CHAMPIONS CORNER: USYK VS. FURY 2
styles. If I lean towards Tyson Fury this time, [the key will be to] keep your height and reach. I understand Usyk is left-handed, he moves around, he’s smaller, he’s got an advantage with his movement and how he attacks when he comes in. It was close last time, very close. Fury thought he won, but they gave it to Usyk. I see it the same way. “Neither of them are punchers. You can get knocked out – they’re heavyweights – but it’s not like they’re the main punchers. This is a 12-round fight. At the end of the day, it’s two great, talented guys and [the winner will be determined by] who’s going to execute the right game plan. To me, Fury [should focus on] the height, reach and distance. How’s he getting hit? I don’t understand. He’s 6-feet- 9! With the advantages you have, use ’em! If I’m 6-9 in the ring, you’re not hitting me! “Usyk, on the other hand, [he should] do what he did last time. The movement threw Fury off; he would move outside and then come right in and throw and get his shots off, and he’s left-handed, so it’s difficult [to fight him]. “That’s the kind of fight where it’s a chess match; it’s a mind game through the whole 12 rounds. Not where we’re expecting someone to get cracked like Deontay Wilder, boom, and knock ’em out. This is going 12 rounds again. It’s two tactical guys in the ring who are trying to out-think each other. This is a mind game more than a muscle and bully type fight. “I’m leaning towards Usyk again. When you’re a smaller guy coming up, you know what to do, what to think about in the ring. [How is] Fury going to come this time? Is he going to use his weight more, try to bully and be the big guy? [Or will he] sit back and box and go 12 rounds and make it kind of boring? “Many heavyweights going through their amateur [career] rarely see a southpaw, and when you turn pro, you never see a southpaw. And then one shows up – and a good one. Not a
regular southpaw that can fight – we’re talking an Olympic gold medalist. [Usyk is] the goods. He dominated at amateur, dominated as a cruiserweight, dominated as a heavyweight. You’re not messing with a guy who doesn’t know how to adjust in fights. He’s smaller and more agile and he’s fighting against a guy who’s not a big puncher, so it’s not like he has a whole lot of threat coming at him with the hardness of punches. He can step off the pedal and take chances, knowing [he] may get hurt a little bit but not knocked out or stretched. “It’s going to be a great fight. It’s going to be an intense fight and the kind of fight I love.”
HASIM RAHMAN IBF/WBA/WBC (2001) WBC (2005-06)
“I think Usyk knows what he can do. [Fury] felt his power and [Usyk] knows he can hurt him, and I feel like he can go after him a little quicker now. I think he probably could have and should have got the knockout in the last fight. I personally believe Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder ruined each other so bad that it’s pretty much over for them. I think they took too much out of each other. “I predicted the first fight also. I just think Usyk is too skilled, and now he knows he can hurt Tyson. Tyson didn’t really hurt Usyk in the fight. Usyk understands he can hurt Tyson, and this time I feel like when he drops him he’s going to finish him. My prediction is Usyk by seventh-round knockout.” Result: Usyk wins by KO 7
Result: Usyk wins on points
WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO
WBO (2000-03) IBF (2006-15) WBO (2008-15) RING (2009-15) WBA (2011-15) “Tyson Fury has shown in the past that indeed he has good boxing skills and outstanding mobility for his size. When facing former cruiserweight champs like Steve Cunningham or Oleksandr Usyk, for some weird reason that mobility turned into a chicken dance. “I do believe that Tyson Fury’s motivation to bounce back and be champ again will be at its highest level, but he can’t train his chin. I believe that after just one punch, he will be looking for his pillow and binky. Usyk all the way, again! If my prediction is wrong, then I’ll be back for my last dance.” Result: Usyk wins
LAMON BREWSTER WBO (2004-2006) “I think Usyk has the mental and psychological edge. I believe that the wars Fury has had may have taken too much out of him. Every time that a fighter has a tough fight, we start to lose a little or a lot of our will
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