Former light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gzvozyk warns Tyson Fury that Oleksandr Usyk will be in at least as good shape, if not better, than their previous fight when they meet for their rematch on December 21st in Riyadh.
Gvozdyk feels that former WBC heavyweight champion Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) can’t afford to fall off with psychological problems by slipping into alcohol or drugs before his rematch with undisputed champ Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs).
What concerns Gvozdyk was the video that was posted on social media this week, showing a drunk Fury being carried out of a bar and falling down. That’s not a good sign for the Gyspy King, suggesting that he could be having difficulty coming to terms with his twelve-round split decision loss to Usyk last month on May 18th.
While Fury’s promoters repeatedly said that he just barely lost the fight to Usyk, he was saved from being knocked out by the referee, who gave him a standing eight count in the ninth when he was getting destroyed.
Fury’s Psychological Struggles a Concern
“Fury was in some bar, and people were carrying him. Today, it was like a confession. He was saying, ‘I know I’m going to be in the best shape,’” said Oleksandr Gvozdyk to the media about Tyson Fury’s posting on social media today, letting his followers know he’s going to be better for his rematch against Oleksandr Usyk on December 21st.
Fury bounced around, hitting the heavy bag in his Instagram post today, seemingly to show the fans that he still has his legs. One criticism he’s received is that he was stationary against Usyk, leaning against the ropes for support throughout the twelve-round fight.
Age and Physical Decline
Older fighters tend to be next to the ropes, using them to support their weary legs. Fury looked like a fossil during the fight and couldn’t reach the ring’s center on his pipestem legs.
“It’s going to depend on Fury because Usyk is going to be ready, believe me,” said Gvozdyk. “I know this guy, and he’ll be even better. What Fury is going to be able to show, we’ll see because I’ve heard that after psychological stress, Fury goes on drugs and alcohol.
“We’ll see how he’s going to handle it this time. If he’s in better shape, we’ll see a better fight. Usyk will be at least the same, but I think even better. It depends on Fury,” said Gvozdyk.
Fury will unlikely be any better in the rematch with Usyk because his problem isn’t just weight. It’s age. He’s 35, going on 50, and a lot older physically than his chronological age. If you take a 50-year-old and trim them down, you’re not going to turn them into a young person. That’s the basic problem Fury has.
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