Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are scheduled to meet in Riyadh on Saturday for boxing’s undisputed world heavyweight championship, in what will be the first heavyweight encounter in boxing’s ‘four-belt era’. Therefore, it will be a bit of history. A man who holds the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO titles at the same time.
The 35-year-old Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) not only brings the WBC title to this fight, but is widely regarded as the top heavyweight in the sport, at least in his active years, since his 2015 win over Wladimir. has been done. Klitschko is the former leader of a division that has not had a formal king since the turn of the century.
During his tenure as a top star in the weight class and the sport, Fury has faced all kinds of opponents, including the feared puncher Deontay Wilder, the self-proclaimed “Gypsy King” They faced each other in the trilogy with 2 wins, 0 losses, and 1 loss. They faced each other from 2018 to 2021, and after a controversial draw in their first meeting, Wilder was knocked out in the latter two bouts.
Fury has faced tall guys, (relatively) short guys, punchers, up-and-coming newbies, legitimate contenders, and unknown paycheckers. But he has never faced a fighter as skilled as Usyk, the Ukrainian who has been a standout pound-for-pound fighter since winning his first world title as a cruiserweight in 2016.
Fury is listed as 6-foot-9, perhaps closer to 6-foot-7 in real life, and the scales tip between 255 and 280 pounds, but Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) Doesn’t rely on obvious physicality. advantage. Instead, he became unified heavyweight champion simply because he was a great boxer, truly dedicated to his craft and seeking challenges, which unfortunately is rare in the boxing world. That’s true.
One of the great amateurs of his generation, including an Olympic gold medal in 2012, Usyk became the undisputed cruiserweight champion as a pro in 2018. Just a year later, he was testing his mettle as a heavyweight. He has accomplished being a top fighter and not being a cum runner.
Obviously, Fury will have a huge size advantage in Riyadh. Whatever his true height is, he is much taller than Usyk at 6 feet 3 inches. Usyk has weighed only about 220 pounds in his last three fights as a heavyweight, including two wins over Anthony Joshua, who is also a much bigger man.
The boxing adage is “style makes the fight.” Usyk is probably the most skilled man in the heavyweight division today and is a pure boxer like no other, but he is not invincible. He hasn’t beaten any of his opponents at heavyweight, but he’s smoother, smarter, and sharper than anyone he’s ever faced.
And as much as Fury speaks and attracts attention as a polarizing figure, he’s not only big, he’s also a knowledgeable and capable boxer, able to shut the ears of most opponents. person, and that, combined with his size, creates an unbeatable package so far.
Usyk’s questions mainly revolved around height and weight. Fury, for his part, cited his most recent fight, a victory over Francis Ngannou in 2023, in which he struggled more than he should have, considering he was the best heavyweight boxer on the planet. Some wonder if he’s simply past his prime. It’s a fight against a former UFC champion who has never had a boxing match. The fact that Anthony Joshua completely torched Ngannou about five months later added to Fury’s skepticism.
Fury, who was clearly not at his best against Ngannou, should be expected to take Usyk more seriously. Usyk has never been accused of taking any fight lightly. This fight, of course, was the biggest fight of his career and the ultimate goal of his career since the day he turned pro in this sport.
Fury is the favorite, and for good reason. But Usyk is a legitimate threat, and while he may have to be perfect (or close to it) to win here, he’s a guy with the talent and drive to get it done. Even if Fury is the best at this. stage of his own career.
So it’s not just a battle to get the public’s attention through marketing, but what actually happens between the bells. This is nothing new, and these aren’t YouTubers or grandpas weakly rekindling the fire of stardom from days long past. The two best heavyweights in the world will square off for all their marbles on Saturday, and the match may actually be as good and memorable as the salesmanship.
