Photos: Sumio Yamada
In his heavyweight debut, formerly undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs) scored a seventh round TKO over late sub Chazz Witherspoon (38-4, 29 KOs) on Saturday night at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
Usyk started slow, but things heated up as the bout progressed. The 38-year-old Witherspoon looked close to being stopped in round six. The game but gassed Witherspoon, who took the fight on four days’ notice, took more big shots in round seven and the bout was stopped after the round.
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Dawejko would have made it a better fight Chazz hasn’t fought a living opponent since 2012 and Eddy knows that.
As I said before: in the next 2 year’s.. It Will be ALL Usyk and H’rgovic!
I’m not sure about the big Croatian as he’s pretty up right and telegraphs a lot of his power shots.
Honestly nothing to write home about. Usyk is technically good but he should have put this guy away within 1-2 rounds. It’s not another Holyfield
Clinical beating by the most skillful big man in the sport. You should get exactly what he wanted, when he wanted in that ring. Granted he had a C- heavyweight in front of him, but Usyk had some rust on him and would have gotten Witherspoon out of there in the sixth round had he been a little pressure. Usyk is definitely a live body in the heavyweight division for the undisputed crown, because he is so much more skillful than any of heavyweights right now. This Ukrainian can flat-out box.
Joshua would put Chazz out in 30 seconds
Now we like skills and hate the ko artist? Floyd are you listening?
He’s good but he’s no Holyfield.
Different type of fighter Arturo but time will tell if he can accomplish the same
Holifield wasn’t shit, just a full of steroid cheater.. Usyk is so much more..
How dare you say holyfield wasn’t shit.you are a .this guy couldn’t carry holyfields Jockstrap on steroids or not.
There are two facts that can not be disputed:
1/ Holyfield was a boxing great (who was also known for his rough house tactics that were quite low at times; its not by chance that he was called “the king of headbutts and low blows” by boxers and fans alike).
2/ Holyfield was definitely on HGH and steroids. He was linked to Applied Pharmacy Services and he received his drugs under the name “Evan Fields”. His case if fairly well documented. If you study photos of Holyfield, you will see physical transformations over time that are completely unnatural. Its also very visible that he had to pay a price for his drug use: serious heart problems, hair loss, etc.
As far as Usyk goes, he’s interesting and great for the current HW division. He’s technically sound but only time will tell how far he can really go.
I wouldn’t be surprised though if we all find out about a new rising star in the division within the next year or two. Its not particularly difficult to make a big splash in this division at this point in time.
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Regis….Is this a fact? (You say that he was a “steroid cheater “)With Allllll the information that is available out there, show me the proof/article.
Lol look at pics
Have to be a part time fan to not know Evander did tons of steroids
https://www.si.com/vault/2007/03/12/8402415/rx-for-trouble-inside-the-steroid-ring
Oh my – you read an article on some shitty dodgy site and you’re sure now. Congratulations. Idiot.
Holified??
Wanker!!
How dare you disrespect evander ! You have never boxed in your fuckin life
Most of the people that have anything negative to say against Evander are Tyson nut lickers. They still cannot accept the fact that Holyfield did whatever he wanted to against Tyson. The excuses when Tyson lost are everything from, he was not in his prime, he was hi jacked by Aliens from another planet, or he decided that he would rather be eating someones children that did not actually have any children. To these people Tyson was the greatest and if he did not marry Robin,and have Don King as his manager or get caught up in a rape scandal,he would never have lost. The bottom line is this Holyfield was in more classic incredible battles than any other hwt ever, only Ali can be in the same classic category. And to those that say Holyfield was a dirty fighter, you mean like TYSON was a clean fighter??? Yeah sure!!! As for Usyk, he is still a cruiser, now he needs to find B level hwts and see if he can be successful against them, it’s to early for any verdict.
@Steve:
As far as Holyfield goes, the evidence that he took steroids and HGH is overwhelming. Unfortunately, PEDS were almost the rule in the world of sports at that time (80’s, 90’s). The list of juiced up boxers is frightening long and it includes V. Klitschko, Botha, James Toney, Mayorga, Vargas, Mosley, Roy Jones and dozens of other known fighters.
When Holyfield fought Tyson, he was without a doubt on PEDS and it is a fact that he used illegal rough house tactics which infuriated a then mentally weak Tyson.
I’ve always had my suspicions about his steroid use, but you cant possibly say Holyfield wasn’t shit! He was a masterful boxer. Watch his fight The Camden Buzzsaw, amongst many others, and then come back and write he wasn’t shit.
Usyk got off to a slow start but finally started up his motor after the second round. Witherspoon was flatfooted and slow on his feet, but had quicker hands than I expected. Usyk had to be careful of his sharp counters.
