The Ukrainian world cruiserweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk moves up to test his artistry and seek to conquer new territories in the heavyweight division.
Usyk, the 2018 consensus fighter of the year, moves up in weight to face battle-tested former heavyweight world title challenger Carlos Takam on May 25 at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, announced by Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn on Friday April 5.
Usyk 32, (16-0, 12 KOs) a southpaw and 2012 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist from Ukraine, has won all four (4) cruiserweight titles ie WBO, WBA, WBC and IBF. His stated goal when he became a professional boxer was to unify the cruiserweight division and replicate same at the heavyweight division. He has done that in his fifteenth (15) fight. Usyk won the eight-man World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament last July to unify all four major 200lbs straps in the final by taking two belts from Murat Gassiev in a unanimous decision victory over Gassiev in Moscow, Russia. Usyk and K2 Promotions signed a co-promotional deal with Hearn immediately after the tourney and Usyk defended the undisputed title with a crushing eighth-round (8th) knockout of Tony Bellew in November in Manchester, England.
The excited Usyk looks to living the dream of unifying the titles in the heavyweight division to emulate Evander Holyfield, the only undisputed cruiserweight champion to also become the undisputed heavyweight champion. When Usyk is successful in his clash with Takam, are we going to see a fight with Anthony Joshua or probably Deontay Wilder as he takes steps to achieve that dream of unifying the heavyweight belts?
“The time has come for the ultimate challenge for Oleksandr Usyk,” said Hearn, who co-promotes Usyk with K2 Promotions.
“This pound-for-pound star had dominated the cruiserweight division, becoming undisputed champion after just 15 fights. Now he takes the daring leap to the land of the giants as he attempts to repeat his achievements in the heavyweight division”. Hearn asserted.
“May 25 marks a major moment in my career when I move to the heavyweight division,” Usyk said. “At cruiserweight I did it all and became the undisputed champion, and that is my goal now in the heavyweights”.
“This is the ultimate challenge, and it begins on May 25 against Carlos Takam,” he continued. “It’s a tough first fight, but I need to test myself against world-class opposition on my new road to undisputed.” Usyk added
Takam 38, (36-5-1, 28 KOs) a tough France based Cameroonian heavyweight pugilist. He has fought tough top heavyweights such as former WBC and WBO heavyweight champions Alexander Povetkin and Joseph Parker respectively, as well as the division’s unified champion Anthony Joshua giving them all tough fights but in defeats.
“Usyk has achieved everything in the cruiserweight division. I am ready to welcome him to the new world of heavyweight boxing,” Takam said. “I can promise that this will be a great fight, and I will provide Usyk with a huge test on his heavyweight debut. I have huge ambitions of my own in the division, and this fight will provide me with the chance to prove that.” Takam added.
Takam is coming from an emphatic seventh-round (7th) crashing of Senad Gashi in Dec. 22 and excited to get the opportunity to face one of boxing’s pound-for-pound best.