Tyson Fury Just Shell Of His Former Self, Says Hasim Rahman

Former two-time heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman says Tyson Fury is just a “shell” of the fighter he once was heading into his rematch against unified champion Oleksandr Usyk on December 21 in Riyadh.

Rahman feels that the punishment Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) absorbed in his three fights against Deontay Wilder got the best of him, leaving a vulnerable fighter who fans were shocked by Usyk earlier this year on May 18 knocked.

Punch away resistance

Fury’s fans say he did well in his three fights against Wilder, which is true, but he took some big head shots in those fights and dropped three times. He was probably knocked out in the first and third fights, but was spared by the referees.

The brutal right hands Fury took from Deontay aged him and left the fighter Ushyk took advantage of by knocking him from pillar to post in the ninth round last May.

Watching Fury get pummeled by Usyk and saved by the referee showed that Father Time was knocking on his door and letting him know that his career as a top level fighter was over.

“I think Deontay Wilder got a big game in this Usyk and Tyson Fury rematch. I believe Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury took everything from each other,” said Hasim Rahman Battle hypetalks about his view that Tyson Fury is not the same fighter he once was heading into his December 21 rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury went on to win after he last fought Wilder in 2021, but his wins were over lower-tier guys Derek Chisora, Dillian Whyte and Francis Ngannou. Tyson’s performance against Ngannou was terrible, with him knocked down and looking nothing like the fighter he was eight years earlier.

“I think they are both shells of their former selves, and I believe Usyk will win this rematch by stoppage,” said Rahman, who predicted a knockout victory for Usyk over Fury. “I know he knows he can drop him and hurt him, and now I think the confidence is there. I think he’s going to win by stoppage.”

In Wilder’s case, he seems to have lost his confidence in throwing his right hand, and his trainer hasn’t helped by turning him into a defensive fighter. Wilder never had much punching resistance, and during his reign as the WBC champion got along with soft matches. He was a creation of his management, who for the most part kept him away from risky opposition.

“I think he should fight the winner of the Joshua-Dubois rematch and then call it quits,” Rahman said of Usyk. “The man did everything you can do in boxing. He is pound-for-pound one of the greatest champions ever. He’s a gold medalist, undisputed cruiserweight, undisputed heavyweight. What else can you do? He did it all.”

If Joshua wins the rematch with Daniel Dubois, he will go straight into the Fury fight because that is one His Excellency Turki Alalshikh wants. Usyk will only get a chance after that.

“I don’t believe the best guys are going to be around by 2025. I think Fury, Usyk and Joshua could be gone by the end of 2025. So, it’s a whole lot of young guys coming up with the Bakoles,” says Rahman.