Oleksandr Usyk

Every fighting fan under the sun has heard of Oleksandr Usyk. He’s widely acknowledged as the best boxer to come out of Ukraine, and there’s a good reason for that. Just take a look at his record.

At the time of writing, Usyk is the heavyweight undisputed champion of the world, with a phenomenal record of 24-0. This perfect record, combined with the fact that his cruiserweight success means he’s only the third boxer in history to become the undisputed champ in two weight classes, is exactly why Oleksandr Usyk is so highly rated by boxing fans. And we haven’t even mentioned his Olympic gold medal!

In this article, we’ll be taking a comprehensive look at the iconic boxer’s record, along with his Olympic success and his meteoric rise from being an amateur champion to becoming one of the most successful professional boxers in the world. Let’s get started.

Childhood and Early Career

Oleksandr Starts Out in Ukraine

Usyk was born on January 17th 1987 in Simferopol, Crimea. The young Ukrainian boxer showed an early interest in the sport, and after being introduced to the Ukrainian boxing system, he quickly progressed through the ranks.

He actually got his start in sports by playing football, but lost interest in that and started seriously pursuing boxing in his mid-teens. He was fortunate enough to benefit from a culture which had a lot of respect for boxing and boxers, and his coaches used Soviet training methods to provide him with a solid technical foundation that he’d come to rely on throughout the rest of his career.

The quality of the training he received soon started to show, as Oleksandr progressed through the junior ranks and quickly became one of the country’s brightest prospects. As we’ll see, his coaches’ traditional training methods turned him into a true force to be reckoned with.

Usyk’s Olympic Success and Amateur Era

As an amateur, Oleksandr Usyk showed himself to be one of the fiercest fighters on the circuit, with an impressive 335-15 amateur record. That means that for every loss, he won 22 fights. It’s a record that any fighter would be proud of. 

Most fans agree that the early 2010s were the highlight of Usyk’s early career, with two major achievements coming back to back. He started out by beating Bulgaria’s Tervel Pulev to win the 2011 World Championships, and he followed that up by winning a 2012 Olympics gold medal in the heavyweight division.

The iconic wins in these tournaments were a testament to Usyk’s amateur excellence, as well as the amount of hard work that he’d put in to become one of the fiercest boxers on the planet. It also paved the way for him to transition from being an amateur boxer to being a professional, as well as putting Ukrainian boxing on the map. 

Oleksandr Usyk Goes Pro

The Start of Professional Career

On November 9th 2013, Ukraine’s Usyk boxer beat Felipe Romero by TKO in the fifth round. This was his professional debut 2013, the point at which he signalled a major change in his career through his preferred method of communication: his fists.

His win against Romero signalled the start of a series of professional wins, many of them by knockout. This helped him to rise through the professional ranks until in 2016, he was given a WBO cruiserweight title shot against Poland’s Krzysztof Glowacki. Fortunately for the Usyk record, he won by unanimous decision after a closely fought 12 rounds. 

The fight is notable for a number of reasons, including the fact that it was only the Ukrainian’s tenth professional bout. His technical mastery and sheer power meant that even the seasoned pro was no match for him, establishing his reputation as one of the best boxers to step into the ring. His evolution from skilled amateur to world-class professional was complete.

Usyk as a Cruiserweight

Let’s fast forward a couple more years to the next major development in the Usyk record. That was when he took part in the 2018 World Boxing Super Series, a tournament in which the top fighters in Usyk’s weight division all gathered together to battle it out for the top spot.

Usyk beat Marco Huck in the quarter-final with a TKO, then took down Mairis Briedis by majority decision before beating Murat Gassiev in Moscow to take the crown in the final with a unanimous decision. That made him the first undisputed cruiserweight champion since Evander Holyfield back in 1988.

This victory meant that Usyk held the WBA, IBF, WBC and WBO titles, as well as the Ring Magazine belt and the Muhammad Ali Trophy. Never one to rest on his laurels, Usyk went on to defend his newfound position by beating challenger Tony Bellew at the Manchester Arena, turning a challenging fight around with a TKO in the eighth round.

