Oleksandr Usyk surprised at Tyson Fury’s three options for his December 5th fight

By Boxing News - 10/28/2020 - Comments

By Charles Brun: Oleksandr Usyk says he surprised at the type of opponents that Tyson Fury is considering for the next title defense of his WBC heavyweight strap on December 5th.

The former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs) says that while other top fighters only want to ace the best guys, Fury doesn’t care about the names of his opponents.

Fury focuses on staying active and bringing in the dough, and Usyk says he likes that approach.

What’s unclear is if Usyk is sarcastic with his comments because he comes like he was giving Fury a backhanded compliment by praising him for potentially taking a soft opponent for his December 5th title defense in the UK.

Three possible options for Fury’s December 5th fight:

  • Agit Kabayel
  • Carlos Takam
  • Oscar Rivas

It’s a given that if IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua were to select any of those three as his next opponent, the boxing public would criticize him nonstop, as those are lesser opponents.

Although Joshua did fight Takam in 2017, that was a long time ago. AJ used Takam as a replacement opponent after his then mandatory Kubrat Pulev suffered an arm injury training for the fight.

Usyk surprised about Fury’s candidates

Image: Oleksandr Usyk surprised at Tyson Fury's three options for his December 5th fight

“I am in his head,” said Usyk to IFL TV on Chisora. “Of course,” Usyk said when asked if he wants to fight Anthony Joshua after the Chisora match. “I’m not surprised at the [Fury-Wilder] trilogy not happening.

“I’m more surprised about the opponent for Tyson Fury’s next fight. What’s his name? We need to know who it will be out of those three. Oscar Rivas, Kabayel, and Takam,” said Usyk in naming off the three options that Fury will likely be picking from for his December 5th fight.

Everyone is surprised that Fury is considering fighting Kabayel and Takam, but it’s possible that he’s worried about losing.

With that big payday fight waiting for Fury against Joshua in early 2021, he might have lost his willingness to take risky fights.

Oleksandr wants to be considered for Fury’s next fight

Image: Oleksandr Usyk surprised at Tyson Fury's three options for his December 5th fight

“He’s doing a great job of keeping himself active because some guys consider themselves to be really, really great, and only want to fight the big names,” said Usyk in talking about Fury.

“This guy stays in the ring, and he doesn’t care too much about the name of his opponent. He wants to be active; he wants to fight. If it brings him cash and stays active all the time, it’s great, I think.

“Let him regard myself as well,” said Usyk. When asked if he’s interested in fighting Fury after Chisora, Usyk nodded his head. “I think I will fight both of them. Not the same day but in a row,” Usyk said of Joshua and Fury.

There’s little chance that Fury would pick Usyk out for hisĀ  December 5th fight because he’s too good. The idea behind Fury fighting in December is to face someone that is no risk to him so that he doesn’t blow his payday fight against Joshua.

It is troubling that Fury didn’t stick it out and take the third fight with Deontay Wilder in January.

The fact that Fury was willing to walk away from the millions he would get for a third fight with Deontay, it suggests that he doesn’t want to take chances before his math against Joshua.