After sparking a huge uproar over ‘Triple G’s Hall of Fame eligibility, the Ring Magazine podcast returned with another rattling take. This time, Max Kellerman focused on Oleksandr Usyk’s resume. But the move immediately backfired, making him a target of severe criticism. The Ukrainian icon defeated Daniel Dubois in July, securing the four belts for the third time in his stellar career.

The victory immediately ignited a heated debate about Oleksandr Usyk‘s place in boxing history. For a long time, he held the pound-for-pound number one place until Terence Crawford displaced him. Usyk now boasts six victories, two each against three of the biggest British heavyweights. However, critics continue to debate. Unlike other greats such as Muhammad Ali, his resume still lacks formidable opponents.

Max Kellerman questions the depth of Oleksandr Usyk’s heavyweight resume

Kellerman’s commentary surfaced as the panel, including Mike Coppinger and LeSean McCoy, discussed the upcoming Joseph Parker vs. Fabio Wardley fight. Discussing a potential matchup between Parker and Usyk, Kellerman noted, “I think that Parker’s also one of those guys where even from Usyk’s point of view, Usyk has become overrated as a heavyweight champion historically and underrated as a pound-for-pound guy historically.”

According to Kellerman, Usyk remains one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers. But his resume as a heavyweight champion, ‘while excellent at the top, is a little thin.’ From a historic standpoint, Usyk has beaten Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois twice. However, when compared to Muhammad Ali’s accomplishments, it doesn’t quite measure up.

“When you look at guys like Muhammad Ali, it’s not just that he beat Frazier and Foreman and Liston and Norton. He beat Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena and Ron Lyle and Ernie Shavers and Henry Cooper and Doug Jones,” Kellerman said, adding how even Evander Holyfield’s career stands out for its breadth.

But Kellerman’s explanation only ended up enraging some fans, who immediately took to their keyboards.

Kellerman’s Usyk critique meets fan backlash

Displeased with Kellerman’s take, this fan said, “Garbage take. Didn’t turn pro until 26, heavyweight until 33. How is he supposed to clear the entire division in 5 years? If he had ducked the rematch with AJ, Fury, or Dubois to fight Parker or Wilder or anyone else, he’d be crucified for that too. He is underrated p4p, though.” Perhaps the commentator could have elaborated on how Usyk’s legacy still needs to catch up to the likes of Ali or Holyfield.

Another sober reminder for Kellerman: “When you beat 1 and 2, you don’t have to beat 3-10, Max. People doing the inverse of Usyk has been the worst part of the current era.” With Fury, Joshua, and Dubois topping his resume, Usyk really doesn’t have many boxes left to tick. Additional names are largely accessories. At this stage, even a loss may not shake his place in boxing history.

This user added further points: “Usyk didn’t have to. He was the former undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world. He beat Chisora, who was ranked highly. Then he became AJ’s mandatory to fight him next. The narrative that Usyk hasn’t beaten enough top guys at heavyweight does NOT work.” And that’s true. Even diehards often overlook it. While Fury, Joshua, and Dubois remain career high points, Usyk’s record also includes big heavyweights like Mairis Briedis, Murat Gassiev, and Tony Bellew (at cruiserweight). Let’s not forget Usyk retired Tim Witherspoon’s cousin in his heavyweight debut.

The next user took a more practical view: “What more do you want the guy to do? You can only beat whoever is in your era, and he’s done that in 2 divisions. Beating Parker/Wardley does nothing for his legacy 😂.” Critics often slam this heavyweight era as dull. Fair enough. But in that landscape, Usyk became a true road warrior, defeating titleholders mostly on their home turf or outside his backyard. He accepted whatever opportunities were available.

However, Max Kellerman did find some support. “He’s not wrong. Usyk has had just 8 fights at heavyweight. How dare you even compare it to Ali with over 60 fights?” said this user. The number of professional bouts between Usyk and Ali stands in stark contrast. Usyk has 24 professional matches overall, while Ali had nearly three times that, all in a single weight class.

It’s also worth noting the difference in their professional journeys. Ali began his career straight into the heavyweight division at age twenty, while Usyk, a seasoned amateur, turned pro at 26.

Perhaps the comparison is simply uncalled for. No one can ever match Muhammad Ali’s accomplishments, both inside and outside the ring. Ali defied the odds and fought through countless challenges to cement his legacy. Usyk has never faced ordeals of that magnitude. Still, he has managed admirably with the opportunities on his plate. An apple-to-apple comparison between the two remains inappropriate.

Do you agree or disagree with Max Kellerman?