Former absolute world champion in two weight categories Oleksandr Usyk came under criticism from Russian trainer Vitaly Slanov after the announcement of his fight against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.
In a comment to Russian media, Slanov stated that the Ukrainian boxer supposedly no longer needs to prove anything in the ring and should vacate the championship belts to give other heavyweights the opportunity to compete for the titles.
He also expressed doubts about Usyk's fighting qualities, claiming that with age the athlete loses speed, and in terms of striking power he is not even in the top 50 in the world.
Such statements were made against the backdrop of preparations for Usyk's fight with Rico Verhoeven, which is scheduled for May 23 in Egypt. Verhoeven is a famous kickboxer and does not have significant experience in professional boxing, which became one of the reasons for criticism of the choice of opponent.
At the same time, there were mixed reviews not only outside Ukraine, but also within the country. Ukrainian heavyweight Ihor Shevadzutsky also expressed skepticism about the feasibility of holding such a fight.
However, the fight has already been sanctioned by the World Boxing Council, making it officially permitted within the framework of professional boxing.
Usyk himself has not yet publicly commented on the criticism, focusing on preparing for the upcoming fight.
