Usyk beats Gassiev to unify cruiserweight division

MOSCOW — Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk unified the cruiserweight division by beating Russian Murat Gassiev by unanimous decision on Saturday.

Despite facing a hostile crowd in Moscow, Usyk controlled the fight with his jab to add Gassiev’s WBA and IBF titles to his own WBC and WBO belts.

Gassiev landed some heavy body shots when he got inside Usyk’s reach, but started to tire and the Ukrainian was utterly dominant in the later rounds as Gassiev swung wild haymakers.

Usyk, a former Olympic gold medalist, holds all four major titles after just 15 professional fights, all of which he won.

“Moscow, 2018. Bang! Daddy’s in the building,” Usyk said.

Usyk added he could move up to heavyweight to fight the experienced British fighter Tony Bellow.

“If he doesn’t want to drop down (to cruiserweight), I’ll happily go up to meet him,” Usyk said. “I’ll just eat extra pasta.”

It was Usyk’s third fight in 10 months as part of the World Boxing Super Series, in which he also beat German Marco Huck and the then-WBC champion Mairis Briedis.

Gassiev’s record dropped to 26-1 with one no contest.

“I had the best opponent in my professional career,” Gassiev said. “I do my best, just today is Oleksandr’s day.”

Usyk was born in Crimea and has said he was forced to leave the peninsula after Russia annexed it from Ukraine in 2014. Despite the tension between the two countries, Usyk and Gassiev embraced warmly after the fight with broad smiles.

On the undercard, Cecilia Braekhus remained the undisputed women’s welterweight champion after beating the relatively inexperienced Russian Inna Sagaydakovskaya by unanimous decision.

The Norwegian, who first won a world title in 2009, has a 34-0 record.