on Saturday’s card is the William Zepeda vs. Tevin Farmer battle at light-weight.
If Usyk does return to cruiserweight, he can be higher off selecting IBF champion Jai Opetaia for his first battle as a result of he’s thought-about the division’s primary fighter. That may be the best choice for Usyk to battle after which take the better battle in opposition to the winner of the Ramirez vs. Billiam-Smith battle, as they’re each extraordinarily restricted fighters talent-wise.
Usyk Targeted on Rematch With Fury
“Our fast horizon is Tyson Fury. Then we determine. Oscar [De La Hoya] does his finest to advertise Zurdo. That’s his job as a promoter,” mentioned supervisor Alex Krassyuk to Sky Sports activities Boxing on X when requested about his fighter Oleksandr Usyk returning to cruiserweight to battle the winner of Saturday’s unification match between champions Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and Chris Billiam-Smith.
These can be straightforward fights for Usyk. The robust one can be Opetaia, however solely due to his energy. Opetaia isn’t a lot of a boxer, and as we noticed in his rematch with Mairis Briedis, he doesn’t react nicely to strain.
Usyk turns 38 on January seventeenth, and it might be vital for him to tackle the hardest problem instantly if he chooses to drop again all the way down to cruiserweight to attempt to turn out to be undisputed champion a second time.
On one other word: Usyk can be taking an enormous pay lower to return to cruiserweight slightly than staying at heavyweight for profitable fights in opposition to Anthony Joshua and maybe a trilogy in opposition to Fury.
There’s no actual upside for Usyk to return to cruiserweight to attempt to turn out to be undisputed champion a second time. Gilberto Ramirez isn’t common within the U.S. or worldwide. The identical goes for Billiam-Smith and Opetaia. The cash Usyk would get and the reward for turning into undisputed once more can be minimal. Followers wouldn’t be enthusiastic about that accomplishment.
WBA cruiserweight champion ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs) faces WBO champ Billiam-Smith (20-1, 13 KOs) within the 12-round important occasion this Saturday, November sixteenth at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The occasion can be proven dwell on DAZN.
