![]() 7 rematch between unified heavyweight world titleholder Andy Ruiz Jr. Usyk, 32, initially was scheduled to make his heavyweight debut against battle-tested former world title challenger Carlos Takam on May 25, but Usyk suffered a torn right biceps and was forced to delay his entrance into the division until Saturday night, when he risked his position as a mandatory challenger to get a title shot against the winner of the Dec. In four of the rounds, he landed only two punches. Witherspoon never landed more than the six punches he landed in the fourth round. ![]() "Īccording to CompuBox statistics, Usyk landed 139 of 347 punches (40%) and Witherspoon was limited to connecting on just 21 of 208 blows (10%). And I did box, but if I had the opportunity, I would take that opportunity. ![]() "I just follow their orders and that was to box. "I did what my trainer told me to do," Usyk said. Usyk looked as though he might have been able to finish Witherspoon sooner, but he took his time, as instructed by his corner. But he plopped down on his stool after the round and was done, telling the referee he could no longer continue. Late in the round, Usyk landed a flurry of punches that had referee Hector Afu looking closely at stopping the bout, but Witherspoon made it out of the round. Witherspoon appeared gassed and was unable to let combinations go and spent long stretches moving along the ropes getting nailed with body shots. Usyk, who was boxing in the United States for the third time, continued to pound Witherspoon in the seventh round. He forced Witherspoon back with a strong straight left hand in the fifth round, and appeared close to a stoppage in that round when he hurt Witherspoon with a left hand, backed him into a corner and landed several punches during a flurry that had him covering up. Usyk landed many right jabs down the middle to the head and body and also landed lefts to the body. "Yes, there is a little bit of difference, but I used to fight as a heavyweight. Usyk said he felt the difference being in the ring with a heavyweight compared to a cruiserweight. Usyk, the favorite of the heavily Ukrainian crowd of 9,073, was coming off the longest layoff of his career - 11 months - and took a few rounds to find a groove, but when he did he found a home for his quick right jab and straight left hand against a much slower Witherspoon. I just prayed a little bit, I asked him to help me and it looks like he helped me." I didn't show it to anybody, but I had some bad thoughts float into my head. "We had some little difficulties because we have to change opponents. "I was waiting for this moment," Usyk said. ![]() Witherspoon's conditioning and skills, however, were no match for those of Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs), a southpaw, who was a superstar amateur, a 2012 Olympic gold medalist for Ukraine and one of boxing's top fighters in the world pound for pound. He was riding an eight-fight winning streak during a sporadic fighting schedule and had not been a factor in the division for many years, since he was knocked out in the third round by then-undefeated rising contender Seth Mitchell in 2012.īut Witherspoon did have a substantial size advantage at 6-foot-4 and a career-heavy 242 pounds to Usyk's 6-foot-3, 215 pounds. Philadelphia's Witherspoon (38-4 29 KOs), 38, a second cousin of former two-time heavyweight world titlist Tim Witherspoon, took the fight when Spong was booted from the bout. Usyk, who secured the heavyweight victory on manager Egis Klimas' 55th birthday, was slated to fight former kickboxing star Tyrone Spong (14-0, 13 KOs), but Spong came up positive for the banned substance clomiphene in two urine samples collected by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association and was dropped from the fight when the results came to light on Monday. Oleksandr Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight world champion and the 2018 consensus fighter of the year, made a successful move to the heavyweight division to begin his chase of titles in that division on Saturday night at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.Īiming to follow in the footsteps of his idol, former undisputed cruiserweight and heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, Usyk got off to a strong start as he ground down late-notice opponent Chazz Witherspoon until his exhausted foe retired in the corner following the seventh round of a one-sided fight. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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