Tony Bellew has discussed a fantasy match-up between a prime Wladimir Klitschko and his countryman Oleksandr Usyk.
Both of these fighting greats hail from Ukraine, and both reached the very top of the sport. After a mixed start to his career which saw him take two upset losses, Klitschko got into a winning groove with legendary coach Manny Steward and then went on to knock out the vast majority of his opponents on the way to becoming a unified world champion.
He was only dethroned in 2015 by a young Tyson Fury, who never honoured a rematch so instead ‘Dr Steelhamer’ had one more fight against Anthony Joshua. It was an epic up-and-down battle that ended with him losing via knockout in the 11th round, and he has not fought since.
Usyk carved his own legacy in the sport by becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion in 2018, then the undisputed heavyweight champion in 2024 by beating Joshua and Fury. He remains unbeaten as a professional.
In a conversation with SportingTalk, it was put to Bellew about the potential for Klitschko to return and fight Usyk, but he suggested it was a bad idea.
“He wouldn’t have beaten him in his prime. He’s just all wrong for him. I don’t think Usyk wants to entertain anything like that.”
instead, Usyk is looking to return in 2025 for the biggest fights only, which means a second undisputed contest with the winner of Daniel Dubois’s IBF title defence against Joseph Parker is most likely on the cards.
As for Klitschko, he reportedly remains intrigued by the prospect of a return to attempt to beat George Foreman’s record as the oldest ever heavyweight champion.
