Ukrainian-British Rivalries in the Heavyweights!

On May 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk will aim to become the absolute champion for the second time. His opponent is the British holder of the WBC belt, Tyson Fury.

The clash between Ukrainian and British heavyweights has become a fundamental part of world boxing. These matchs have made history in modern heavyweight boxing, establishing unique records and achievements.

We bring you stories of the fights of significant importance to Ukrainian and world boxing.

June 26, 1999. Vitali Klitschko vs. Herbie Hyde

Venue: London Arena, London, United Kingdom.

Result: Klitschko won by knockout in the 2nd round.

Status: WBO world title fight

In the summer of 1999, Klitschko's name first truly resonated around the globe. Ukraine celebrated its first world champion in professional boxing when the future heavyweight powerhouse, Vitali Klitschko, clinched his inaugural world title.

"Dr. Iron Fist," as Klitschko was nicknamed, faced the British WBO champion Herbie Hyde. The match was orchestrated by the British promotional company led by Frank Warren.

The showdown unfolded on the opponent's turf—in London, UK.

Despite being the underdog, the Ukrainian astonishingly knocked out the boxer, who had suffered only one defeat at the hands of Riddick Bowe, in the second round. This victory thrilled thousands of Ukrainians who watched the fight on a giant screen in Maidan, Kyiv.

Although the WBO title was not yet considered the premier title in 1999, Vitali Klitschko's victory captured attention from overseas. The Ukrainian boasted an incredible record of 25 wins, all 25 by knockout, with no defeats. Klitschko ended all his fights by knockout within the first half of the match—by the 6th round. He became the world champion in fewer rounds than Mike Tyson had.

However, the ultimate test for Vitali was still to come before gaining full recognition from the American public.

June 21, 2003. Vitali Klitschko vs. Lennox Lewis

Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Result: Lewis won by TKO in the 6th round.

Status: WBC, IBO, and The Ring title fight

The match between Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko ranks among the most memorable in heavyweight history. After this encounter, one great champion retired, while the other rose to become a prominent figure in the heavyweight division.

The intense match was halted between the sixth and seventh rounds. A cut on Vitali led to Lewis being declared the winner by technical knockout. "Dr. Iron Fist" demonstrated remarkable resilience, initially engaging the clear favorite on equal terms and then aggressively continuing the fight even after the referee decided to stop it. Klitschko's tenacity won over the American audience.

Interestingly, this defeat benefited Vitali's career more than some of his victories. Following the fight, Lewis retired from boxing, denying the Ukrainian a rematch, and Vitali finally achieved global acclaim.

July 2, 2011. Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye

Venue: Imtech-Arena, Altona, Hamburg, Germany

Result: Klitschko won by unanimous decision in a 12-round fight.

Status: Fight for the WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO titles, and The Ring belt.

One of the most pivotal and significant fights in the Klitschko brothers' careers was marked by intense personal rivalry instigated by David Haye. Haye escalated the bout to a personal level by wearing t-shirts featuring the decapitated images of the Ukrainian champions, engaging in harsh trash talk during pre-fight events, and vowing to end the reign of both brothers.

This victory over the British fighter allowed the Klitschko brothers to set a unique record: for the first time in the history of professional boxing, two brothers had the opportunity to hold all the championship belts in the heavyweight division. At the time, Vladimir held the WBO and IBF titles, while Vitali held the WBC title.

Haye was defeated by a unanimous decision. Vladimir upheld the family's honor and captured the last missing WBA belt, completing the Klitschko brothers' collection of heavyweight titles.

November 28, 2015. Wladimir Klitschko vs. Tyson Fury

Venue: ESPRIT arena, Düsseldorf, Germany

Result: Fury's victory by unanimous decision in a 12-round fight

Status: Fight for the World Championship titles according to the WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO versions, and The Ring belt.

Major Upset of 2015.

Wladimir Klitschko held the world heavyweight titles for nine years, seven months, and six days before facing Tyson Fury.

The 27-year-old Brit managed to throw Wladimir off his game by playing the fool before the fight. Tyson showed up at the press conference in a Batman costume, sang during the open training sessions, and hours before the fight, he threatened to pull out because he found the ring's flooring too soft. Klitschko's team yielded and replaced the floor.

It paid off.

In the match, Wladimir couldn't find his distance or rhythm. Using his size and speed to great advantage over his 39-year-old opponent, Fury ended the reign of "Dr. Steel Hammer" in the heavyweight division, winning by unanimous decision of the judges.

After that, Tyson Fury withdrew from the rematch and took a temporary break from his career. Meanwhile, Wladimir Klitschko continued in the ring, signing a contract to fight another British fighter, Olympic champion Anthony Joshua.

April 29, 2017. Wladimir Klitschko vs. Anthony Joshua

Venue: Wembley Stadium, London, United Kingdom

Result: Joshua won by technical knockout in the 11th round.

Status: Fight for the WBA, IBF, and IBO world titles

The match between Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua marked a significant generational shift in the heavyweight division. The seasoned champion lost to the emerging talent. Wladimir fell to Joshua but did so with the grace befitting a legend.

It was a true clash, featuring knockdowns by both fighters. Ultimately, the younger boxer prevailed—Anthony knocked out the Ukrainian in the 11th round. The match was hailed as the best fight of 2017.

A few months later, Wladimir announced his retirement. However, the rivalry between Ukrainian and British heavyweights continued.

September 25, 2021. Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua I

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Tottenham, London, United Kingdom

Result: Usyk wins by unanimous decision in a 12-round fight.

Status: Fight for the WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO world titles

The Klitschko brothers were succeeded by Oleksandr Usyk, the absolute cruiserweight world champion, giving Ukraine another prominent figure in the heavyweight division.

The matchs between Ukrainians and British champions regained relevance. Usyk, who defeated Bellew in the cruiserweight division, has also overcome Chisora, Joshua (twice), and Dubois in the heavyweight category.

His first fight against Joshua brought Ukraine a new unified heavyweight world champion. Usyk avenged Wladimir's defeat to AJ and claimed all the belts previously held by the renowned Ukrainian.

The match was one of the best performances of Usyk's career. He showed excellent physical readiness, a well-devised fight plan, and flawless execution. Oleksandr effectively neutralized the advantages of a much larger opponent. Anthony could not counter the Ukrainian, and Usyk won by unanimous decision over Joshua.

Thus, Usyk became the third boxer to become a world champion, first at cruiserweight and then at heavyweight, following Holyfield and Haye.

Another Ukrainian-British heavyweight clash is on the horizon, this time featuring Usyk again, but against Fury. This upcoming match is set to be historic, as the winner will become the first absolute world champion in the heavyweight division since Lennox Lewis in 1999. Back then, the titles at stake were the WBA, WBC, and IBF. The WBO title was recognized as equivalent only in 2007, making the victor of the Usyk vs. Fury fight the first ever to hold all four belts simultaneously.