Oleksandr Usyk believes his victory over ‘The Gyspy King’ Tyson Fury seven months ago has been haunting him all along. He is mentally shaken and filled with negative self-doubt going into Saturday’s DAZN PPV rematch on December 21.
Inside Fury’s head
Usyk knows that Fury is still upset about their loss in their first meeting. He second guesses himself hourly and obsessively about it. Fury thinks about what he could and should have done differently. Unfortunately, there is nothing he can do. It’s too late, and he has to live with it.
Since suffering the first official loss of his career, Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) has lost the aura he once had. Former WBC heavyweight champion Fury, 36, looked isolated in the rematch and sounded joyless during interviews. The memory of that night keeps flashing back to Tyson, and there is no escape.
A Changed Man
Although Tyson did the usual boasting about himself, he showed no energy and looked incredible. The loss to Usyk mentally ruined the once-proud Fury, making him look like a doomed man taking his final step to the guillotine.
“I think I’ve been there for a long time, driving at 100 kilometers per hour,” Usyk told the media when asked if he was in Fury’s head after beating him on May 18. “I have the focus on the 21st, and then we will make the plans of what we will do next.
Usyk has conquered many fighters, and he knows the look of his mentally beaten enemies afterwards. He can see it. Fury is just a shell like the others lost to the Ukrainian talent.
“Tyson Fury had a chance in the sixth round, maybe the seventh round, maybe 12th, 11th, first, second,” Usyk said Sky Sports News about Fury not hurting him in their first fight.
“But Tyson didn’t do that. It’s just talk. Tyson said I have the chance. Yes, no problem. We have a second fight, I will try (to knock Fury out).
