In a surprising revelation that has left boxing fans amused, heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has claimed that the hardest hit he’s ever taken didn’t come from Daniel Dubois or any other professional boxer – but from a horse.
During a recent interview with Piers Morgan, the Ukrainian boxing star was asked whether Dubois’ controversial body shot in their recent bout was the hardest punch he’d ever received.
“Yeah, it was a hard punch,” Usyk acknowledged, before dropping the unexpected bombshell. “But no, because when I was young, I take punch with our horse.”
The bemused interviewer sought clarification, seemingly thinking he’d misheard the champion.
“A horse? Really?” Morgan asked.
Usyk went on to explain that while working on a farm in his youth, he had an unexpected encounter with the equine fighter. According to Usyk, he approached the horse saying, “Hey, get out, get out,” when suddenly – “Boom!” The horse struck him with its head.
The revelation prompted laughter from those present, with someone quipping, “So that horse is unbeaten. Zero fight, zero win, KO.”
When asked if Dubois had delivered the hardest punch from a human being, Usyk acknowledged it was indeed “a hard punch,” but maintained that the farmyard incident topped his list of most powerful blows received.
Dubois, who was also present during the interview, wasn’t impressed by the comparison and insisted that Usyk hasn’t truly experienced his power yet: “I don’t think I landed. He ain’t really felt my power yet.”
The lighthearted exchange showed a different side to the heavyweight champion, with fans on social media expressing their appreciation for Usyk’s humor and down-to-earth personality.
“I love this guy. Just a good spirit,” wrote one fan on social media. “Like Jokic, almost always joking. It’s a nice break from the normal sports self-aggrandizement.”
Another commented: “Can’t not like Usyk,” while a third simply described the champion as “hilarious.”
The boxing world now eagerly awaits a potential rematch between Usyk and Dubois, with the Ukrainian confidently stating that next time around, he’ll unleash a flurry of punches: “Horse punch one time, I’m punch one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two…”
Whether Dubois can deliver a blow to rival Usyk’s equine nemesis remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – in terms of memorable boxing interviews, this one is a clear knockout.
