Today is the day when Oleksandr Usyk establishes himself as one of the greatest of all time or when Tyson Fury avenges his only loss and reclaims his heavyweight throne. Both know what is at stake and the importance of today’s game.
Fury’s attitude is different for this match; he seems laser-focused and took a different approach in his interactions with Usyk. At Thursday’s press conference, Fury verbally attacked Usyk with personal insults. This could be an attempt to anger the Ukrainian in a firefight. Fury’s strategy for this bout could be similar to what he did in the second Deontay Wilder bout, whereby he opted to go heavier at 273 pounds. In that second match, he applied a pressure attack that surprised Wilder, dropped him several times and finally stopped him in the 7th round.
Anthony Joshua has fought Oleksandr Usyk twice, and it was in the 9th round of their rematch that he had the most success, landing an astonishing 28 punches. In that round he used effective pressure and put Usyk on the back foot. However, Usyk, being the master tactician, made the necessary adjustments in the next round and boxed Joshua out, landing a match-high 39 punches in the 10th.
It’s going to take something truly special to beat Usyk. His command of angles, evasive movement and his ability to make in-combat adjustments make it extremely difficult for opponents to be truly effective against him. His known weakness is his body, and many have found limited success getting clean hits to his middle. None other than Daniel Dubois, who landed a devastating punch on Usyk’s beltline that sent him to the canvas. The punch was controversially scored as a low blow by the referee, but many believe it was legal. Either way, Dubois was successful in landing several body shots throughout the match.
At yesterday’s weigh-in, Fury came in at 281 pounds, which is equal to Usyk’s 226. The 55 pound difference will be to be bigger and stronger, apply pressure and bully Usyk on the inside. In the first match, Fury was effective early on landing several right uppercuts, the one he landed in the 6th round stunned Usyk and did serious damage causing him to be badly shaken, leading to the famous image of Usyk who kisses his crucifix. Fury will try to duplicate this effort and punish him.
To be truly effective, he needs to outplay Usyk, which is no easy task. He needs to be unpredictable by boxing at both short and long range. Give Usyk different looks and attack from different angles. Usyk is great at adapting, and if Fury becomes predictable or repetitive, Usyk will change tactics. Fury must control the distance; he did not do his job well in the first game and suffered as a result. He has a 7-inch reach advantage and needs to use his jab when at range. He needs to do it heavy and throw it at a higher rate than he did in the first game. He had limited success, getting 62 stitches. He must keep Usyk at a distance and not allow
him to come in until he is ready to counter him. Fury should also target the body heavily, as an effective body attack will slow Usyk down. The biggest question is, can Fury go the distance with the added weight? If he is unable to slow down Usyk, he may find himself struggling to defend. The first match was won by a narrow margin, with Usyk winning by split decision. With judges scoring it 115-112, 114-113 for Usyk and 114-113 for Fury. The outcome of this match could end differently as Fury’s out-of-the-ring adjustments are already visible. His focus, weight and attitude show he will be much more aggressive in this game. The spectacle and playfulness he showed in the first game will be kept to a minimum, and instead he will spend his energy on seriously hurting Usyk. Usyk must weather the early storm and make the necessary adjustments to survive Fury’s pressure. The rematch should be just as good as the first one.
