The quicker we all move on from last night’s hard to watch spectacle that was masquerading as a world heavyweight title fight, the better. It was, as almost everyone had predicted, a mismatch, a pretty gross one at that. Tyson Fury and the far too brave for his own good Derek Chisora fought their needless trilogy fight and Fury won every round. Very much a repeat of the second fight Fury and Chisora had, this in 2014, last night’s fight saw Fury dominate as Chisora, refusing to quit, took punishment.
It was awful, as advertised. So Fury does move on, we all hope into a genuinely anticipated fight with rival heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk. Fans saw the way the unflappable Ukrainian dealt with Fury’s post-fight bluster, with Usyk going face-to-face with Fury and being pretty emotionless as Fury taunted him (Usyk even taking a phone call at the time). Usyk wants the fight next and, as he said when speaking at the post-fight presser, Fury wants it also.
Fury says he will actually fight Usyk AND Joe Joyce next year, in what he describes as a “Clash of the Titans” year. Frank Warren said that 2023 could be “the biggest year ever for heavyweight boxing in this country.” Fury says he respects Usyk and his achievements, but that Joyce is the bigger threat to him.
“Let’s give the fans one champion, one name, one face,” Fury said in borrowing a line from his old foe Deontay Wilder. “Usyk’s up for the challenge, he came over tonight. Fair play to him. He’s not an easy boxer to figure out, he’s a slick southpaw mover. So I’m really looking forward to the challenge. But for whatever reason, sometimes the big fights sometimes don’t happen, for whatever reason. I’ve got a good feeling this one’s gonna happen, but if it doesn’t, then we’ll have Joe Joyce at Wembley. But providing the Usyk fight does happen, then I’ll do him and then have Joe Joyce as well at Wembley.”
We fans would be happy seeing one of these two fights take place, let alone both of them. But can Fury beat Usyk? Fury insists he can and will defeat Usyk, and he says Joyce is a tougher fight for him.
“People ask me, who is the tougher fight, Usyk or Joyce. In my opinion, Usyk’s the slicker boxer, but Joe Joyce is the juggernaut,” Fury said. “I think Joe gives me a tougher fight than Usyk – 100 percent. Big Joe, 6’7” and 19-and-a-half stone, like a juggernaut coming forward at me, trying to smash me to pieces. Or Usyk, trying to steal a jab, running round the ring, trying to nick a point here and there. Usyk’s a very good fighter, I’m not gonna take anything away from him, but I think I do a job on him. I can’t just think it – I wanna prove it.”
So, will it happen: Fury Vs. Usyk? Next, maybe in the Middle East? For all the belts or for all the belts barring the IBF title? As Fury says – and let’s hope he was giving us all his true feelings last night – let’s get it on.