Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Today is the day when Oleksandr Usyk establishes himself as one of the greatest of all time or when Tyson Fury avenges his only defeat and regains his heavyweight throne. They both know what is at stake and the importance of today’s match.
Fury’s behavior is different for this match; he seems focused and has taken a different approach in his interactions with Usyk. At Thursday’s press conference, Fury verbally attacked Usyk with personal insults. This could be an attempt to anger the Ukrainian and provoke a shootout. Fury’s strategy for this fight could be similar to what he did in the second fight with Deontay Wilder, in which he chose to weigh more, 273 pounds. In that second match, he employed a pressure attack that surprised Wilder, knocking him down several times and finally stopping him in the seventh round.
Anthony Joshua fought Oleksandr Usyk twice, and it was in the ninth round of their rematch that he found the most success, landing a staggering 28 punches. In that round, he used effective pressure and put Usyk on his back foot. Usyk, however, being the master tactician, made the necessary adjustments in the next round and outclassed Joshua, landing a match-high 39 punches in the tenth.
It will take something really special to beat Usyk. His control of angles, elusive movements, and ability to make adjustments in the fight make it extremely difficult for opponents to be truly effective against him. Its known weakness is its body, and many have had limited success landing clean blows to its abdomen. None more so than Daniel Dubois, who delivered a devastating punch to Usyk’s waist that sent him to the canvas. The referee controversially scored the punch as a low blow, but many believe it was legal. Be that as it may, Dubois managed to land several body shots throughout the match.
At yesterday’s weigh-in, Fury weighed 281 pounds, which is equivalent to Usyk’s 226. The 55-pound difference will be to get bigger and stronger, apply pressure and intimidate Usyk on the inside. In the first match, Fury was effective from the start by landing several right hooks, the one he landed in the sixth round surprised Usyk and caused serious damage that shook him badly, leading to the famous image of Usyk kissing his crucifix. . Fury will look to double down on this effort and punish him.
To be truly effective, he must outsmart Usyk, which is no easy task. You must be unpredictable boxing at both short and long distances. Giving Usyk several looks and attacking from different angles. Usyk is great at adapting, and if Fury becomes predictable or repetitive, Usyk will change tactically. Fury must control the distance; He didn’t do well in the first game and suffered for it. He has a 7 inch reach advantage and should use his jab when at range. He must do it hard and throw it at a higher rate than in the first match. He had limited success, landing 62 punches. He must keep Usyk at bay and not allow
Let it go inside until you are ready to counter it. Fury should also aim heavily for the body, as an effective body attack will slow Usyk down. The bigger question is: Can Fury go far with the added weight? If he can’t stop Usyk, he may have a hard time defending. The first match was won by a narrow margin and Usyk won by split decision. The judges scored it 115-112, 114-113 for Usyk and 114-113 for Fury. The outcome of this match may end differently as Fury’s adjustments outside the ring are already visible. His concentration, weight and behavior show that he will be much more aggressive in this match. The boast and joy he showed in the first match will be downplayed and he will instead spend his energy seriously hurting Usyk. Usyk must survive the initial storm and make the necessary adjustments to survive Fury’s pressure. The rematch should be as good as the first.
