Tim Tszyu picking Oleksandr Usyk to defeat Tyson Fury

By Boxing News - 12/22/2022 - Comments

By Charles Brun: Tim Tszyu is picking Oleksandr Usyk to defeat Tyson Fury in their undisputed heavyweight championship early next year.

Tszyu says IBF, WBA & WBC champion Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) has the “style” to give anyone issues, particularly the 6’9″ Fury, whose game has become utterly predictable.

With Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) a VERY old-looking 34, he’s visibly slowed down, and now his fighting style involves him throwing single punches, then falling forward to clinch & lean with all his weight on his opponents to wear them down.

It’s so ugly to watch, especially when you remember how Fury used to fight when he was younger. The years have not been kind to Fury.

It’s like a simple cooking recipe that Fury repeatedly uses without any variations to it. I hate to say it, but the only variation Fury has of his punch & grab style is the rabbit punching that he adds for a bit of spice.

“You know what? I’m picking Usyk as well in the upset. His style gives a lot of people trouble, and it’s not always the bigger man wins,” said Tim Tszyu to ESNEWS, picking IBF, WBA & WBC heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk to defeat the taller & much heavier WBC champ Tyson Fury.

“He’s proven that plenty of times,” Tszyu said about the unbeaten Usyk. “He’s got the skills to beat anyone. He’s fought everywhere, he’s fought in Russia. He’s a monster. He’s slick,” said Tszyu about Fury.

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Unfortunately, it’s not just the leaning that Usyk has to worry about against Fury. It’s the rabbit punching and the holding & hitting. If Usyk can’t find a way to combat the rabbit shots, it won’t matter that he avoids the leaning from Fury.

You go back and watch those textbook rabbit shots that Fury incapacitated Deontay Wilder with in their second fight, it was clear that he never stood a chance.

For Wilder to have had a shot at winning that fight, he would have needed to get in the mud with Fury and fire back with rabbit shots from the get-go.

For Usyk to defeat Fury, he’ll need to stay on the move for the entire 12 rounds because the big grizzly bear-like Tyson will weaken him rapidly with his leaning. If the leaning doesn’t do a number on Usyk, the punches behind the head surely will.