‘Why not start with Bellew at heavyweight?’ - Undisputed cruiser champ Usyk on future plans

22 Jul, 2018 01:45 / Updated 6 years ago

Undisputed cruiserweight champion Alexander Usyk has said he has no problem fighting Briton Tony Bellew at heavyweight after unifying all four major titles at 200 lbs by beating Murat Gassiev in the WBSS final.

A masterful performance from Usyk recorded a shutout unanimous decision victory against Russian Gassiev in front of a partisan crowd in Moscow to unify the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO titles as well as clinch the Muhammad Ali trophy in the World Boxing Super Series final match.

Bellew is currently campaigning at heavyweight and recorded a couple of stoppage victories over former heavy and cruiser king David Haye in his previous two fights. The Liverpool man has made no secret of his willingness to fight the winner of Usyk-Gassiev.

“I know that Tony Bellew said he wanted to fight the winner of this fight,” Usyk told journalists at the post-fight presser. “He’s currently fighting at heavyweight and has just had a great fight with David Haye. Why not start from here?”

Usyk said that if Bellew, the former holder of the WBC cruiserweight title now in the Ukrainian’s possession, does not drop down to the 200 lbs weight class again, he would happily make the jump to heavyweight to make the fight happen.

Following the fight, Bellew tweeted: "Usyk I was BORN READY!! Let’s get this done!!"

After 12 rounds of championship boxing, all three judges awarded the fight to Usyk by scores of 120-108, 119-109, 119-109 on Saturday at the Russian capital’s Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex.

Regarding his immediate plans, Usyk admitted he would "go straight to Kiev, grab my stuff, and head straight for [my] kids" who he told press have been spending time with their grandmother in Simferopol on the Crimean peninsula.

READ MORE: Usyk v Gassiev - WBSS cruiserweight final from Moscow (AS IT HAPPENED)