Usyk encourages “Chubby” Fury to work on fitness

Oleksandr Usyk posted a message on social media to “chubby” Tyson Fury today, urging him to work on his fitness by running to prepare for their rematch in three months’ time on December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Fury looked poorly conditioned for their first fight on May 18. He carried too much weight around his midsection and lost a 12-round split decision in Riyadh.

Fury should be at Klitschko weight

For the rematch, former WBC heavyweight champion Fury must come in much lighter than he has in many years to handle the movement and fast pace that Usyk will push. Fury weighed in 247 pounds for his fight against Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, which he should target for his rematch with Usyk.

It was the peak of Fury’s 16-year career, and he should try to get back down to that weight to deal with the fast, agile 220+ lb Usyk.

Tyson does look like he’s lost some weight since the fight, but it’s doubtful he can cut enough to avoid being beaten and beaten by Usyk again.

From some of Usyk’s recent comments, he intends to knock Fury out this time and not let it go to the scorecards. In Usyk’s mind, he will duplicate what he did to Fury in the ninth round of their first fight, but immediately go after him, knowing he can’t handle being bombarded with combinations.

“Put on a mask and run. You just go after the guys, huh?” Oleksandr Usyk said on social media and sent a message to Tyson Fury. “What’s going on, my chubby buddy? I hope you are doing well.”

Fury weighed in at 262 pounds, which isn’t a bad weight for him, but he seemed to lose muscle in back-to-back training camps that he had to cut for that fight. He pulled his trunks up high in what seemed like a strategy to hide his chunky waist, but it was there to be seen. Fury couldn’t camouflage that he was out of shape.

“What’s up my chubby buddy?”

Oleksandr Usyk’s latest message to Tyson Fury…

🎥 @usikaa | #UsykFury2 | Dec. 21 pic.twitter.com/ursOUGORo5

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) September 11, 2024

During the fight, Fury stayed with his back against the ropes, using them for support and to be worked over by the superiorly conditioned Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs).

Fury’s deal with Larry Holmes

Watching Fury that night was like watching former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes perform late in his career in his loss to Oliver McCall in 1995. Holmes was 45 years old for that fight and had much of the game leaning against the ropes to support his tired legs. .

“He has a contract, and so do I until December 31; we have to keep this fight until (that date),” Usyk told Ready to Fight about Tyson Fury having no choice but to go through with their contractually agreed rematch. “If he withdraws on December 21, he will lose all his money and dividends and will no longer be a man of his word.”

If Fury pulls out of his fight against Usyk, he will be out of luck. This puts pressure on Fury to get through camp without delaying the fight with mysterious cuts like last time.