Mike CoppingerESPN
Oleksandr Usyk once again proved he is arguably one of the best fighters in the world with a gutsy victory over Anthony Joshua on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to retain his three heavyweight titles. Now, he’s just one belt away from being called the undisputed heavyweight champion — a title no one has ever held in the four-belt era. That last leash, of course, is held by Tyson Fury, whose on-again, off-again retirement claims seem to be a rite of passage for top fighters. Fury has long called for a top heavyweight meeting for all four belts, and was set to meet Joshua for the undisputed title last August before a decision forced a third fight with Deontay Wilder. But a month before Fury scored his second consecutive KO, Joshua was upset by mandatory challenger Usyk, sending plans for the undisputed title fight up in smoke. 2 Related While Joshua prepared for the rematch against Usyk, Fury defeated Dillian Whyte in April and promptly announced his retirement. But earlier this month, in a surprise to absolutely no one, Fury claimed he would end his retirement with a third fight against Derek Chisora. Of course, this is a bout of minimal interest, and Fury quickly dismissed the potential bout as “retiring.” Usyk left little doubt about his intentions after defeating Joshua, standing in the middle of the ring and taking his shot. “I’m sure Tyson Fury hasn’t retired yet,” Usyk (20-0 13 KOs) said in the ring after the fight. “I’m sure. I’m convinced he wants to fight me. I want to fight him. And if I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.” Sure enough, Fury responded minutes later in an Instagram video. “I’m going to take them both out on the same night,” he said, referring to Usyk and Joshua. “Get out your checkbook because ‘The Gypsy King’ is here to stay!” And that’s all music to the ears of boxing fans, who have long relished the chance to see Usyk tested against a much bigger man at the same level of boxing ability. Sure, Joshua is a big man at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, but Fury is 6-foot-9, 270-plus pounds and has the kind of punch and footwork that separates him from compatriot Joshua and most other fighters. in the sport. “I want to fight him. And if I don’t fight Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.” Oleksandr Usyk Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) came out on top in the rematch after nearly stopping Usyk, 35, in the first meeting in September. But Joshua is not a fluid, natural boxer like Usyk. Fury is, of course, and a clash between the two for the four heavyweight belts is a monster sporting event. It is the type of event that boxing very rarely offers. Fury promoter Bob Arum told ESPN’s Mark Kriegel on Saturday that Usyk-Fury “won’t be hard to do” and that the purse split should be 50-50. Perhaps only the second part is true, because the longer the boxing match, the tougher the negotiations. But this fight has too much meaning — and dollars — to fall by the wayside. It’s a fight the Saudis have long eyed for December, and just last year, they were willing to shell out around $155 million for an undisputed title fight between Fury and Joshua. The long-awaited Fury-Joshua fight may never materialize now, but the consolation prize in this case is something better anyway. Usyk’s use of angles, movement and educated jab have made him a puzzle that no opponent has been able to solve. He even showed in two fights against Joshua that despite weighing just 220 pounds, he has enough pop in his shots to do enough damage.
Punch Stats
PunchesUsykJoshuaTotal landed170124Total thrown712492Percent24%25%Jabs landed3923Jabs thrown397312Percent10%11%Power landed131101Power drop315280Percent42%36%-u Courtes The way the Ukrainian was able to survive Round 9 — when Joshua hurtled him to the body and sent him reeling in the ropes — proved that Usyk possesses the toughness needed to defeat Fury. He rallied with an even more dominant Round 10, and also showed the puncture resistance necessary to withstand the most dangerous shots. Of course, there was never any question about Usyk’s character. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Usyk quickly took up arms in a ground defense battalion and served as a beacon of hope for those watching his fight at home after arranging for it to be televised for free. Inside the ring, Usyk has proven to be just as courageous. He conquered the 200-pound division before settling in as an underdog against Joshua in just his third fight at heavyweight. So far, he has not met his match. Putting it all together against the Fury figures to be Usyk’s ultimate challenge. And while he wasn’t considered a puncher earlier in his career, that reputation changed after Fury scored two devastating KOs of Wilder. The 34-year-old Englishman can switch positions seamlessly and his jab is one of the best in boxing. Unlike Joshua, Fury is much more adept at imposing his superior size on foes. Fury has bullied Wilder in his last two fights, leaning on him in the clinch and pushing him against the ropes, forcing his opponent to face all of his 270 pounds. That seems to be the recipe for success against Usyk… if there is one. And no one is better equipped than Fury. Fury is ESPN’s No. 1 ranked heavyweight and No. 5 pound-for-pound. Usyk is one place behind him in both rankings. Now, the boxing business has to make sure it doesn’t get their way. This is a fight to watch.
