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Boxing

Fighter who holds win over Oleksandr Usyk speaks about facing the undisputed heavyweight champion

Fighter who holds win over Oleksandr Usyk speaks about facing the undisputed heavyweight championRichard Pelham/Getty Images
Usyk defeated Tyson Fury to become heavyweight king.

There are not a many people who can say they’ve beaten Oleksandr Usyk, but Lukasz Wawrzyczek is one of the few exceptions.  

The former Polish representative who now lives in the Channel Islands was a former amateur rival of Usyk and he defeated the Ukrainian in 2005. 

Last weekend, Usyk produced a stunning performance to defeat Tyson Fury and become undisputed heavyweight champion.  

The result means Usyk is a four-belt world ruler in two weight classes and arguably boxing’s best fighter. 

Wawrzyczek, who would go on to have a decent pro career, has reflected on his win against Usyk. 

"I got called up to represent Poland, but the Polish national team coach said to me, 'Sorry Lukasz, but they don't have any member in your weight division," said Wawrzyczek when speaking to BBC Sport

"Back in the day I was a welterweight, they [the Ukrainian team] said, 'Oh, we have a young boy, 18 years old, in the middleweight division, do you want to fight with him?' That was Oleksandr Usyk. 

"He was already a European junior champion. He was much bigger than me, but I said, 'Yeah, why not, let's fight,' and we did." 

Ahead of the last round, Wawrzyczek was given advice by his trainer, "My national team coach said, 'Lukasz, it's a draw. If you lose this round, you lose the fight.' So, I went the whole round [going] forward and I won that third round and the fight." 

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