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Oleksandr Usyk enters his fight with Daniel Dubois on Saturday night as the best heavyweight on the planet.
In an era where giant heavyweights have largely dominated, Usyk has proved that it is not all about size in boxing’s blue-riband division.
Over half a century ago, Muhammad Ali did the same thing. He was not the biggest or the hardest-punching heavyweight, but his skill and heart allowed him to become the very best.
The heavyweight division has not seen anyone like Ali before or since, but there are a number of similarities between the ‘The Greatest’ and Usyk.
Let’s assess how they stack up against each other physically and in terms of achievements.
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Born on the same day
Let’s start with something purely coincidental – Ali and Usyk were born on the same day.
Ali came into the world on January 17, 1942 and Usyk was born on the same date 45 years later.
That specific date appears to be a special one for elite athletes as former female fighter Ann Wolfe was also born on January 17.
Wolfe is widely regarded as one of the best women’s boxers ever after holding world titles in three different weight classes simultaneously during her glittering career.
Same height, reach and weight
Usyk and Ali’s physical attributes are also very comparable.
At his peak, Ali stood at 6ft 3in tall, had a 78in reach and weighed around 220lbs. Usyk is the same height and has an identical reach.
He has also resisted the temptation to bulk up too much since moving to heavyweight.
The Ukrainian great has stayed around the 220lbs mark for most of his recent fights, giving up weight to his opponents.
The likes of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois have all outweighed Usyk, but his skillset and boxing brain has got his hand raised time and time again.
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Olympic champions
Ali went to the Rome Olympics in 1960 when he was only 18 years old. The teenager had still not finished growing at the time and competed in the light-heavyweight division.
He came away with a gold medal after outclassing his opponents and turned professional shortly afterwards.
Usyk also got to stand on the top step of the podium after claiming heavyweight gold at the 2012 Olympics in London.
He was one division below Anthony Joshua who won gold at super-heavyweight.
Usyk switched over to the professional ranks the following year where he started off at cruiserweight – a weight class that did not exist when Ali started boxing.
Heavyweight kings
Ali became heavyweight champion for the first time when he stunned Sonny Liston in February 1964 and he won their rematch in even more dominant fashion the following year.
Ali had to relinquish his titles are refusing to sign up for the US army, but came back to regain them when he beat George Foreman in the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’.
As he moved into the final years of his career, Ali was no longer the same force, but he still had enough left in the tank to win his titles back from Leon Spinks to achieve three-time champion status.
Similarly to Ali, Usyk was also written off when he first challenged for heavyweight gold.
Usyk had looked unconvincing in beating Derek Chisora and many expected Anthony Joshua to deal with him.
But Usyk delivered a classy display to outpoint Joshua and then repeated the feat a year later.
He has since seen off Dubois and Tyson Fury twice, and will be looking to beat Dubois again on Saturday night at Wembley.
It will be another huge occasion, the type of which Ali used to rise to every time. Usyk has done exactly the same throughout his career, and will expect to put on another masterclass to become undisputed champion once more.
