Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk says he’s going to be punching Tyson Fury’s “big belly” many times when the two fight for the undisputed championship. Usyk states that he’s not afraid of Fury.
In an interview with The Overlap today, IBF/WBA/WBO champion Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) made it clear that he and WBC champ Fury need this fight because it’s been 30 years since the titles have been held by one person.
At this point, it’s still up in the air if the Usyk-Fury fight will get made because the perception is Fury could negotiate himself out of the match as he did with Anthony Joshua last year.
There’s talk that Fury blew the deal to have the Usyk fight staged in Saudi Arabia by asking for too much money from the Saudis, leaving the two fighters having to go to the UK and potentially making less.
Usyk is totally unafraid of Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) and doesn’t seem worried about giving away so much size to the big 6’9″ British fighter.
The style that Fury has been using to win fights lately, which involves a lot of clinching & leaning, might not work against Usyk.
If Fury no longer has the mobility that he once did due to his advancing age and all the weight that he’s packed on in the last eight years, he could be in trouble against the more mobile, better-conditioned Usyk.
“Tyson Fury is ‘big belly.’ Yes, of course, every time,” said Oleksandr Usyk to The Overlap when asked if he plans on punching Tyson Fury’s big belly.
“I’m not afraid of Tyson Fury. I watch, ‘Bla-bla-bla. You rabbit. Bla-bla-bla,’ and then the camera’s off, ‘Good luck.’ Crazy.
“This will be like any other fight. It’s just a big man who has never lost before against a man who has the WBC belt.
“I just need this fight, and that’s it. I think he needs it to. This fight is very important for both of us because all belts haven’t been held by one person for 30 years in the heavyweight division. So both of us need this fight.
“There will be changes in the strategy for this fight, but I’ll continue to prepare in the same way. He’s big and tall. So his combinations and boxing style will be different.
“I will gain the necessary weight to do my job properly. Yes, of course, he has a different style,” said Usyk when asked if Fury will be more difficult for him than Anthony Joshua was.
“Fury is more audacious. For me, no problem.
