Heavyweight veteran Derek Chisora has voiced serious doubts over Oleksandr Usyk’s future in the sport, claiming that the Ukrainian star is no longer capable of performing at his best following a significant change in his coaching setup.
While age naturally plays a factor for any 39-year-old prizefighter, Chisora believes that Usyk’s recent struggles and his rumored plans to move back down to cruiserweight are more directly tied to his current training situation rather than the simple passage of time.
The two fighters share a deep familiarity inside the squared circle. Back in October 2020, Usyk and Chisora collided in a high-profile heavyweight clash at Wembley Arena. In what was just Usyk’s second outing in the heavyweight division, the crafty Ukrainian relied on his superior footwork, stamina, and technical mastery to outpoint the tenacious British pressure fighter via a unanimous decision.
Since that pivotal encounter, Usyk’s career has reached historic heights. The undefeated southpaw cemented his legacy by capturing all four major world titles to become a two-division undisputed champion, conquering the cruiserweight division before repeating the extraordinary feat in the heavyweight ranks. However, the grueling nature of the sport appears to be catching up to the decorated champion as he approaches the twilight of his career.
Those signs of vulnerability became particularly apparent during his assignment against former kickboxer Rico Verhoeven this past May. Entering the bout as a heavy favorite, Usyk was expected to secure a routine victory. Instead, he encountered a surprisingly tough challenge that pushed him deeper into the trenches than anticipated.
Despite ultimately wearing down the Dutch heavyweight and forcing an 11th-round stoppage, Usyk was made to work remarkably hard for the victory. The punishing encounter seemingly prompted a reevaluation of his career path. Just a month after the Verhoeven bout, Usyk made the strategic decision to vacate his three remaining heavyweight world titles, opening up the landscape of the division.
With his heavyweight championship reign behind him, reports have indicated that Usyk is now eyeing a dramatic return to the 200-pound weight class. The targeted next chapter of his storied career reportedly involves a potential showdown with unified cruiserweight champion David Benavidez, a matchup that could offer Usyk a unique opportunity to reclaim an undisputed crown in a division he once completely dominated.
However, speaking in a candid interview with talkSPORT, Chisora warned that dropping back down to cruiserweight to face a dangerous operator like Benavidez would be a grave mistake. According to the British veteran, Usyk is simply not the same fighter he was when he ruled the division under his former head coach, Yurii Tkachenko.
Chisora pointed directly to the shakeup in Usyk’s corner as the root cause of his recent decline in form, pulling no punches when evaluating the champion’s new training regime.
"If he goes back to cruiserweight, I don’t think he’ll win this fight against Benavidez," Chisora told talkSPORT. "I don’t think he’ll win it because he got rid of his old trainer, and now he’s got his pals training him. That’s why his last fight was so s**t."
During his dominant run through the cruiserweight and early heavyweight ranks, Usyk famously worked alongside seasoned trainer Yurii Tkachenko, a partnership characterized by meticulous tactical preparation and supreme conditioning. By contrast, for his arduous battle against Verhoeven, Usyk’s corner was spearheaded by head coach Iegor Golub. Golub has also recently overseen the training camps of fellow British heavyweight star Anthony Joshua for his most recent two outings.
While Chisora believes Usyk’s new training dynamic has compromised his elite-level efficiency, the potential cruiserweight landscape continues to take shape independently of the Ukrainian’s pending decisions. Benavidez, who currently holds the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles, is scheduled to return to the ring next month for a high-stakes unification bout against WBC champion Michal Cieslak.
The outcome of that upcoming championship clash will likely dictate the immediate future of the cruiserweight division, potentially paving the direct path for Usyk should he decide to follow through on his ambitions of returning to the 200-pound limit. Yet, if Chisora’s assessment holds any weight, any future campaign at cruiserweight may prove considerably more perilous for the legend than his past undisputed conquests.
