Unbeaten in boxing, but still from another sport. Everything you need to know about Usyk's next opponent

Alexander Usyk's debut in the heavyweight division has finally been officially confirmed.

Alexander Usyk's opponent in his heavyweight debut will be Tyrone Spong. On October 12 in Chicago, the Ukrainian will fight one of the best fighters of his generation, however, unfortunately, this is a case where it is not really about boxing.

Who is Tyrone Spong?

The 33-year-old Dutchman of Surinamese descent devoted half his life to kickboxing and reached unprecedented heights in the sport. He fought under the banners of the most prestigious promotions in the kickboxing world, from the iconic K-1 to the modern Glory.

Spong's record includes wins over such legendary fighters as Remy Bonjasky, Nathan Corbett and Peter Aerts, as well as competitive bouts with Alistair Overeem and Gökhan Saki. It was the Turk who ultimately ended Tyrone's career as a kickboxer: in 2014 at Glory 15 in Istanbul, Spong threw a low kick unsuccessfully and suffered a severe leg fracture.

Spong is a fighter to the core, so the decision was made to switch disciplines. Injuries prevented him from seriously moving into MMA, so since 2015 he has concentrated on professional boxing.

Spong's achievements in boxing are incomparable with his wins and honors in his native sport. In 4.5 years in boxing, he has not won a single serious victory, yet this did not stop him from entering the WBO rankings, where he holds 5th place.

Spong finished nearly all his opponents right at the start, and only Ecuadorian Italo Perea was the sole "living" opponent of the Surinamese who went the full distance.

What can we expect from him?

Tyrone Spong has two things that could help him pull off the upset of the decade. The first is the knockout punch he has managed to keep since his kickboxing days. The second is the well-known Cuban coach Pedro Diaz, who has worked with seven world champions.

The experience of the Cuban mentor may help the challenger with several home-brewed tricks and surprises.  However, let's be honest: Spong will no longer be able to significantly improve his boxing skills. Not because only 6 weeks remain before he steps into the ring, but because the fighter is already 33 and his foundation is not a boxing one.

The only thing he can influence, and that depends on him, is getting into optimal physical shape and listening to Pedro Diaz in everything. Tyrone is in a no-lose situation, which may also work in his favor.

Still, even this is not enough. For even the slightest hope of an upset to appear, several factors must coincide: the Surinamese must jump higher than his head, and Usyk — must enter the ring with thoughts of Joshua, Ruiz and Wilder.

Alexander Medvedev