According to Marko Martinjak, a prominent fighter in the bare knuckle boxing (BKB) scene and current Bridgerweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk presents a less formidable challenge in a bare knuckle bout than Tyson Fury.
Martinjak, who previously vacated his BKB super cruiserweight title to focus on the heavier bridgerweight division, shared his perspective on why he prioritizes this weight class and his thoughts on potential matchups against high-profile boxers like Usyk.
Explaining his focus on bridgerweight and his reluctance to move up to heavyweight, Martinjak characterized Oleksandr Usyk, a celebrated figure in professional gloved boxing, as somewhat of an outlier.
Regarding his reasoning, Martinjak stated, “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.”
Usyk Less Threatening in Bare Knuckle Than Fury, According to Martinjak
Recent interview clips have highlighted Martinjak’s interest in facing Oleksandr Usyk in a bare knuckle contest, expressing confidence in his ability to defeat the Ukrainian boxer. Curiously, in a separate clip, the Croatian BKB champion appeared less enthusiastic about a bare knuckle showdown with Tyson Fury, showing less conviction in his chances against ‘The Gypsy King’ in a gloveless environment.
When questioned if this assessment was primarily due to the significant size difference between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, despite Usyk’s two victories over Fury under traditional boxing rules, Martinjak elaborated.
He explained, “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.”
English Translation:
Oleksandr Usyk would be a more manageable opponent in a bare knuckle boxing bout 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 referring to the Ukrainian gloved boxing standout as somewhat of an anomaly, Martinjak said:
“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.”
Oleksandr Usyk Not as Fearsome in a Bare Knuckle Context as Tyson Fury, per Martinjak
There was a recent interview clip circulating where Martinjak stated he would like to fight Oleksandr Usyk in bare knuckle and touted his chances of victory over the Ukrainian legend. However, in another clip, the Croatian BKB champion didn’t seem as keen on 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 rooted in the size discrepancy between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, despite the latter besting the former twice under Queensberry Rules, Martinjak stated:
“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.”