As we head closer to fight night, here are some potential keys to victory for both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk as they prepare to battle for undisputed heavyweight gold.
With all the belts being up for grabs in this bout, both fighters have everything to fight for. Saturday, May 18th we will see a clash of two of the best heavyweights on the planet. As we edge closer to fight night, here are some ways in which each fighter can emerge victorious.
Tyson Fury:
Body Shots- One narrative during this fight build-up is that Oleksandr Uysk struggles to take body shots. A low blow in Usyk’s last fight popularised this narrative, where fans and critics have maintained that he was winded rather than hit low. Anthony Joshua also had some success to the body in their second fight. If Fury can get to the body early and slow down the legs of Usyk, this will nullify his best asset- his footwork. Body shots could be the key difference-maker in this fight.
Make use of the size advantage- Tyson Fury stands at 6’9, with a reach of 85cm. It is no secret will be the bigger, heavier man in the ring Saturday night. Fury has mentioned in multiple interviews that size matters in the heavyweight division. To ensure he uses his size to his advantage, Fury should make good use of the clinch, where he can lean on, and smother Usyk. Forcing Usyk to carry and push off his weight may lead to openings where Fury can let off damaging shots. Although Usyk has always displayed elite cardio, he has yet to fight someone who utilises their weight advantage.
Making adjustments- One of Fury’s toughest tests as a pro came in the form of Steve Cunningham. Interestingly, Cunningham was a cruiserweight moving up to heavyweight- similar to Uysk. Fury struggled to pin Cunningham down due to his high output. Fury was dropped in this fight while trading with Cunningham. After this, he made real-time adjustments to deal with this issue. Fury utilised a high guard and walked down Cunningham, landing big shots on the inside. This saw great success in the fight, where he eventually stopped Cunningham. Although there is a clear skill gap between Usyk and Cunningham, fans have seen Fury adjust his style to match a smaller, high-output fighter in the past with success. If Fury is able to make the necessary real-time adjustments, he could find success.
Oleksandr Usyk:
Experience- It may come as a shock to fans that Usyk is the older, more experienced fighter. With over 300 amateur bouts and an Olympic gold medal, Usyk understands the boxing point system inside and out. Usyk should ensure he is winning each round by starting quickly asserting himself, and finishing strong. It’s usually a given that if a Fury fight goes to a decision, he will likely win. However, Usyk presents a challenge to this, as his style centres heavily around scoring points. With Usyk knowing which rounds he can recover in, and which he needs to win, his experience shows as a big advantage.
High Output– Data gathered by the Boxing Science YouTube channel shows us Usyk’s staggering output during his fights. Usyk throws around 31% more punches than Tyson Fury on average. During the final three rounds, he throws 46% more punches than Fury. It would be difficult for judges to witness such a difference in the number of shots thrown, and score rounds to Fury. Usyk should look to use his speed and high output to ensure he is up on the scorecards each round. This ensures that if the fight goes the distance, he can secure the victory.
War of attrition- Usyk’s footwork, ability to create angles, and speedy combinations prove a difficult challenge for any fighter. With Fury being much bigger it is unlikely he will be able to keep up with Usyk. This means that Usyk can utilise fast feet to pepper Fury while moving out of danger much quicker than Fury can get to him. Over the distance of a few rounds, these combinations can begin to wear Fury. If Usyk can manage the distance in this fight, bouncing in and out of range, it becomes a very difficult puzzle to solve for Fury and could be the difference maker in this fight.
Who do you think wins between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk?
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
