WATCH: Oleksandr Usyk’s reaction meeting ‘hero’ Evander Holyfield moments before Tyson Fury fight is going viral

Oleksandr Usyk and Evander Holyfield meet backstage before Usyk's fight with Tyson Fury.

WATCH: Oleksandr Usyk’s reaction meeting ‘hero’ Evander Holyfield moments before Tyson Fury fight is going viral

Evander Holyfield meets Oleksandr Usyk before fight with Tyson Fury (Image via Imago/X )

Fight night is an intense time period, even for the most experienced combat sports athletes. But it becomes easier if your favorite idol is on your side. That is exactly what happened to Oleksandr Usyk when he met Evander Holyfield ahead of his showdown with Tyson Fury.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk recently recreated history when they fought for the undisputed heavyweight title. Before the fight, Usyk met Evander Holyfield. Their interaction went viral on social media. The video shows Holyfield having a conversation with the champion while Usyk thumps his chest.

They parted ways and Holyfield wished him luck which meant a great deal to Usyk as a fan. He was seen subtly celebrating as he went back to his dressing room. The short clip of their interaction went viral on social media with over 2.2 million views.

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Evander Holyfield had predicted that Oleksandr Usyk would beat Tyson Fury if it was a busy fight scenario. That was exactly what happened. The Ukrainian heavyweight knocked Tyson Fury down and went on to win the fight via split decision.

Oleksandr Usyk is trying to recreate Evander Holyfield’s legacy

Evander Holyfield is a respected name in the sport of boxing. He was the only professional boxer to win the heavyweight championship four separate times. Oleksandr Usyk looks to recreate just that in his boxing career.

Lennox Lewis, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk and Evander Holyfield pose together for a picture
Lennox Lewis, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk and Evander Holyfield pose together for a picture (Image via Imago/X )

Holyfield did an interview with TNT Sports ahead of Usyk’s fight with Tyson Fury. During the interview, he recalled a previous interaction with the Ukranian champion. 

Usyk reminds me of myself. He has goals, and his goal is to be the best. I met him one time and he told me, ‘Exactly what you done. You became cruiserweight champion, then you became the heavyweight champion of the world.’ He's like, ‘I'm gonna do the same thing'.
Evander Holyfield on TNT Sports

Evander Holyfield reigned as the undisputed champion in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is the only boxer in history to win the undisputed championship in two weight classes in the three-belt era. 25 years later, Oleksandr Usyk became the first ever undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era in 2024.

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