Oleksandr Usyk could target Tyson Fury’s cut as they prepare to face off on May 18.
Both boxers will compete for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship. The last time boxing fans had an undisputed champion was in 1999. That is when Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield for all the belts. Fury vs Usyk has been rescheduled on two occasions. It was set to go ahead in December last year. However, Fury’s tough win against Francis Ngannou meant it was moved.
The second date was for February 17. But Fury suffered a big cut over his right eye in sparring, preventing the fight from happening. There are question marks over whether the cut will heal in time. Reports stress a cut like that would take around three months to heal, taking that to June. Fury will no doubt have to amend his training methods to avoid damaging the cut. Usyk could target that eye to get the better of Fury. When asked if that would be a strategy, he remained coy, refusing to rule it out.
Usyk On Fury
“My strategy is to win the fight. That’s all. Do I consider the cut as Fury’s weak spot? I don’t know,” Usyk said
Despite this being the case, Roy Jones Jr. has doubts about whether Usyk can trouble Fury due to his power. Usyk is not known for having power since he has moved up to heavyweight. His IQ and footwork make him a tough test. And yet, when he faced Daniel Dubois, the Ukrainian managed to stop him in round nine.
But facing Fury is a different matter. The WBC Heavyweight Champion is six-foot-nine and a lot heavier than Usyk. He had shown in the second and third Deontay Wilder fights that he could use his power/weight to pressure the American before stopping him. Since Wilder could not gain Fury’s respect with his power, there are concerns he will walk Usyk down.
Roy Jones Jr. Reacts
“Usyk is a great tactician, but he’s not all that explosive,” Roy Jones Jr. told Talksport. If he was explosive, it would be a problem. When you are smaller coming up to the big guys, you’ve got to bring explosives to the ring, or they won’t respect you. If he can’t find those explosives before that fight takes place, he will not beat Tyson Fury; I don’t care what they say,” Jones stated
However, Usyk has shown he can deal with bigger heavyweights. He faced Anthony Joshua on two occasions and still managed to outbox him despite the Brit’s attempts to pile on the pressure. Fury also did not look great against Francis Ngannou. The former UFC Heavyweight Champion, who was making his boxing debut, dropped him. While Fury secured a split decision win, it could have been different. Fury must be on his A-game to get the better of Usyk, who will be prepared on fight night.
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