Boxing expert Chris Oliver goes in depth on Fury vs Usyk, the fight we've all been waiting for. Find out why he's expecting a classic won, perhaps, by Usyk.
Boxing betting tips: Fury vs Usyk
2pts Oleksandr Usyk to win by decision at 9/4 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
1pt Jai Opetaia to win in rounds 1-6 at 7/2 (Sky Bet)
It has been a long time coming but the big one is finally here.
After a few false dawns, prolonged negotiations and a postponement, Tyson Fury will face OLEKSANDR USYK in Riyadh on Saturday night to decide who will be crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999, and the first in the four-belt era.
It’s been 25 years since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield to give us one champion in boxing’s glamour division and that rivalry bears plenty of similarities to the one in Saudi Arabia this weekend.
Like Fury versus Usyk, it featured a British fighter versus an Olympic champion and former cruiserweight king who had successfully stepped up to capture more gold at heavyweight. Unfortunately, just as Lewis and Holyfield’s first contest was a contentious draw, there is every chance we could be set for more controversy this time around in what is a very close fight to call.
The bookies can barely split Fury and Usyk and with very little to separate them on paper, there may well be plenty of debate about the winner after what could to be a cagey and tactical 12-round affair.
You can’t underestimate just how big this fight is and how much the sport needs one heavyweight champion. It doesn’t get much better than this for boxing fans, with two unbeaten champions with huge ability and personalities to match putting it all on the line, but finding the winner is no easy task.
It is Fury (34-0-1) who was installed as the favourite when this blockbuster was first announced, being the bigger man and boasting the bigger wins. Going to Germany to end the 10-year reign of Wladimir Klitschko via a decision in late 2015 remains one of the best victories from a British fighter on away soil and that is arguably the best piece form on offer here.
Then came his two-and-half-year hiatus and there is nothing left to say that hasn’t already been said about his amazing comeback from mental health and weight troubles. He was cruelly denied his crowning moment when challenging Deontay Wilder for the WBC title in December 2018, but made no mistake in the rematch 15 months later. In a very different performance than against Klitschko, Fury battered Wilder from pillar to post before the previously unbeaten American was rescued by his corner in the seventh round.
‘The Gypsy King’ completed the Wilder trilogy with a thrilling 11-round victory in his sole outing of 2021, before a pair of domestic victories over Dillian Whyte (TKO6) and Derek Chisora (TKO10) in 2022 and, while none of those were vintage Fury, it was his last outing against Francis Ngannou that really raised alarm bells. The heavyweight champion looked awful against an MMA fighter having his first professional boxing match and, having been dropped, Fury's blushes were spared by a razor-thin decision.
Fury is now just the slightest of favourites, with 10/11 available if you shop around, while Usyk is a top price of 5/4 and there will be plenty who see that as value for a man with such an immaculate CV.
Having picked up gold at London 2012, the Ukrainian collected all four belts in a red-hot cruiserweight division with excellent wins over the likes of Michael Hunter, Marco Huck, Mairis Briedis, Murat Gassiev and Tony Bellew. He then took aim at the heavies and acclimatised with a couple of routine victories over Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora, before becoming champion again with a brilliant points victory over Anthony Joshua at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He repeated the dose with another impressive points victory over ‘AJ’ and he boasts a résumé unmatched by anyone in the higher weight classes.
Usyk (21-0) also wasn’t at his best last time out, but he seemed to fear little from Daniel Dubois in August as he went through the motions before stopping the Londoner in the ninth session.
Whereas Fury’s record lacks quality names aside from his signature wins, Usyk’s is chock-full of top-class opponents and if these two were both the same size, then the latter would probably be a very warm favourite. However, this is the age of giant heavyweights and nobody typifies that more than Fury, who is half a foot taller at 6’9” and will have a seven-inch reach advantage.
The sheer size disparity makes it easy to form a strong case for Fury coming out on top here and he knows how to use his huge frame to maximum effect. He is excellent at controlling the range with his long levers and has surprisingly quick feet for someone of his size, while he has become increasingly adept at showing his physicality when his opponents get up close.
Fury has shown great powers of recovery and has proved he can come through adversity on several occasions, so he has the heart to match his frame. A tricky switch-hitter to boot, Fury is as awkward as they come and if he can maintain the distance behind his jab, then Usyk could find it very tough to get past his lead left hand to land scoring shots.
Fury has always been the superior technician in his contests and has an excellent ring IQ, but in Usyk he faces someone more skilful and just as smart for the first time in his career. So, whereas Usyk has a size problem to solve, Fury has a mental puzzle to figure out.
‼️ Tyson Fury REFUSES to look at Oleksandr Usyk, who stares him down during their final press conference face-off…
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) May 16, 2024
[🎥 @Queensberry]
pic.twitter.com/HqjdI21Xb4
Usyk does things that a heavyweight shouldn’t be able to do, and we would be waxing lyrical about his moves if he were a middleweight, never mind someone who weighs over 15 stone. Fury’s footwork may be good, but Usyk’s is on another level and his constant movement around the target is not only a great defensive asset, but also allows him to create angles for his attacks and he is extremely accurate when he does let his hands go.
With hands as quick as his feet and great head movement, Usyk can make you miss and pay all night long, while his constant movement and feinting forces his opponent to reset. His ability to stand in range and slip punches often forces them to work harder than they would like, and his engine is phenomenal for a heavyweight.
Fury’s versatility is one of his greatest assets, as highlighted by his two biggest wins being achieved in very different styles. Against Klitschko he was on his toes and moving behind his jab, whereas he walked Wilder down in their rematch and bullied the bully.
