Froch: The fury will die down!

Carl Froch believes Tyson Fury will run out if he fails to knock out Oleksandr Usyk in the fourth round on Saturday. Froch believes Fury’s weight is too high, 281 pounds, to avoid fading and losing to unified heavyweight champion Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) in their rematch at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

If Fury ‘Gyspy King’ fades after three or four rounds, Usyk will likely knock him out. The referee who saved Fury last time with his timely eight count in the ninth round will not work the rematch on Saturday. Then, Tyson will be alone and will need to get out of trouble without help.

Fury decided to bulk up in the desperate belief that he could use the weight to gain more strength and perhaps lean on Usyk to wear him down. He had used those tactics against Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora.

That style was taught to Fury by his trainer SugarHill Steward, but it was just a game plan that worked against the three fighters mentioned above. He was ineffective against Fury’s last two opponents, Usyk and Francis Ngannou.

Resistance doubts

“Just Usyk’s confidence, smile and poise. He just oozes class today. With the first fight happening in the ninth round, I made him the favorite all week and I’m even more confident,” Carl Froch told Boxing in the match roompicking Oleksandr Usyk to win on Saturday night in his defense against Tyson Fury.

“Tyson cannot be ruled out. He is a big boy; He’s strong, but I think he’s too heavy (281 pounds). It’s 20 stones. If you don’t get him out of there in the first three or four rounds, he’s going to be ruined. He himself will cover that extra weight. I don’t think any extra favors were done.

“Maybe I’m wrong. He could go in there and lean on Usyk, catch him and try to get him out of there. That should be their game plan,” Froch said.

It seems that Fury lacks self-confidence and his trainer, Sugarhill, has no ideas other than the game plan that worked for the fight with Wilder. Fury has focused on one idea: trying to intimidate Usyk.

“Take off your leathers and let’s say you’re down to 277. You’ve been there before. I didn’t like him at that weight,” commentator Steve Bunce said of Fury. “That’s when it’s slow and cumbersome. Obviously that’s the plan. It’s a great plan, but what will happen in the sixth round if Usyk has avoided all danger? All that weight takes its toll.

“Usyk, with his clothes on, is probably exactly the same as the last fight because that’s what he is. He is a scientist.”