According to Marko Martinjak, a prominent fighter in the bare-knuckle boxing (BKB) scene and the reigning Bridgerweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk would present a less formidable challenge in a bare-knuckle bout compared to Tyson Fury.
Martinjak, who previously relinquished his BKB super cruiserweight title to focus on the heavier bridgerweight division, explained his rationale regarding weight classes and his assessment of Usyk. He noted that while Usyk has demonstrated success moving up in traditional boxing, Martinjak himself prefers to compete at his current weight. He considers Usyk an anomaly in that regard.
“Listen, I’m a small heavyweight. Let’s be honest. I’m like 220, 225 pounds. So why should I go to fight with the guys who are like 6, 6’5, 6’6 feet and they have 250 lbs, 260 lbs. So that is; okay, we have [Oleksandr] Usyk who did that in professional boxing. But right now, I don’t see myself as a heavyweight. I want to conquer bridgerweight and we will see what future bring us,” Martinjak stated.
Usyk Less Intimidating in Bare Knuckle Compared to Fury, According to Martinjak
Recent discussions have highlighted Martinjak’s willingness to face Oleksandr Usyk in a bare-knuckle match and his confidence in securing a victory. In contrast, the Croatian BKB champion expressed less certainty about facing Tyson Fury under bare-knuckle rules.
When questioned about whether this difference in confidence stemmed from the significant size disparity between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, despite Usyk’s two victories over Fury in traditional boxing, Martinjak elaborated. He acknowledged that Usyk is only slightly taller than himself and of comparable weight.
“Yes, [Oleksandr] Usyk is maybe couple of centimeters taller than me but he’s on the same weight like me. [Tyson] Fury is 6’9 and 270, 280 pounds. So if I want to hit him in the face, I would like have to jump, so. But you can’t jump in bare knuckle, not MMA, or for boxing. So definitely Tyson Fury would beat me because of that size. But if we are the same size, I would beat him in the bare knuckle. This is my game. I tell you before, I was born to to do this. Because every combat sport I did in the past, lead me to be the bare knuckle fighter that I am today,” Martinjak explained.
English Translation:
Oleksandr Usyk would be an easier opponent in a bare-knuckle boxing match than Tyson Fury, according to one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in gloveless combat today. Marko Martinjak heads the Bridgerweight division in BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing and previously relinquished the BKB super cruiserweight title to prioritize fighting in the heavier weight category.
When explaining his focus on bridgerweight and his lack of interest in a potential heavyweight move, while mentioning the Ukrainian gloved boxing standout as somewhat of an anomaly, Martinjak said:
“Listen, I’m a small heavyweight. Let’s be honest. I’m around 220-225 pounds. So why should I go and fight guys who are about 6’5″ to 6’6″ and weigh 250-260 pounds? Okay, we have Oleksandr Usyk who did that in professional boxing. But right now, I don’t see myself as a heavyweight. I want to conquer bridgerweight, and we’ll see what the future brings.”
Oleksandr Usyk Not as Fearsome in a Bare Knuckle Context as Tyson Fury, per Martinjak
A recent interview clip circulated where Martinjak expressed his desire to fight Oleksandr Usyk in bare knuckle and his belief that he would win against the Ukrainian legend. Curiously, in another clip, the Croatian BKB champion seemed less enthusiastic about fighting Tyson Fury in the BKB Mighty Trigon and appeared less confident about beating ‘The Gypsy King’ in bare-knuckle boxing.
When asked if this assessment was due to the size difference between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, despite the latter having bested the former twice under Queensberry Rules, Martinjak stated:
“Yes, Oleksandr Usyk is perhaps a couple of centimeters taller than me, but he’s around the same weight as me. Tyson Fury is 6’9″ and weighs 270-280 pounds. So, if I want to hit him in the face, I would have to jump. But you can’t jump in bare knuckle, not in MMA, or for boxing. So, Tyson Fury would definitely beat me because of that size. But if we were the same size, I would beat him in bare knuckle. This is my game. I told you before, I was born to do this. Because every combat sport I’ve done in the past has led me to be the bare-knuckle fighter that I am today.”