My feeling is that the Fury that fought Klitschko would have a better chance versus Usyk, by being able to keep it long and not allow Usyk to get close, but does the man from Morecambe still have that style in his arsenal? Fury 2.0 has been a more flat-footed and willing to engage, which could well play right into the hands of a master boxer like Usyk.
There is no getting away from just how hard a fight to call this is and a lot of rounds could be very tricky to score, but there are a few factors causing me to lean slightly toward Usyk maintaining his 100% record.
The biggest one is the recent form of Fury. Having undertrained and underestimated Ngannou, he was lucky to escape with a victory that night and you have to go back to February 2020, in the Wilder return, to when Fury last looked really good. The trilogy with Wilder was an up-and-down thriller despite Fury being a big favourite.
He did what he needed to do against a stale Whyte and it took him 10 rounds to get rid of Chisora, who should never have been in the ring with Fury for the third time. As amazing as his comeback from huge weight gain was, that shortens careers and there have been recent signs that the miles are racking up on the clock. Usyk may be two years older at 37, but looks the fresher fighter with less wear and tear.
"Usyk reminds me of myself"
— Boxing on TNT Sports (@boxingontnt) May 17, 2024
Former Heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield talks Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk 🥊
Buy #FuryUsyk LIVE on TNT Sports Box Office ▶️ https://t.co/FXWiFF98Ej pic.twitter.com/ATKawow9yS
It’s only three months since Fury suffered a serious cut in sparring that forced this fight to be postponed and that is a quick turnaround. It was over the same eye that he suffered a huge gash against Otto Wallin and required 47 stitches, so the possibility of it opening up again is very real.
Also, little has been spoken of the heat in Riyadh, where temperatures regularly top 40 degrees at this time of the year and it doesn’t get much cooler at night. As well as Fury does 12 rounds, his huge frame probably makes him more susceptible to those extreme conditions than the super-fit Usyk.
In a fight that seems sure to go the distance, I prefer USYK TO WIN BY DECISION at 9/4, rather than the same outcome for Fury at the same price.
CLICK HERE to back Usyk by decision with Sky Bet
The concern for Usyk backers is any bias towards Fury on the scorecards. The man pulling the strings in Saudi Arabia’s involvement in boxing, Turki Alalshikh, has made no secret about his desire to see Fury versus Joshua and the Brit needs to win for that to happen. However, these two are already contracted to a rematch so let’s hope that means the fight is judged fairly.
Whoever’s hand is raised, hopefully there is no controversy and the boxing world can celebrate having an undisputed heavyweight champion for the first time in a long time.
CLICK HERE to bet on Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk Sky Bet
Jai can prove best of the rest
A cracking undercard is topped by JAI OPETAIA's rematch with the aforementioned Briedis for IBF cruiserweight title.
Having only previously lost to Usyk, Briedis (28-2) was the division’s number one when he went to Australia in May 2022 and lost a unanimous decision to Opetaia (24-0). Despite breaking his jaw and having to endure some tough moments down the stretch, the latter was a clear victor thanks to an explosive start, and he regularly landed his heavy left hand on the champion.
That title-winning performance clearly brought the Australian southpaw on, and he has looked sensational in both outings since, albeit against moderate UK opposition. Jordan Thompson was saved from his beating early in the fourth session, while Ellis Zorro was sparked out in the first round here in December, and Opetaia looks every inch the real deal.
"I look around and I see greatness, but it's my time now!" 🔊
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) May 16, 2024
Jai Opetaia is LOCKED IN 🔒#FuryUsyk pic.twitter.com/SduwLBlsx4
Conversely, Briedis hasn’t fought since their first bout and is now 39, so you must wonder what he has left and that’s why he is the 9/2 underdog. Opetaia is a best price of 2/11 and I think the odds compilers have this one right.
The timing doesn’t look great for an ageing Briedis, and I fancy the improving Opetaia to get the 20th stoppage of his career, an outcome which is generally 4/6. Briedis is a tough warrior and won’t go down without a fight, but the Latvian is facing a young, hungry fighter with serious power and fast hands.
Briedis has never been stopped before but his lack of activity and advancing years spell trouble, so I think there may some value in the 7/2 (9/2 Price Boost for those who can get it) available about Opetaia making a statement with victory in the first half of the contest.
CLICK HERE to back Opetaia in rounds 1-6 with Sky Bet's Price Boost
Between that and the main event, Joe Cordina defends his IBF super featherweight title against Anthony Cacace in what may be a tougher fight than the odds suggest.
Cordina is 1/5 to take his perfect record to 18 wins and should have too much here, but the Welshman’s weight-making struggles are well documented, and he looked flat when outpointing Edward Vasquez in November.
Cacace (21-1) is a tricky southpaw and could cause Cordina plenty of problems, but his lack of power is his weakness, and this is his first world title contest. Cordina by decision is the most likely result, but that is only 5/6 and I am reluctant to get stuck in at those odds given how much he struggles to make 130lb.
Posted at 1300 BST on 17/05/24
Fury v Usyk: Full running order
- MAIN EVENT: Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk
WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles - Joe Cordina vs Anthony Cacace
IBF and IBO super-featherweight titles - Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis
vacant IBF Cruiserweight title - Mark Chamberlain vs Joshua Oluwaseun Wahab
- Sergey Kovalev vs Robin Sirwan Safar
- Isaac Lowe vs Hasibullah Ahmadi
- David Nyika vs Michael Seitz
- Moses Itauma vs Ilja Mezencev
- Agit Kabayel vs Frank Sanchez
Start time: Undercard approx 1615 BST, Main Event approx 2300 BST
TV channel and cost: Sky Sports Box Office (£24.95), DAZN PPV (£24.99) and TNT Sports Box Office (£24.99) will all show the bout live.