The Journey to Becoming Heavyweight Champion

Wins Against Anthony Joshua

By 2021, the Oleksandr Usyk boxing story had taken off in an unexpected direction. The cruiserweight world wasn’t enough, and he had his eyes on heavyweight titles instead. Before long, he was pursuing them with his signature laser focus.

On September 25th 2021, the Ukrainian took on the legendary Anthony Joshua at Tottenham Stadium, a fight in which he delivered a tactical masterclass during which he came out fast and finished strong. He had a unique advantage in the matchup because he was a southpaw fighting an orthodox boxer, allowing him to win out when it came to positioning.

In the end, the Ukrainian beat Joshua by unanimous decision, winning the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO titles to become the unified heavyweight champion, just like he’d done as cruiserweight. He was the third boxer in history (behind Holyfield and David Haye) to win world titles as both a cruiserweight and a heavyweight.

The following year, Usyk took Joshua on in Saudi Arabia for a rematch, which he also won. The two Anthony Joshua victories showed just how formidable the Ukrainian boxer truly was, solidifying his hold over the heavyweight championship and proving that his earlier win wasn’t just a fluke.

Usyk vs. Fury Unification Fights

More recently, the Usyk boxer story takes us to the Middle East, thanks to the 2024 Riyadh matchup between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. Taking place on May 18th, the Tyson Fury unification fight in Saudi Arabia was watched by over 20 million people and was arguably the biggest fight of either man’s career.

Those who watched it live will remember one moment in particular—the iconic ninth round knockdown when Usyk trapped his opponent against the ropes and knocked him to his knees. Fury was saved by the bell, but even though he lasted for three more rounds, Usyk still came out on top with a split decision victory.

That win allowed him to capture the WBC title, becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years in the process. Fury wasn’t too happy, and so the two of them met in December for a rematch, which Usyk dominated. This time, he earned a unanimous decision, which showed the whole world who the true champion really was.

Fighting Techniques

A Closer Look at Oleksandr Usyk’s Boxing Style

So what exactly makes the Oleksandr Usyk boxing style so unique, and why does he win so many of his matches? Well, a lot of that comes down to his southpaw stance, which gives him a natural advantage over the competition because while they’re not used to fighting lefties, he’s used to fighting right-handers.

Usyk is also known for his exceptional footwork, which allows him to control his opponents and dominate the ring. His rapid hand speed and his high boxing IQ combine to mean that it’s easy for him to create opportunities and then exploit them. 

Meanwhile, his penchant for switching stances and his ability to make good use of angles allow him to go on the attack with an unmatched level of technical precision. He’s just as good when it comes to his defensive skills, and he’s known for his vicious counterattacks when his opponents least expect it. He’s a heavyweight who moves like a cruiserweight.

Where Oleksandr Usyk Stands Today

Most Recent Performance

As we head into 2026, the Ukrainian shows no signs of slowing down, maintaining his 24-0 perfect record even as he approaches his forties. The impressive Usyk record includes 15 knockouts, a feat that few other boxers could even dream of.

In July 2025, the Usyk record was successfully defended via the Daniel Dubois victory, which was a rematch of a fight in 2023. The Ukrainian dominated the fight from the start and won by fifth-round knockout. Oh, and did we mention that it was another undisputed bout with all of the major titles on the line?

Usyk also came out on top at the Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year awards in both 2018 and 2024, as well as ranking seventh in the list of the world’s highest-paid athletes. Perhaps most impressive of all is the fact that he still shows no sign of slowing down.

The Future of the Ukrainian Hero

Oleksandr Usyk is so much more than just a boxer. He’s a Ukrainian hero and a vital wartime inspiration during the country’s struggle against Russian aggression. He’s provided plenty of support for the Ukrainian military, but it’s his symbolic status as one of the toughest men on the planet that provides the country and its soldiers with the greatest boost.

Even if he never steps foot in a ring again, he’s built an incredible boxing legacy as the greatest Ukrainian boxer of all time and has been (deservedly) compared to the all-time greats of the heavyweight division.

Meanwhile, fans are divided about the great man’s potential. Some are discussing new opponents, while others are predicting an imminent retirement. Usyk could go either way, but one thing’s for sure—every time he decides to don his gloves, there will be people tuning in to watch.