24 years since the last Heavyweight Championship Unification, the brash and unorthodox Tyson Fury will take on Ukrainian southpaw technician Oleksandr Usyk for the biggest prize in boxing. Given the impressive record each man boasts – with not a single defeat between them – the boxing community is just as split as the betting lines. We asked our forum members to give us their prediction.
Inoue
Usyk on a close decision. I think if Fury still had his legs he would be able to make this fight easy but dull by smothering Usyk any time he got rhythm going. I think early on the fight will be cagey but fury will edge it as he is good at fiddling close rounds; in the mid rounds I expect fury will look like he’s taking over but in reality it’ll be his last stand, and down the stretch as always Usyk will step it up and close out with a dominant last few rounds. I think it’ll be a fair 7-5 to Usyk.
Khaiser
Fury edges a controversial and scrappy win. Tentative fight where both are cautious. fury boxing in the outside and Usyk trying to counter. Fury fucks off and nobody misses him.
Addie
Fury by late stoppage. Too big, too strong. Posters here will be in absolute bits and rationalize the result by suggesting Usyk was past his prime.
One to Watch
Fury stoppage. He comes to box at distance but gets caught too often with smart movement and countering from Usyk. He resorts to staying inside. He makes it messy but behind on the cards breaks Usyk down with his weight and thudding shots in close.
El Jefe
Usyk outclasses and comprehensively beats up Tyson Fury to a comfortable points decision or late stoppage. Fury will have his moments but will hit the deck twice and be bloodied in a blouse and skirt beating. Usyk’s constant pressure will have Fury breathing out of his ass from round 7 onwards..
NSFW
Usyk starts slow and takes a few shots. Fury starts even slower and takes a few shots. Usyk tries to change things up around round three but gets tagged a couple of lazy punches. Mid-fight Usyk has a a little lead but decides to quit once Fury catches him a few more times.
Chatty
Usyk on points. Scrappy affair as both boxers are hesitant and risk averse, neither wanting to give ground at the expense of their own offence. Usyk looks to use movement, keeping his distance and land flurries of punches, when he decides to venture on the inside. Fury boxes hard behind the jab and looks to clinch when Usyk gets close, he starts to push forward more from the halfway mark. Ends up somewhat reminiscent of Wlad V Haye, only Usyk doesn’t play dead and has more success, scraping it on the cards but leaving fans arguing each side as the winner.
Marlow
A good but noticeably past prime Usyk does enough to take a close decision over Fury. The judges however score it to Fury and the post fight talk moves towards AJ-Fury.
Cork City UCD
Fury dazzles in the early rounds with his slick backfoot tactics, making it appear effortless as he outmaneuvers Usyk and controls the pace. However, Usyk remains composed, gradually finding his way through Fury’s elusive strategy through mastery of footwork.
As the fight progresses, Fury’s decision to shift to a more aggressive stance in the center of the ring backfires, as Usyk’s perpetual motion and cleaner technique start to wear him down.
Sensing his opportunity, Usyk turns on the offence and begins landing punches from angles Fury can’t defend, overwhelming an exhausted GK and the Ukrainian ends it in similar fashion as he did Bellew.
Sledgehammer
Fury starts off with his fancy footwork and Usyk fails to land anything meaningful for the first few rounds.
Fury goes aggressive and decks Usyk with a nice body shot which makes him complain like a fanny that it was low, but no dodgy ref here to save the day.
Usyk gets up and gets back into the fight as Fury tires.
However its not enough, and Fury’s gypsy grabbing wears him down setting up a big KO in the late rounds.
Strike
I feel torn as Fury looked appalling last time and Usyk is definitely the most skilled he has faced, BUT I think Usyk is clearly vulnerable to the body and Fury tends to fight to his opponent’s level or perceived level.
I think Fury is going to maul him, dig to the body, and look much better on the outside than he did last time. I think he stops Usyk late but I hope I’m completely wrong and that Usyk lights him up and wins.
SJS
Over 3 fights, Wilder and Fury took something from each other that they’ll never be able to get back. Usyk wins on points, and hurts Fury along the way.
Chacal
Usyk closes the distance faster than we have seen. Fury gets cornered on the backfoot and outstruck on the inside. Usyk fights through hell and has Fury flagging down the stretch. Usyk dominates the last 4 rounds to win on points.
Overlogging
My hunch is Fury’s scumbag celeb lifestyle has caught up with him.
Usyk UD in a horribly metronomic 12 rounds.
Jeff J
I see Fury winning a decision, I’m just not quite sure how.
Up until yesterday I thought Fury would try to make it ugly early; lean on Uysk and make him tire out. Now I’m thinking he’ll stay at range and use the jab as often as possible to keep Uysk at bay. Then he’ll hold as soon as Uysk gets close. Kind of the Wlad paw and grab strategy.
Glenmax 777
Usyk with a late stoppage. Fury to start well, back with a million feints and loads of movement but then his lifestyle catches up and he gases half way.
Stone Rose
Big long time fan of Fury but have always seen this as a very close fight due to Usyk being so good . That last Fury performance has got me thinking Usyk will befuddle Fury and win on points fairly clearly . I have doubted Fury before and he’s come good every time but Usyk is a bit special and if Fury has declined at all there’s nowhere for him to hide. Heart Fury head Usyk and mostly hoping for a good fight .
Bad to the Bone
If ever there was a pick ’em fight it’s this one and the version of each that turns up will obviously play a big part in deciding the outcome. Logically, Fury will play to his strengths by trying to keep it long and then clinch and lean on Usyk when Usyk does manage to get inside. Usyk will probably rely on angles, deception and work rate to enable him to inflict damage at his own range and wear Fury down. The safer prediction is Usyk because of Fury’s recent form and propensity to bleed but the best version of Fury wins and I’m betting on that one turning up and winning on the cards.
Steve
Fury dominates with jab and uses his weight to tire Usyk for 8 rounds. Goes for the KO from round 9 on and gets it by the end of the 11th.
