Tyson Fury believes Moses Itauma would beat Oleksandr Usyk, but is he right?
Fury’s comments were made after Itauma knocked out Dillian Whyte in his last fight in a first-round knockout. While Whyte is 37-years-old, it was still the biggest win of Itauma’s career. Fury’s view is primarily based on the idea that boxing is a “young man’s game.” He points to his own victory over Wladimir Klitschko. An aging champion like Usyk is more vulnerable to the relentless pressure, speed, and power of Itauma.
Usyk is known for his footwork, ring IQ, and volume punching, but he is not a natural heavyweight in terms of size or knockout power. Itauma is a knockout artist. If Itauma can cut off the ring and land clean, heavy shots, Usyk’s defense could be compromised.
While Fury’s “young man’s game” theory has merit, it overlooks the gap in professional experience and elite-level competition. Usyk is an Olympic gold medalist and a former undisputed cruiserweight champion who has successfully transitioned to the heavyweight division, defeating top-tier opponents like Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois and Fury.
Usyk is a master of adapting to his opponents’ styles and frustrating them with his unorthodox movement and angles. Usyk’s southpaw stance would likely neutralize Itauma’s aggressive style, as it did against Fury. Usyk’s experience in long, tactical fights means he has proven stamina and the ability to win rounds even when he’s not landing a decisive knockout blow. Either way, Fury’s view was clear.
“Moses would beat Usyk now” @Tyson_Fury believes Moses Itauma is the real deal pic.twitter.com/xSOeBMQu66
— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) August 17, 2025
“Boxing is a young man’s game like I told Wladimir Klitschko when he was 37. It’s a young man’s game and it waits for nobody. Moses Itauma will wreck all those old men out of the division: Usyk, AJ [Anthony Joshua], [Jarrell] Miller. Whoever is old; [Zhilei] Zhang, Luis Ortiz. All these big names of the past are all a spent force. Even the world champion now, who they gave my belts to, Usyk, Moses will wreck him because it’s a young man versus an old man and old men can’t mess with young men,” Fury said
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