In a lighthearted breakdown of the hardest hitters he has encountered, unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk placed several familiar names on his personal top-five list, including Tyson Fury, Derek Chisora and Murat Gassiev. The ranking offers another glimpse into the personality that has helped make Usyk one of boxing’s most compelling champions at a time when the heavyweight division remains in flux.
Usyk put Murat Gassiev in fifth place, a nod to the Russian puncher he defeated while becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion. Fourth went to Mairis Briedis, whose grueling fight with Usyk is still viewed by many as one of the toughest high-level matchups of his cruiserweight run.
Tyson Fury landed in the No. 3 spot after Usyk outpointed the British heavyweight twice in 2024, while Derek Chisora took second. That placement tracks with how Usyk has spoken about Chisora before, often describing him as one of the most physically demanding opponents of his professional career.
Then came the punchline. Usyk said the hardest shot he ever took did not come from a champion or title contender, but from a horse when he was a kid.
The champion previously recalled the moment in blunt terms, saying that when he was 12, a horse struck him in the head and left him with what he jokingly described as one clean knockout before he had ever fought a bout.
For American fans, it is the kind of story that reinforces Usyk’s image as a rare heavyweight star: technically brilliant in the ring, unpredictable outside it, and never interested in sounding like everyone else. With the division now waiting on the next move involving Usyk, Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, even a playful ranking like this keeps attention fixed on the man holding the belts. The next real impact, of course, will come when Usyk decides who gets the next shot.