Once Usyk opened up, it was over. Witherspoon was never really hurt but just ran out of gas. Usyk hits hard enough to hurt any heavyweight if he hits them cleanly with punches that they don’t see. He doesn’t usually set down on his punches but throws enough of them for many clean shots to get through.
It was a good debut for Usyk in the heavyweight ranks. He needs to fight someone just below the elite level next. We’ll be able to find out a lot more about him then. Tonight was just to test the waters and determine if he has a real shot at beating one of the heavyweight champions. He has the skills, mobility, and accurate punching to be able to do so. He just needs to prove it against a higher caliber opponent than Witherspoon.
A predictable win. Chazz needs to retire. He was never a force and never will be.
When Witherspoon was younger fitter and better trained, he was stopped by Chris Areolla, Tony Thompson and Seth Mitchell. He is 38 now, fat and came in as a 4 day replacement. Yet he was never really hurt. He was just fat, old and out of shape. Come back when this guy has actually beaten a top well trained opponent. From what i saw there, he would have problems with Wilder, Fury, Ruiz, Joshua, Parker, Whyte, Povetkin, to name a few. He doesn`t have concussive power. He hit his guy with multiple full-blooded shots and never really hurt him, not even flooring him. Mitchell, Arreola, And old Thompson had a fitter and better trained version of the same guy on the floor.
What’s Povetkin doing in that respective list?
Okay, nobody is disputing Usyk is not a puncher Julian. But you don’t need to be a KO artist to win fights. The Ukrainian is perfectly capable of out boxing anybody at heavyweight over 12 rounds. If he gets jobbed on the scorecards or caught with a good shot in those 36 minutes, then that would be the only way he loses. he is not going to get out boxed or beat up in there by anybody at heavyweight, and that is all there is to it.
If wilder fought a journeyman like Witherspoon most would be calling him a bum. uzzie fights him and he’s the best thing since white bread! Also NOW you love skills and hate the ko artist?
@Noracistsallowed, I think we’d all be shocked if he fought anyone with a heartbeat that we ever heard of in his first 25+ fights.. Let alone his first heavyweight fight. Nice name by the way.. All your comments and their agenda are IRONIC for that! ; ) Floyd, Deontay… No butt hurt, was clown agenda there at all.. Right?
@noracistsallowed,…. Apparently.. YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED THEN.
Well, Wilder fought nothing but Witherspoon types for his first 30 some fights. He has still only fought two elite-level heavyweights, one of which he was thoroughly outboxed and got a gift decision draw, and the other one he has to rematch next month because he didn’t meet him without controversy. It also has to be brought up that Wilder has 40 + fights while Usyk just completed his 17th. Didn’t factor any of that into the equation did you though? I thought your username was supposed to be no racists allowed. Maybe then you should exit this forum?
Witherspoon was nothing more then a punching bag, cant get over why Usyk is No#1 WBO. Ruiz Jr would rape him and Joshua would KO his ass.
Meaningles fight for Usyk. Carlos Takam is much better then Mr Chazz. Usyk needs 3 more fights against better HW.
I hate to see Usyk fight for a title for big bucks before he is ready get beaten up badly and turn into a washed up Ukrainian Gerry Cooney .
Hollyfield obv took PEDs and T only up for debate as to when did he started juicing. What makes Lennox Lewis such a great champ is he is a rare HW who NEVER juiced… Klitschkos had PHD in juicing.
Some funny comments here. Before anyone attacks Usyk, remember this is his first fight at heavyweight fighting a last minute replacement and he still kod Witherspoon.
He should fight Takam or Miller next, bet he will beat both of them and then see what the haters have to say.
Didn’t see the fight, only highlights, but I heard Witherspoon put forth a solid effort. I’m surprised he lasted as long as he did. Spoon has always showed heart. I read an interview with Witherspoon a few years back where he said he was just boxing for fun with no intention of ever becoming a world champion. I thought that was an odd stance for a guy who was considered a contender at the time.
Great not seeing Watson,Sulaiman showing their faces behind the boxers.What a relief!!!!
His opponent looked like he took that fight on four days notice. He was sluggish, no stamina and way past his prime not to mention his prime wasn’t great to begin with. That being said I was really impressed with his footwork. He could jump in and land shots on a dime, I haven’t seen any heavyweight do that before. But he didn’t seem to have a great power jab, and lacks some of that one punch power most top heavyweights have.
The Holyfield comparisons are not credible comments because they are so much different in style and fought in a different era. I need to see him against credible contenders to make a better assessment, as so should everyone else. But my opinion is he would lose to Joshua and Wilder. Joshua by being pushed around by superior power and jab. And Wilder because I don’t think his head moves enough to avoid that one big right that will land. I think he could decision Ruiz easy by jumping in and out. His footwork could give him the code needed for Fury. Styles make fights and he has a good one, but not as special as advertised.