At 14-0 with 13 knockouts — a staggering 92.86% KO rate — Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong seemed poised to break into boxing’s elite. Then, an Oleksandr Usyk fight vanished.
Back in 2019, Spong was tabbed to face Oleksandr Usyk in Chicago, marking a rare crossover moment: a former kickboxing legend stepping into the ring with a modern boxing great. But with days to spare, promoter Eddie Hearn cited an “adverse VADA test,” and yanked Spong from the headline. Chazz Witherspoon swiftly replaced him.
The cancellation was not just a lost fight—it was a career-defining mishap. Spong, now 40, has not matched that level of exposure or financial reward since.
The Usyk Fight That Vanished
Spong’s record is well-documented. He entered boxing in 2015, quickly racking up knockout wins. His final professional fight took place in August 2019, a second-round knockout over Jeyson Minda — and he never fought in a boxing ring again.
Yet the Usyk cancellation isn’t so simple. Multiple sources report that while two VADA tests conducted earlier in the week (September 22 and 26) flagged him, a third sample from October 2 was clean. Spong maintains that those tests were flawed or manipulated. This timeline forms the core of his claim that he was unfairly silenced and sidelined.
“Just received word from VADA that my 3rd and last urine sample taken on October 2 was NEGATIVE for all prohibited substances,” he declared publicly.
“As I’ve said all along, I’m a clean fighter … I’ve been wronged. I’m p***ed off.”
He later told the media that after the clean test, testing organizers warned him not to continue attacking the protocols, or he would face legal consequences.
What’s Next at 40?
Spong’s path now lies at a crossroads. As a former kickboxing star with over 100 fights (approx. 107−7 with 73 KOs in kickboxing), he still commands respect. But boxing’s murky politics, the cloud over his testing history, and years of inactivity work against him.
If the Usyk fight had delivered, it might have reset his trajectory in boxing — giving him credibility, exposure, and possibly a new era of opportunity. Now, the question is whether he can rebuild from here. A return would require both demand and trust after just a couple of kickboxing bouts in the six years that followed.
Usyk’s Dominance — And Spong’s Lost Moment
Usyk’s trajectory post-2019 only underlines what Spong missed. The former undisputed cruiserweight legend transitioned seamlessly into the heavyweight division, winning major belts and solidifying his legacy. For Spong, the chance to test himself against Usyk in front of a massive global audience would have been the defining moment of Spong’s boxing chapter.
That opportunity was taken away. Now, Spong’s legacy sits in limbo. He remains undefeated in boxing, carries that terrifying KO rate, and still has a ring résumé few can match. But at 40, time isn’t kind.
Will he get another chance at the spotlight he deserved? Or will the story of Spong be one of “what might have been?”
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. [View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.