s Oleksandr Usyk walked towards us just after three in the morning, resplendent in his purple tracksuit while carrying Eeyore under his arm, his promoter let slip a gentle cry: "Here he comes, the best man in boxing..."
Alex Krassyuk is not a traditional boxing promoter, being a much more understated man than most of his contemporaries in this riotous old business. But his pride was understandable in the immediate aftermath of Usyk's decisive second successive defeat of Tyson Fury.
Lighter by more than 50lb, and with Fury having promised to take him into the darkest "hurt locker" where he would do "some serious damage", Usyk yet again used an irresistible combination of grit and dazzle to seal a comprehensive and thrilling victory as he retained his three world heavyweight titles in the early hours of yesterday in Riyadh.
Fury had dismissed and ridiculed him for years - as a "gappy-toothed middleweight", the "midget", the "bum", the "dosser" and the "sausage" - but Usyk is the undefeated and former undisputed world cruiserweight champion. He stands 6ft 3in tall and he weighed in at 226lb for this rematch with Fury. So he is a pretty mighty "midget" and a real banger of a "sausage".
Usyk is still fighting a division above his natural home - where cruiserweights are only allowed to scale a maximum of 200lb.
So the imperious way in which he stood up to Fury before outthinking and outfighting him once more provides compelling evidence for anyone trying to build a case that Usyk should be regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. But, as he spoke with humility and wit, it was even easier to savour his simple human qualities as an ordinary man, as a son, a husband and a father.
Boxing is full of unsavoury and highly suspect people. But it also produces extraordinary men such as Usyk.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 23, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 23, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Money hacks Annuities are back in vogue - here's how to get best value
'The stability of a guaranteed income gives retirees peace of mind their money won't run out, even if they live past 100'
The Filter Slow cookers for easy and low-cost cooking
Coming home to a warm meal made with very little effort - is a real treat in the cold and dark months.
Lifetime Isas Is popular savings scheme no longer fit for purpose?
It appears to be proving a hit with millennials and generation Z but has also come under fire for the \"unfair\" sting in its tail.
Mega-trial £2.1bn fight over planes stranded in Russia
Sitting in a nondescript building near the high court in Dublin, about 40 cloaked barristers have gathered almost daily since June last year.
Tax returns Expert tips on getting self-assessment right
With the online deadline just days away, Rupert Jones asks for advice on avoiding the pitfalls and making the most of what you can claim
Earls Court Plans for £10bn renewal await green light
On a damp winter's day, there are few signs of activity on the huge, empty triangle of land in west London that was once home to the Earls Court exhibition centre with its distinctive art deco facade.
Zuckerberg 'let Meta train AI models on pirated books'
Mark Zuckerberg approved Meta's use of \"pirated\" versions of copyright-protected books to train the company's artificial intelligence models, a group of authors has alleged in a US court filing.
Tax changes will inflate food prices, says Sainsbury's chief
Changes to employers' national insurance contributions announced in the government's October budget will drive inflation, particularly on fresh food, according to the chief executive of Sainsbury's as he announced a 5% pay rise for workers.
Strikes every Sunday until May to disrupt Avanti services
Passengers have been warned of disruption to Avanti West Coast rail services every Sunday from tomorrow until the end of May.
Sand grab On the frontline of the battle for shade on Australia's best beach spots
Emerging from the water at Victoria's Safety Beach, Virginia Mamakis settles on the sand under her family's orange-striped cabana.