Teddy Atlas Says Tyson Fury Style May Let Makhmudov Last Longer

Atlas says Fury’s pacing and clinching could allow Arslanbek Makhmudov to go deeper into the fight than expected

Tyson Fury is expected to control his return bout against Arslanbek Makhmudov this Saturday, but Teddy Atlas believes the way Fury fights could allow the contest to run longer than anticipated.

Atlas pointed to Fury’s tendency to slow down, which can give opponents time to recover even when he is in command of the action.

“I could see where there could be just sporadic offense, inconsistent offense, and in that way, seconds tick off the clock and rounds go by,” Atlas said on his channel.

If Fury’s sporadic offense, as Teddy Atlas predicted, leaves openings, Makhmudov only needs to land one of those big shots to change the trajectory of the fight.

Fury’s defensive rest mechanic of leaning his 270+ lb frame on opponents to sap their energy relies on him being the physically dominant force in the clinch.

Makhmudov is a naturally powerful, thick heavyweight. Unlike a smaller, more mobile fighter like Usyk, Makhmudov might actually welcome the close-quarters contact. If Fury tries to lean, he might find himself in a wrestling match that drains his own gas tank more than his opponent’s.

If Fury can’t use those clinches to buy time, he’s forced to use his legs and jab at a high frequency. At 37, and coming off a brief retirement, it’s a fair question whether he still has the engine to go 100% for 12 rounds without those breaks.

The bon vivant lifestyle and the physical toll of his career are the biggest questions hanging over Tyson Fury right now.

When a fighter has $100 million in the bank, a fleet of supercars, and a family safe in a mansion, finding the dark place required to beat a hungry, heavy-handed Russian who views this as his one and only shot at the big time is a massive psychological hurdle.

History is littered with champions who thought they could just turn it back on against a dangerous contender, only to find the fire has dimmed.

In your 20s, you can get away with a chaotic lifestyle. At 37, after a year of retirement and living the bon vivant life, the split-second timing required to avoid a Makhmudov overhand right might be gone. If that timing is off by even an inch, the Wilder tax starts to come due.