By Charles Brun: George Groves says he thinks Oleksandr Usyk will beat Tyson Fury if that fight happens next. Groves feels that the 35-year-old Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) has been too inactive since his second victory over Deontay Wilder two years ago in 2021.
Usyk has the mobility, boxing IQ, and speed to neutralize everything that Furry does inside the ring. Groves sees Usyk as being all wrong for Fury’s low, mauling type of style, which requires that his opponents be stationary so that he can use his 270+ lb bulk to lean on them.
Fury has been reveling in the second win over the 6’7″ Deontay and on an extended victory parade. It’s as if Fury is still on a high since that win and has not been willing to get back to work against quality opposition.
Still, on his victory parade, Fury has checked out of the sport mentally and has shown no interest in continuing to fight his best. As an example of that, his next fight is against Francis Ngannou.
Tyson Fury has lost his ambition
Fury is basically finished and will likely cash out against Usyk if the Saudis give him a boatload of money to fight him next January.
Tyson’s only two fights since then have been against lower-level fighters Dereck Chisora & Dillian Whyte, and neither of those guys is top-tier. You throw those journeymen guys in with a quality fighter like Filip Hrgovic, Arslanbek Makhmudov, or Bakhodir Jalolov, and they’d be torn apart in a couple of rounds.
Carl Froch: “His team will appeal the decision. He might get a rematch depending on what mood the governing bodies are in, but they’ll look at whatever’s going to make them the most money and who’s next for Usyk,” said Froch to talkSPORT Boxing on whether Daniel Dubois will get a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
“If Tyson Fury decides that that fight is going to happen, Dubois has got no chance in that rematch happening. If it makes money for the governing body, and if it makes money for anybody, it makes sense.
“How big of a loss is that for Dubois? Let’s say the rematch doesn’t happen. There’s no rematch clause for the fight, so unless he gets his own win with the appeal. Where does he go? Where does his future lie if this rematch doesn’t happen?”
George Groves: “He’s [Dubois] got time on his side. If you look at the other guys in the division, they’ve got almost ten years on him. Fury, Usyk, and Joshua are not going to be around forever. So they might only have a few more years in the game.”
Froch: “They’re all in their mid-30s, cracking on towards the end of their careers, and Dubois is 26 or around that age. I think he could be the future of the sport. Even Joe Joyce is in his late 30s. All of them, really. He’s in a rematch with Zhilei Zhang next week.
“I don’t think a fight with Joe Joyce would be a wise move for him [Dubois]. I’d like to see him in a couple of steady fights to build his confidence back, and I think he could come again.”
Groves: “I don’t see why he couldn’t come again. It’s another loss, another stoppage loss, but heavyweights they live forever; they go on forever. So to not ruin him, you want to match him correctly from here on in, and he might peak in three year’s time, and in three years, the heavyweight scene might look totally different.”
Froch: “So, let’s just say there’s no rematch for Dubois. Who does Usyk fight next? Is it the big Fury fight that we all want to see? Filip Hrgovic is the mandatory for the IBF. At 36 years old, how many fights does he [Usyk] have next? I think he only has two or a maximum of three fights left. I want to see him fight Tyson Fury.”
Usyk beats Fury
Groves: “Yeah, I’d like to see him fight Tyson Fury; I think he beats Tyson Fury. I think Usyk is the best heavyweight in the world right now.”
Froch: “You think he beats Tyson Fury? Do you just think he beats Tyson Fury, as simple as that?”
Groves: “Well, it won’t be an easy fight for him, but I think he’ll have the ability, the boxing IQ, the athleticism, and cope with Fury’s mind games. Everything else Tyson Fury has had has always been a major attribute for him that Usyk has seen before and can cope with.
“He’s [Usyk] always had to travel and been the away fighter, and he’s always won. Fury hasn’t boxed regularly as of late since the Wilder win, which was a few years ago now. They’re great fights to watch, but he hasn’t really been challenging, and it’s not necessarily his fault.”
Froch: “I still think he’s at the top of his game. I think it’s a little bit difficult to get that weight off before he jumps in the ring. He holds that fat around his belly and his love handles.
“A fight against Usyk wouldn’t be easy for Tyson Fury, but I think he dominates the fight. I think he keeps him at range and out-muscles him and out-sizes him and leans on him. I don’t think Usyk will be able to get anything going.
“Do you see Usyk out-boxing Tyson Fury, peppering him with that jab and getting in range and still being able to land shots without Tyson Fury mauling him and leaning on and sort of bullying him out of it?”
