Fury Vs Usyk And The Fight For Heavyweight Supremacy

Fury vs. Usyk and the fight for heavyweight supremacy

This weekend's heavyweight title fight is a battle of wits, as well as fists, in what could be a history-making showdown

LET’S TAKE A MOMENT to revisit Oct 9th, 2021, a night that gifted the world with one of the most thrilling heavyweight fights in history. It was the culmination of a trilogy between Tyson Fury and a hungry Deontay Wilder that spat out every possible in-ring narrative. Each round seemed to birth a new twist, both warriors tasting the canvas, with Fury narrowly escaping a fourth-round scare by the bell, and Wilder finding himself down for the count again.

It was a spectacle reminiscent of a meticulously crafted Hollywood script, with Fury’s entourage evoking echoes of the Rocky theme as they rallied behind their weary champion. This fight, this night, is etched in our memories.

Since that epic fight, however, the heavyweight boxing world has been a little out of sorts. Fury has had a couple of fights in that time, including an entertaining rumble with UFC heavyweight legend Francis Ngannou, but after being knocked down in the third round by the Cameroonian, the British champion was able to recover to practically walk the fight home. 

This weekend promises a shift in the boxing landscape, drawing fans out of what feels like a prolonged hiatus since the Wilder-Fury saga. The eyes of the boxing world will again be on the heavyweight division, as Fury braces himself to face one of the world’s most formidable and agile fighters, Oleksandr Usyk.

Why Oleksandr Usyk is Fury’s most challenging opponent yet

Fury has a unique approach to boxing, a knack for schooling the big lads who try to ‘box’ with him; easily evading the big shots, the heavy hooks, and the brass overhands. While more often than not these big knockout merchants make light work of their opponents, Fury is a different proposition. He thrives on opponents packing macho power, revelling in the challenge. He puts the chip on his shoulder that he’s not as ripped or muscly as these men and proceeds to dance around them in the ring, making these Greek god-like specimens look like amateurs at your local PCYC

Oleksandr Usyk is cut from similar cloth; the Ukrainian champion is sitting pretty at the top of the heavyweight division and got their fast, despite his relatively small stature for a heavyweight, through speed, footwork, and precision. Coincidentally, everything that has made Fury a legend in the sport, too. 

Usyk is a tactician in the ring, meticulously dissecting his opponents with surgical precision. His footwork lets him dart in and out of range, landing crisp combinations while avoiding incoming shots. His boxing IQ is second to none, and he often lures his opponents into traps before unleashing devastating counters.

Instagram | @usykaa

The fight prediction 

The boxing world is split this weekend. Those who initially pick Fury will then start to recall the skill and sharpness of Usyk, remembering how he dismantled heavyweight legend Anthony Joshua in 2022. Those who pick Usyk will remember Fury rising from the canvas against Wilder and Ngannou to pull a win from the jaws of defeat. 

Both fighters love to stand toe to toe with aggressive opponents. It’s easy for them. They pick, prod and parade themselves as brains over brawn type of athletes. Come this weekend, once the bell rings for round one, both fighters stand opposite another technical specialist. Calculative violence will finally meet premeditated brutality. 

Two outcomes seem to be poking through the mess of predictions. The first is that if a different Fury from the Ngannou fight walks into the ring, bouncing and bobbing around, feinting his jab and using his larger frame to overcome Usyk, we might see the Englishman’s legacy as as one of the greatest of all time cemented. Fury is in the shape of his life; he looks fitter than ever before, and all signs show he is coming into this fight locked and loaded. 

Instagram | @tysonfury

The second outcome is Usyk simply being too smart to let Fury slump his weight and size all over him. He’ll utilise his speed to work those hard-to-find angles on Fury’s body. Usyk must set the tone from the first minute, letting Fury know this fight will be sharper and faster than any he’s previously endured. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it, right? That will be the mindset for Usyk. He’s at the top because he’s a master pugilist; he won’t try to be anything more than that come fight day. 

When will the fight start in Australia?

For Aussie fight fans, the main event card should kick off bright and early at 2 am AEST on Sunday morning, with our very own Aussie boxing weapon, Jai Opetaia, stepping into the ring two fights before the main event, as he takes on Mairis Briedis in their second instalment. 

The Fury and Usyk is scheduled to start at 8 am AEST. 

Catch all the fights live on Sunday morning via DAZN PPV. 


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