A heated debate is unfolding around a potential clash between Oleksandr Usyk and David Benavidez, marking one of the most controversial topics in modern boxing. Columnist Sergey Lukyanenko admits in his analysis that he feels a conflict of "two forces pulling in opposite directions": on one hand, a profound respect for the Ukrainian's boxing legacy and an aversion to seeing it tarnished by a defeat in a final bout; on the other, the realization that this very risk is what makes Usyk a unique figure on the world stage. The photo captures Usyk in a moment of triumph, arms outstretched in gloves with inscriptions, the championship belt on his chest highlighting the magnitude of what he is risking.
The Perfect Legacy and the Fear of Losing It
According to the author, everything in Usyk's career seems "perfect": impeccable amateur and professional results, twice becoming the undisputed champion at cruiserweight, undisputed heavyweight champion, and a 25-0 record. Retiring as an undefeated heavyweight champion is an achievement few have reached, and it feels as though the last fight against Verhoeven was "frankly unnecessary." This leads to anxiety: one does not want a 40-year-old Usyk risking his career's twilight against an opponent who is "in his prime" and a pound-for-pound leader. In boxing, as the author reminds us, "it is better to leave a year too early than an hour too late."
An Anomaly That Will Not Be Repeated
The second part of the argument posits that Usyk is a figure without parallel, even in fictional boxing sagas. The author states plainly that films about Rocky Balboa and other "tough guys" "fall short in terms of greatness" compared to the Ukrainian, who behaves "like an alien": setting impossible goals and consistently achieving them. Becoming a champion from Ukraine with a Ukrainian promotional company at cruiserweight, then undisputed, moving to heavyweight, beating Anthony Joshua twice and Tyson Fury twice, becoming undisputed heavyweight champion and doing it again—the author calls all this "anomalous." He believes that only in 5–10 years will it be understood just how impossible this was, because "no one will come even an inch close" to this legacy.
Return to Cruiserweight: A Phenomenal Challenge
The key intrigue of a potential fight is not just another title bout, but Usyk's return after eight, effectively nine, years at heavyweight back to the cruiserweight division, with the theoretical possibility of fighting for all the belts. According to the author, Benavidez could secure a third belt (the fourth being vacant), and while reaching an agreement with the IBF will be difficult, the mandatory challenger for their title seems ready to step aside to keep a chance of fighting the winner for the undisputed status. Dropping back to cruiserweight to fight for undisputed status—having already been undisputed twice at heavyweight—the author calls "something phenomenal," and the bout itself a "new anomalous challenge," unlike the semi-exhibition fights that meetings with Verhoeven or Wilder might have been.
Risks and Chances: Time versus Form
At the same time, the author honestly acknowledges the athletic component of the risk: Usyk last entered the ring about 15 kg above the cruiserweight limit, and by nature, he is not a heavyweight—he gained the weight so as not to be "too small" in the division. Going back down after such a long time at heavyweight to fight an elite top contender is "interesting," but it is a fight "on his opponent's territory." However, the author emphasizes that Usyk "has enough chances," and Benavidez, while being "classy and scary" against previous opponents, has never faced someone like Usyk. The only real question in this pair, in the author's opinion, is whether time will play its role.
Two Views on One Fight
The conclusion of the reflection does not boil down to a simple "yes" or "no." The part of the author that believes Usyk is risking his legacy calls such a fight "superfluous"; the part that sees history in it is convinced the fight "will be epic." In essence, we are looking at a beautiful, highly marketable fight in a scenic location, a risky battle in foreign territory, and a chance to prove his phenomenal status once more—after it has already been proven. This duality, where a historical challenge and the threat to an ideal record converge in one ring, makes the potential Usyk-Benavidez bout one of the most discussed events in boxing.
