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Ivan Dychko's Big Moment | Canelo vs Crawford
Olympic Medalist Eyes Career-Changing Opportunity September 13 At Canelo vs Crawford In Las Vegas
Ivan Dychko may be the best heavyweight you’ve never heard of.
Of course, that will all change on September 13 when the unbeaten Kazakhstan native faces Jermaine Franklin Jr. in front of more than 60,000 fans in Allegiant Stadium on the Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford undercard.
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It’s a career-changing opportunity for the 35-year-old, but he’s not getting overwhelmed by the moment.
“I like to be at a big field with a lot of people, but I like to be in the ring to show my boxing level, so it's just another fight.”
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If you haven’t guessed by now, nothing faces Dychko too much, but make no mistake about it, this is not just another fight. For someone who has struggled to find fights thanks to his 6-foot-9 frame and an amateur pedigree that includes two Olympic bronze medals, getting to compete against a legitimate contender on the sport’s biggest night can take his career to new heights, whether he wants to admit it or not. And while being in his mid-thirties might be a red flag to some, it’s not to Dychko.
“I think that this is my prime because I feel good in my physical conditioning and I feel good mentally,” said the Rudniy native, who makes the trip from home to Pittsburgh to train with Tom Yankello, best known for his work with former world lightweight champion Paul Spadafora. So is Dychko picking up some of those Spaddy moves from his coach?
“Yes, yes,” he laughs. “Pittsburgh has a good boxing school and Tommy is a good professional. I like his boxing school.”
Dychko does have some fast hands and solid boxing to go along with the power that has ended 14 of his 15 pro wins. As for experience, picking up a pair of Olympic medals means that Dychko has been in with some of the sport’s best as an amateur, including Anthony Joshua, Joe Joyce, Efe Ajagba, Zhilei Zhang and Filip Hrgovic. His pro record doesn’t have that level of talent on it, but that will change when he faces Franklin. Manager Elvis Crespo believes the world will see what his charge can do in Vegas next month.
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“He (Dychko) is very dedicated, he comes to camp and spends eight to nine months in America to get one fight,” said Crespo. “He made so many sacrifices, is so patient, he's been ready for five years to fight, and nobody tried to open the door and give him the opportunity. And we're glad that we have this opportunity. We're happy that Jermaine took the fight because many heavyweights had turned down Ivan. Many of them didn't want to go in the ring with him. I could tell you he's the most avoided heavyweight in the world. I have offered like 98% of all the UK heavyweights out there a fight with him.”
A big win against Franklin, who has been in with Joshua and Dillian Whyte, could force the hand of those UK heavyweights that have dominated the division. As for the rest of the world’s big men, Dychko is more than ready for them, too.
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“I would like if it will move faster because I’ve been boxing a long time and I feel that I'm ready,” Dychko said. “Why not? I don't see a problem.”
And if he one day gets to that belt, a man of few words has only one to describe how he’ll feel to be called champion of the world.
“Perfect.”
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