Alexander Alexandrovich Usik (b. 1987) - Ukrainian professional boxer, performing in the 1st heavy (up to 90.7 kg) and heavy (over 90.7 kg) weight categories. Olympic champion (2012), world champion (2011), European champion (2008). Honored Master of Sports of Ukraine.
The absolute world champion in the 1st heavy weight, the only holder of champion belts in all prestigious versions among professional boxers of our time. Winner of the IBF and WBA super, WBO super and WBC world titles.
There are many interesting facts in the biography of Usyk, which we will talk about in this article.
So, before you is a short biography of Alexander Usik.
Usik biography
Alexander Usik was born on January 17, 1987 in Simferopol. He grew up and was brought up in a simple family of Alexander Anatolyevich and his wife Nadezhda Petrovna.
Childhood and youth
Alexander studied at Simferopol School No. 34. In his free time, he was fond of folk dancing, judo and football.
In his youth, Usik played for the youth team "Tavria", as a left midfielder. At the age of 15, he decided to go to boxing.
According to the boxer himself, he left football due to financial difficulties in the family. This sport required a uniform, boots and other equipment, the purchase of which was an invoice for his parents.
Usik's first boxing coach was Sergei Lapin. Initially, the young man looked much weaker than the other guys, but thanks to intensive and prolonged training, he managed to get in excellent shape.
Later, Alexander graduated from the Lviv State University of Physical Culture.
Boxing
The first successes in the sports biography of Usik began at the age of 18. Showing good boxing, he began to receive invitations to various amateur tournaments.
In 2005 Alexander took 1st place at the international youth tournament held in Hungary. After that, he competed in Estonia.
At the same time, the boxer played in the Ukrainian national team, where he was number two.
Usyk continued to participate in various European competitions, taking prizes. As a result, he was sent to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
At the Olympics, Alexander showed a rather mediocre boxing, losing in the second round. After the defeat, he moved to light heavyweight and won the European Championship.
After that, Usik again moved to the heavy weight category, taking 2nd place at the 2008 World Cup championship. An interesting fact is that during that period of his biography, Anatoly Lomachenko was his coach.
In 2011, Alexander took part in the World Championship. Having reached the finals, he turned out to be stronger than the Azerbaijani boxer Teymur Mammadov, having won a gold medal.
The following year, Usik went to the 2012 Olympic Games, where he also became the winner, beating the Italian Clemente Russo in the final. To celebrate, the athlete danced a hopak right in the ring.
In 2013, Alexander began his professional boxing career. He signed a contract with the Klitschko brothers' company "K2 Promotions". At that time, James Ali Bashira became his new mentor.
In November of the same year, Usik knocked out the Mexican Felipe Romero. A few weeks later, he easily defeated Colombian Epifanio Mendoza. The referee stopped the fight ahead of schedule in the 4th round.
After that, Alexander knocked out the German Ben Nsafoa and the Argentinean Cesar David Krens.
In the fall of 2014, Usik entered the ring against Daniel Brewer. He again proved to be stronger than his opponent, and as a result became the interim champion of the WBO Inter-Continental.
A couple of months later, Alexander knocked out South African Dani Venter, and later Russian Andrei Knyazev.
At the end of 2015, Usik achieved a full-fledged intercontinental championship by defeating Pedro Rodriguez by knockout. By that time, the Ukrainian had already gained worldwide fame and public recognition.
The following year, Alexander Usik opposed the Pole Krzysztof Glovacki. The fight lasted all 12 rounds. As a result, the judges gave the victory to Alexander.
After the end of the fight, Usik received the title of world leader in the 1st heavyweight division. An interesting fact is that he set a new record, breaking the success of Evander Holyfield, who in the past won the championship in the 12th fight.
Then Alexander emerged victorious in confrontations with South African Tabiso Mchuno and American Michael Hunter.
In the fall of 2017, Usik entered the ring against the German Marko Hook. In the 10th round, the Ukrainian carried out a series of precise blows to the body and head of the German, as a result of which the referee was forced to stop the fight ahead of schedule.
Alexander won another landslide victory and reached the semifinals of the World Boxing Super Series.
In 2018, a unification battle was organized between Usik and the Latvian Mairis Briedis. There were 2 championship belts at stake: Alexander's WBO, and Mairis's WBC.
The fight lasted all 12 rounds, after which Usyk was declared the winner by a majority decision. He became the owner of 2 WBO and WBC championship belts, having managed to reach the final of the World Boxing Super Series.
In July 2018, the final meeting of the tournament took place between Alexander Usik and Murat Gassiev. The latter tried to impose his own boxing, but his tactics were ineffective.
Usyk controlled all Gassiev's attacks, not allowing him to carry out a single combination for the entire fight.
Thus, Alexander became the absolute world champion in the 1st heavyweight according to the versions of WBA super, WBC, IBF, WBO, line champion and winner of the Muhammad Ali Cup.
A few months later, Usyk met with Briton Tony Bellew. The first rounds went to the Briton, but later Alexander took the initiative into his own hands.
In the eighth round, the Ukrainian sent his opponent into a heavy knockout after a successful series of punches. This victory was the 16th for Alexander in his professional career.
At the beginning of 2019, a fight was planned between Usik and the American Chazz Witherspoon. As a result, the victory went to Alexander, due to the refusal of the opponent to continue the fight.
Personal life
The boxer's wife is Catherine, with whom he once studied at the same school. Young people got married in 2009.
In this union, a girl, Elizabeth, and 2 boys, Cyril and Mikhail, were born.
Oleksandr Usyk has repeatedly starred in commercials for the Ukrainian company MTS. He is a fan of Tavriya Simferopol and Dynamo Kiev.
Alexander Usik today
According to the regulations for 2020, Usik is an unbeatable professional boxer, performing in the 1st heavy and heavy weight categories.
In 2018, the athlete was awarded many prestigious titles. He received the Order of the Monk Ilya of Murom, 1st degree (UOC).
In addition, Alexander was recognized as the best professional boxer by the opinions of the sports TV channel "ESPN", authoritative sports publications, as well as the Association of American Journalists "BWAA".
The Ukrainian has an account on Instagram, where he uploads photos and videos. By 2020, about 900,000 people have subscribed to his page.
Usik Photos
