Unified heavyweight champion and divisional number one Oleksandr Usyk has had a solid response to his open callout for sparring partners.
His upcoming fight against Tyson Fury is not only the first heavyweight undisputed clash since 1999. But it’s also the first time in boxing that a specially dedicated online application fully supports seeking sparring partners for a champion.
The offer has been published on Ready To Fight, a boxing social platform co-founded by Usyk. It aids athletes in finding sparring partners and managers.
The RTF team believes such a platform can revolutionize the industry and open doors for talented boxers worldwide.
Oleksandr Usyk sparring update
“The recruitment process through Ready To Fight is simple. First of all, a boxer looking for sparring partners, or his agent or team manager creates an offer with the required parameters and publishes it on the platform”, says Sergey Lapin, Usyk’s team director, also serving as the startup’s co-founder and CEO.
“A candidate should register in the app and respond to the offer. A candidate must fill in all the parameters in his profile and upload videos of his fights or sparring sessions.
“Based on this, our team makes a selection. After agreeing on the terms, the sparring partner arrives at the training camp. As for our offer, we pay for the flight and help with visas”, Lapin adds.
As for now, more than ten sparring partners have already been signed up and invited to the Usyk’s camp.
The call is open until the end of January. All boxers who meet the criteria can spar with Usyk ahead of his clash with Fury in Saudi Arabia on February 17.
According to Lapin, such sparrings could help Oleksandr Usyk prepare for the bout and are an excellent opportunity for rising stars to improve their skills.
About Ready To Fight:
Ready to Fight is a smartphone app. It’s boxing’s inaugural social media platform, co-founded by Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning boxing heavyweight world champion.
Its objective is facilitating communication and collaboration for boxers with sparring partners and managers.
The RTF team plans to evolve it into an online ecosystem by introducing features for boxing fans, coaches, sponsors, gyms, gear manufacturers, psychologists, and nutritionists.
Day of Reckoning Pay-Per-View information
On Saturday, December 23, fight fans will witness an explosive night of action at an affordable price point. Day of Reckoning is available in the US and Canada for $39.99.
In the UK, fans can buy for £19.99. The Rest of the World can order the event for $21.99.
Day of Reckoning promises to be an action-filled night of entertainment as part of Riyadh Season. In a UK broadcast first, both DAZN and TNT Sports Box Office will broadcast simultaneously for fans to watch in the UK and Ireland.
Furthermore, customers in the Republic of Ireland can purchase via the DAZN app or TNT Sports Box Office via Sky for €29.99 or €34.99 [on the day].
