‘His legend is a great one for me’ – Oleksandr Usyk reveals that his favourite athlete is ‘The Greatest’ Muhammad Ali

Oleksandr Usyk is the number one ranked pound-for-pound boxer, but even the best have those who they look up to.

For Usyk, that person is Muhammad Ali, widely considered to be the greatest heavyweight of all time.

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“I have a favourite athlete, it’s Muhammad Ali," .

"I know a lot about him, I read a lot. I was born on the same day, the same month as him, just a little later.

"His legend is a great one for me.

“Even when he was alive, I talked to him. When I listened to it, I found out that [his story] is exactly as I read about it in the books.

"He said that he owes a lot to his grandmother, that she helped him a lot, exactly as it was in his biography."

He added: “Athletes, boxers who have conquered the top, each of them is a [role] model, everyone can be exemplified.

"Learn how to be successful. Absolutely each of them can be a model of hard work.”

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Back in 2018, Usyk became the proud recipient of the Muhammad Ali trophy when he beat Murat Gassiev in the final of the World Boxing Super Series.

The fight also saw Usyk crowned the undisputed cruiserweight world champion and he has since gone on to move up to heavyweight and become unified WBA, WBO and IBF champion after beating Anthony Joshua twice.

Next up, The Ukrainian is hoping to take on WBC champion, Tyson Fury, in March next year in a bid to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.

Should Usyk achieve such a feat, perhaps he will end up alongside his idol Ali in the history books as one of the greatest boxers of all time.