Tony Bellew says Oleksandr Usyk's punches are 'stiff' rather than hard-hitting. The former cruiserweight champion shared his thoughts after facing Usyk in the ring.
Bellew's boxing career saw him reach great heights. He won the WBC Cruiserweight World Title with a knockout win over Ilunga Makabu at Everton's ground in 2016. He then defended it successfully against BJ Flores, also by knockout. Bellew moved up to heavyweight and scored two impressive knockout wins over David Haye.
His final fight came against Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed cruiserweight title. Bellew started well, winning early rounds, but tired under Usyk's constant pressure. The Ukrainian caught him with a left hand in the eighth round, ending the fight.
In a recent interview with TalkSPORT, Bellew gave his honest assessment of Usyk's power:
"He's not the biggest puncher. It's a stiff [punch]. He gets your respect. Haye was the one who had the most power. I'm certain on that."
Despite not rating Usyk's power as highly as Haye's, Bellew still considers the fight against Usyk as his toughest ever.
Usyk's career has gone from strength to strength since beating Bellew. He moved up to heavyweight and beat Anthony Joshua twice. He then defeated Tyson Fury twice to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.
The Ukrainian remains unbeaten and will likely face Daniel Dubois next. It'll be Usyk's third crack at undisputed honors. Interestingly, Dubois is one of Usyk's only stoppage wins at heavyweight.
Bellew's comments shed light on Usyk's fighting style. While he might not be known for knockout power, his technical skills and constant pressure have made him one of boxing's top fighters.
