Oleksandr Usyk became the undisputed cruiserweight champion on July 21, 2018, by defeating Murat Gassiev via a dominant unanimous decision. The victory in Moscow unified all four major belts and capped his perfect run through the World Boxing Super Series tournament.
The fight was expected to be a classic clash of styles. Gassiev was the power puncher, while Usyk was the pure boxer. The contest proved to be a one-sided exhibition of technical skill. From the opening bell, Usyk established control with constant lateral movement and a persistent southpaw jab that kept Gassiev from ever finding his rhythm. The Russian power-puncher spent the night following Usyk around the ring, unable to plant his feet and unload his signature heavy hooks. Every time Gassiev prepared to launch an attack, Usyk was already gone, having landed a quick combination before slipping away at an angle.
The punch statistics confirmed the visual evidence. Usyk landed 252 of 939 total punches, a remarkable output for a championship bout, while Gassiev connected on just 91 of 313 attempts. Instead of protecting his lead in the final rounds, Usyk increased his pace, throwing 117 punches in the twelfth round alone to remove any doubt. The judges’ scorecards were conclusive, with two scoring the bout 119-109 and one a complete 120-108 shutout.
The victory was a historic achievement. Usyk collected the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles, along with the Ring Magazine belt and the Muhammad Ali Trophy. It was the definitive end to his cruiserweight campaign, leaving him with nothing left to prove in the division. He subsequently moved up to heavyweight, where he continued his success and eventually became the undisputed champion. Gassiev also transitioned to heavyweight, but injuries hampered his progress, and he never regained his championship form.
