Chazz Witherspoon replaces Tyrone Spong against Oleksandr Usyk

Matchroom Boxing managed to scrounge up a new opponent for Oleksandr Usyk on just four days’ notice after Tyrone Spong tested positive for a banned substance, and I don’t think he was on any prognosticators’ shortlist: Chazz Witherspoon.

The 38-year-old “Gentleman” (38-3, 29 KO) hasn’t had a notable fight since a 2012 TKO loss to Seth Mitchell on the undercard of Chad Dawson-Bernard Hopkins II. He is on an eight-fight winning streak, though, beating up familiar punching bags like Cory Phelps, Galen Brown, and Nick Guivas. He also sports losses to Chris Arreola and Tony Thompson.

Usyk (16-0, 12 KO) is going to obliterate this man and it’s going to tell us absolutely nothing about his chances against competent heavyweights. I get that it’s short notice, but it’s impressive how they’ve managed to blow Bivol-Castillo out of the water when it comes to level of mismatch.

I guess we’re lucky to see Usyk fight at all.