We are just a few days away from witnessing one of the biggest boxing events of the year when Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will face each other in one of the most important rematches in boxing. The last these two faced each other was on May 18, it was a fierce battle where both boxers gave their all. However, the Ukrainian won the fight to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era.
On December 21, a crowd of 26,000 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, along with boxing fans worldwide, will witness these two titans clash in the ring once more. Experts and legends of the game have been trying to predict this fight, failing to find a clear winner. Former IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter also jumped into the discussion as he predicted Fury’s fate in the rematch.
Tyson Fury will have the upper hand
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In a conversation with FightHubTv, Porter predicted, “I think it’s Tyson Fury’s fight to lose,” claiming the Manchester native can determine the outcome of the battle. According to the Akron native, Tyson Fury had the upper hand in their first fight. “He was bigger, he was stronger, he was sharper from the outside, a lot of things than Usyk,” stated Porter.
The former welterweight champion further claimed that it was Fury’s carelessness that lost him the fight. “I think he had a moment where he got complacent and he paid for it by losing the fight.” During the first few rounds, the Manchester native was in control of the fight. He was showboating and appeared overly confident while taunting Usyk. However, a sudden right from Usyk in the eighth round took Fury by surprise. A knock that he was not able to come back from.
Experts have also claimed that The Gypsy King was not completely prepared to face a disciplined fighter like Usyk. Porter exclaimed, “He lost it, the complete second half of the fight, including the KO of course,” referring to the ninth-round knockdown by Usyk that completely changed the match.
Since the fight, Tyson Fury has been in a different avatar, showing more intensity than ever. He looks completely focused on the fight. He is ready to avenge his first-ever loss, and according to Porter, if he doesn’t get complacent, he will edge out this encounter. However, Porter is also aware of the greatness of Oleksandr Usyk, which makes it typically hard to predict this fight straightforwardly.
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Oleksandr Usyk: The Greatest
While declaring Tyson Fury as the favorite, Porter also made it evident that he “cannot ignore is two things—the greatness of Oleksandr Usyk and the wars and the mileage on Tyson Fury.” The Ukrainian fighter is one of the greatest boxers the world has ever seen. He has proven himself across several weight categories and has held undisputed championships at both cruiserweight and heavyweight. He is truly one of the best pound-for-pound boxers of all time.
On the other hand, the substance abuse that Tyson Fury has gone through has definitely affected his body. His recovery is an inspiration to everyone around the world. However, at 36 years old, it is a dangerous road, even though Usyk in older than Fury in that regard.
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Porter further explained, “That mileage that we can’t really, we can’t measure and the greatness of Usyk, we can’t measure that as well. So, I think the first fight, we knew was 50-50. It was really a 50-50 fight, same thing with the second one,” claiming that it would be another intense bout. Despite it being too close to call, the American boxer was “willing to bet that Tyson Fury wins this one.”
What do you think about the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk 2? Do you think The Gypsy King will avenge his loss? Let us know your thoughts down below.