Teddy Atlas does not want to see Oleksandr Usyk fight again.
The Hall of Fame trainer has urged Usyk to walk away rather than take the Deontay Wilder farewell bout that has been rumored since the Ukrainian gave up his belts.
Usyk vacated the WBA, IBF and WBC heavyweight titles on June 26, keeping the Ring Magazine and lineal championships and promising one last dance. He is 39 and 25-0 with 16 knockouts.
Atlas laid out the risk to CanadaCasino.
There is always an amount of risk. Anytime you get in a ring, there’s risk. Wilder is long, he’s tall, he’s a heavyweight and he can punch with the right hand. Usyk is getting older. He had 300 amateur fights. He hasn’t taken a lot of punishment, but he has taken some, and as you get older, there is always risk.
Then he dialled it back.
At this point in Wilder’s career, he is not the threat he used to be. There is still always the possibility that he lands a big right hand and Usyk gets old. Those possibilities are still there. But as far as what is more likely, it is not as likely as it used to be. I don’t see it as quite the danger it used to be.
The real argument is about the exit.
But all I want for Usyk is to do something not every great fighter has been able to pull off. Walk off into the sunset at your best. Walk off whole, healthy, and with the memory that we deserve to have about you. The great Joe Louis couldn’t do it. The great Muhammad Ali couldn’t do it. I’d like to see Usyk do that. I think it’s time to do it. It’s not for Teddy Atlas to choose that time, it’s for Usyk to choose that time, but I think he’s starting to choose it.
Usyk has already beaten Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois twice apiece. Wilder, 40 and 45-4-1 with 43 knockouts, is one of the few marquee names left from that era he has not shared a ring with.
Usyk defended the choice to All Out Fighting.
This is a man who in the last 10 years is a top fighter. He’s a great champion. He is still a dangerous guy. I’m not boxing for glory or credit.
