Oleksandr Usyk will take on Anthony Joshua this August in one of the most hyped fights of 2022 – but what is the Ukrainian’s net worth heading into the match?
According to The Guardian, the pair’s rematch will occur at the Jeddah Super Dome in Saudi Arabia on the 20th of August. Currently holding the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight belts, Oleksandr Usyk actually started his career in a different weight class.
An Olympic gold medallist in 2012, Usyk turned pro in the Cruiserweight division in 2013. After rising through the ranks, he claimed the WBO cruiserweight title in 2016.
Following this, Usyk decimated the opposition in his weight class, becoming the undisputed champion. He even defended this title in 2018 with a knockout win over Tony Bellew.
Searching for a new challenge, the Ukrainian rose to heavyweight in 2019. He continued his winning streak by defeating Chazz Witherspoon and then Derek Chisora.
Finally, in September 2021, Usyk beat Anthony Joshua at Tottenham Hotspur stadium to claim a collection of heavyweight belts. Incredibly, he is undefeated in his pro career, with a 19-0-0 record that includes 13 KOs.
As a result of his rise to prominence, Oleksandr Usyk has seen a steady increase in his fight purses.
Boxing earnings
In 2020, Sportekz revealed some of Usyk’s pay packets for fights throughout his career. A 2016 fight versus Krzysztof Glowacki netted the Ukrainian $50,000, whilst his next two bouts earned $75,000 each.
Then, his WBC cruiserweight title fight against Mairis Briedis saw a significant pay rise. Usyk got $200,000 for that fight before doubling his fight purse in his next match of 2018. His final fight at cruiserweight, against Bellew, gave Usyk his first million. He received $1 million plus 40% of pay-per-view sales – a tidy sum.
Now that he has switched to heavyweight, the fees have continued to increase. TalkSPORT report that his first bout in the weight category earned Usyk $1.5 million. Additionally, the Ukrainian’s win over Derek Chisora banked him a further $2.5 million.
Following his victory over Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk took home a massive $4.1 million from the fight. This also included a 40% share of pay-per-views once more. Their rematch may boost the net worth of Oleksandr Usyk massively in 2022.
What is the 2022 net worth of Oleksandr Usyk?
The Sun claims that Joshua and Usyk will share a 50/50 split of all earnings from their Saudi Arabia showdown. Staggeringly, predictions suggest that the fight will rake in around £130 million in total – meaning Usyk could earn nearly £65 million.
This would signal a significant increase in Usyk’s personal fortune. In 2021, the Ukrainian’s wealth hovered around the $4 million mark, according to an estimate from Essentially Sports. However, with such a huge payday on the horizon, the net worth of Oleksandr Usyk may skyrocket to nearly £70 million in 2022.
If Usyk-Joshua 2 pulls in the full estimated £65 million each, that can be added to Usyk’s existing net worth of £3.25 million. To add to this, Usyk has a number of endorsements.
These are with companies such as BoxRaw, Rival, and LOMUS. According to SportsZion, endorsements earn the heavyweight around $1 million (£795,000). Therefore, Oleksandr Usyk may finish 2022 with a net worth of roughly £69 million.
Most impressively, Usyk has not forgotten his homeland. After returning to join the armed forces following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the boxer also founded a charity. Called the Usyk foundation, it provides humanitarian aid and supplies to Ukrainians affected by the conflict.
Featured image credit: Getty
