Oleksandr Usyk names his toughest opponent in 24 undefeated fights: ‘He’s a terrible guy’

Alexander Ousyk gave a rather unexpected answer, calling his former enemy a “terrible guy,” when asked to name the toughest opponent he’s ever faced.

The masterful Ukrainian is of course no stranger to elite competition, having previously won an Olympic gold medal and more recently becoming a three-time undisputed champion in two divisions.

During his campaign at cruiserweight, Usyk came up against a lineup of established world champions and worthy contenders, including Mairis Briedis, Murat Gassiev and Michael Hunter.

Briedis, in particular, reportedly put the pound-for-pound king to his toughest test in the professional ranks, with many believing he did enough to win their 2018 encounter.

But Usyk nevertheless won a majority decision and extended his unbeaten run, before returning to the land of giants.

It was there that he achieved victories that helped improve his career. Tyson Fury, Antoine Joshua And Daniel Duboisbeating each of the Brits twice, and firmly established himself as the greatest heavyweight of his era.

And yet, quite surprisingly, it was Derek Chisora who, according to the man himself, gave Usyk his toughest night on the job in 2020.

While Usyk emerged with convincing unanimous decision victory, Chisora’s hard work rate nonetheless gave him a stern introduction to heavyweight boxing.

It is for this reason that the Olympic champion declared talkSPORT that in terms of difficulty, his fight with the British veteran eclipses any other mission in which he has been involved.

“I think it’s Derek. My friend, Derek. Hey, Derek, I’m coming for you!”

Derek is a horrible guy, terribly tough. It’s just hard [fighting] Derek. It was just very difficult.

While Usyk’s suggestion of Chisora, who he named as his toughest opponent in February 2025may come as a surprise, it can be said that the physical nature of their competition made it particularly demanding for the skilled left-hander.