Tony Bellew, a former world champion who has shared the ring with Oleksandr Usyk, is picking him to defeat WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on Saturday night.
Usyk is on another level to the type of opposition that Fury’s management has been putting him in with for the last nine years, and it’s a dramatic upgrade for an aging fighter with a fragile mandible from his wars.
Usyk’s Accuracy and Fury’s Vulnerability
- Fury’s history of being hurt by opponents below Usyk’s level.
- The damage Fury took from three fights with Deontay Wilder.
Fury’s punch resistance is the issue in this fight. As Bellew points out, Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) has been hurt by lesser fighters than Usyk, and that’s going to be a problem for him going up against a truly world-class fighter with pinpoint accuracy.
The damage that Fury sustained from his three fights against Deontay Wilder, which saw him down on the canvas repeatedly and even knocked unconscious, could make him vulnerable against the bulked-up southpaw Usyk.
Fury’s Weight Loss
- The Gypsy King’s sudden weight loss: It’s no secret that Fury has lost a lot of weight for this fight with his back-to-back training camps, and that won’t help his ability to take the hard shots from Usyk. That weight loss after years of being overweight could take its toll on him.
- Being out of shape for a long time: An athlete who is accustomed to being chunky all of a sudden needs to bite down hard to get ready for competition that they haven’t had in a decade. It doesn’t look good for Fury.
In this fight, Fury will likely get hit more than he ever has in his career, and that’s not a good thing for a fighter who has as many miles on the odometer as he has.
Bellew feels that IBF/WBA/WBO champion Usyk (21-0 14 KOs) is just too good for Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs), and will win a decision. He feels that as long as there’s no controversy, Usyk will be victorious on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Prediction: Usyk by Decision
“Fury has shown he can be hit and hurt by boxers nowhere near the level of Usyk, and that’s a concern against a man who is so accurate,” said Tony Bellew to DAZN Boxing News.
Fury has been hurt not just by Wilder but also by cruiserweight Sam Cunningham, who had him on the canvas in their fight many years ago.
“Fury will push on and try to impose his size and strength, but I just see Usyk being too good and winning on the scorecards to add another impressive addition to his already incredible record.
“As long as there’s no controversy from officials, this is Usyk’s fight on points,” said Bellew.
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