Oleksandr Krasuk, who previously managed the career of unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, gave an extensive commentary on the factors that prevented the Ukrainian boxer from reaching the level of a global PPV star comparable to Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
In Krasuk's opinion, the main obstacle lies in the language barrier. He noted that fluency in English could have dramatically changed Usyk's perception outside of Ukraine.
"If Usyk spoke English fluently... We talked about this during the signing—he promised me he would learn English. In the end, he learned a bit of it, he can talk, even give interviews. He can't speak freely with his audience," the former promoter explained.
Krasuk emphasized that even Usyk's limited attempts to communicate in English possessed a certain charm and brought smiles to the English-speaking audience. "When he started speaking English, it was fun and attractive for native speakers. It's a kind of unique charisma," he added.
The second key aspect Krasuk mentioned was the athlete's citizenship. "And, of course, the passport. It's not that his Ukrainian passport is bad, but that his passport is neither American nor British. It happens in sports that the public supports their own," he concluded, pointing to the traditional loyalty of fans to representatives of their countries.
Recall that on May 23 at the historical location near the Giza Pyramids in Egypt, Usyk will fight Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.
