The strange recent trend of high-profile boxers revealing that they are not fans of the sport continues with a new revelation from one heavyweight champion.
In recent weeks and months, there have been a number of fighters saying similar things: Jared Anderson claimed boxing to him was just a job, then Artur Beterbiev has said he enjoys the training but didn’t watch any boxing. And now generational great Oleksandr Usyk has added his name to the unlikely list.
Speaking to Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions on YouTube ahead of the second defense of his heavyweight WBO, WBA, IBF and IBO world titles against Brit Daniel Dubois in Wroclaw, Poland on August 26th, Usyk gave an insight into his views on the sport.
“I’m not a big fan of boxing. I’m more a fan of training and doing boxing myself. But just sitting watching and studying something, I don’t like it at all.”
He then explained how he and his team prepare.
“I ask my trainer and my team to watch [videos on my opponents] and then set assignments for me. But sometimes I will watch some compilations prepared by my team because only I can notice some things that even my trainer and team would not. This is the feeling, the hunch.”
He was then asked what hunch he has when it comes to his next opponent Daniel Dubois.
“I will not reveal that!”
We are now just days away from the fight when we will be able to find out for ourselves.