Weigh-in alert: Oleksandr Usyk and Murat Gassiev are both 199.2
Oleksandr Usyk and Murat Gassiev have both made weight ahead of Saturday’s undisputed cruiserweight championship fight which will take place at the Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex in Moscow.
The unbeaten titleholders weighed in facing hundreds of Ukrainian and Russian fans at the Rossiya Theatre at the Pushkinskaya Square in the Russian capital. Their weights were identical at 199.2 pounds.
“My birthday is the same as Muhammad Ali’s and when I heard about this tournament I thought I would betray myself if I didn’t participate,” said Usyk, the WBC and WBO titleholder who is rated No. 1 by THE RING. “Now I am looking forward to the final.”
The final of the World Boxing Super Series is almost guaranteed to produce fireworks and the winner of Usyk-Gassiev will be the first boxer ever to win the Muhammad Ali trophy and unify the cruiserweight titles in the four-belt era. The vacant RING Magazine championship is also at stake.
“Thanks to everyone who came today for this weigh-in and to all fans who support me and the greatest sport in the world,” said Gassiev, the IBF and WBA titleholder is rated No. 2 by THE RING.
“I am very excited for my next fight. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow night, I can’t see the future. I expect a hard fight and a good fight for all fans.”
Quotes courtesy of a press release issued by the World Boxing Super Series
Tom Gray is Associate Editor for THE RING. Follow him on Twitter: @Tom_Gray_Boxing
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