Former world champion Tony Bellew insists Oleksandr Usyk proved himself an 'elite-level freak' by defeating Tyson Fury twice in 2024. Bellew, who faced Usyk in their 2018 undisputed cruiserweight title fight in Manchester, witnessed firsthand how the Ukrainian dominated opponents through exceptional technique and conditioning.

Fury lost both their encounters and subsequently claimed he deserved the decisions, but Bellew dismissed these protests. The Liverpool fighter lost in the eighth round during their first meeting and believes Fury must accept being outclassed by someone genuinely superior. 'He was better than you,' Bellew stated bluntly about Fury's response to defeat.

Bellew detailed how Usyk's footwork and timing dismantled his game plan perfectly, leaving him exhausted by the seventh round. 'Everything I'd done to beat him at that stage I just had nothing left,' Bellew recalled. He emphasized that Usyk uniquely made him feel inferior in the ring, a feeling he'd never experienced against other opponents.

The 2018 fight nearly ended earlier than the stoppage, with Bellew rescued by the referee at around the count of six or seven. Now promoting his podcast 'Fight Your Corner,' Bellew stresses that referees exist to protect fighters from themselves. Usyk's dominance over both Bellew and Fury establishes him as the clear heavyweight leader.