Ignore for a moment Tyson Fury’s insistence that he deserved a decision over Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 — that he’s watched the fight a hundred times, and every time, he sees himself racking up points. Fury might just be A slightly biased observer. It is not a contentious battle.
But it used to be close combat It’s easy to forget because the enduring image is of a 262-pound man hobbling and hobbling. Coming close to a knockout in the long ninth round, Usyk didn’t win much.
With the official ratings coming down to just one point on one card, CompuBox’s stats are similar as well, with Usyk defeating Fury just 13 times in 12 rounds, eliminating the 9th round bash/knockdown. Go, and it’s basically a dead-end fight on the scorecards, on the fight record, and in our collective minds. Of course, we won’t take away any part of the round — it’s all useful — but the point is. There isn’t much that separates Usyk from Fury. Whenever the two heavyweights face each other, every little advantage one has over the other is an advantage. It can make the difference between victory and defeat.
Some edges are clearly visible. For example: Fury is a much bigger guy (that’s okay, this is why they paid me big money), some are more subtle. Some of it is completely counterintuitive. any one can It will be the decider of this Saturday’s competition.
Recently I spoke with a world-class trainer and boxing scene Contributor Stephen “Breadman” Edwards on this fight. And he points out a key advantage. That hasn’t been talked about much yet. Or perhaps not even discussed at all, the one edge Usyk seems to have over Fury — his “secret weapon,” if you will — is his chin.
Usyk was nearly 40 pounds overweight in his first Fury fight and on average punched 26 pounds lighter than his heavyweight opponent, and the human brain is conditioned to assume that At least until evidence to the contrary is greater. A fighter will take the punches of a smaller fighter better than a smaller fighter will take the punches of a larger fighter.
Oleksandr Usyk has presented evidence to the contrary.
“In his fight with Anthony. Joshua and Fury,” Bedman said. “It comes down to something very simple. He can take their punches better than they can take his. Even though he was smaller, I mean, they were both much bigger than him. But his punches had a much greater effect on them than their punches on him. And that is why he was able to separate himself from them. Really? Good chin.”
Usyk has never been officially knocked down in 22 fights, he appears to grumble every now and then. But it never makes a fawn stumble or faint like a palm tree. But he was able to beat Fury from rope to rope until he was knocked down, and he put Daniel Dubois down for a victory count that looked better and better.
And Dubois is a great fighter, as is Joshua, as is Derek Chisora (to a slightly lesser extent), and Usyk can land some of the best shots – at least to the head.
With Usyk, the body is another matter. during the remaining time Whether it was a low blow or a shot from Dubois that took him down, it was going to be the “Jannie or Laurel?” of boxing. Joshua froze Usyk once or twice with punches. according to the body Fury was clearly affecting him by going downstairs until Usyk seized control.
However, Breadman thinks it’s “a bit exaggerated” to say Usyk couldn’t get it to the body.
“I don’t really look at it as a weakness,” Edwards said. “Usyk has his hands raised really high. Your body is the only thing he gives you. He fought like he was still in the amateur system where he was trying to protect himself from other guys who were scoring. He never fought with his hands down. Both of his hands were really tall. So your body is one thing that he gives you. But until he fell or was hit by a bullet. I wouldn’t consider that a weak point. No one likes it on the body. I have never seen anyone with an iron liver or kidney.”
So if Usyk’s unreported advantage is his punch resistance, So what are the key factors in turning it around? What weapons or shortcomings does Fury’s have that can create distance on Saturday?
This isn’t a big secret, but Fury can be a bit of a clown. And everyone was willing to bring that personality into the ring with him. And compared to the little man’s outstanding strength, The loss of energy could be due to Fury turning a victory into a defeat.
“The heavyweights can’t keep up with Usyk,” Edwards said. “In the same way that Fury has good cardio — it’s definitely better than Deontay Wilder’s — but it’s not better than Usyk’s, Usyk runs at a certain pace and is consistent throughout the fight. Then the next thing you know. He will shift into a gear that other heavyweights cannot, so Fury will have to find a way to not keep up with Usyk. Because he won’t have the cardio of a 220-pound man, he’ll have to find a way to slow Usyk down rather than trying to keep up with him.
“But Fury works. a lot of wasted movement He does gyrations and stuff like that. And maybe it’s okay with bigger people. But he can’t do that against someone with Usyk’s agility and agility. He must use his power wisely and find a way to slow Usyk down. Instead of trying to keep up with him.”
From what Fury recently told the Associated Press, it appears he’s partly on the same page as Breadman… and partly in a different library entirely.
“I was more ridiculous[in the first Usyk fight]than anyone in any high-level fight has ever been,” Fury said. “It distracted me as well. So maybe it’s a little less funny and more focused on the actual victory.’I was too busy in there.”
OK, sounds good so far, let’s go, Tyson.
“It wasn’t much of what he did right. I’m more tired than anything else. lack of enthusiasm Do you know what I mean? Throwing punches when I wasn’t thinking about what I was doing. Not because what he did was so great. But what I did was really a mistake.”
We love what we hear. Bring it home, Gypsy King.
“I will throw more this time. Hit him in the face more often than last time.”
Oh good. The second sentence states the desired outcome without any planning. It’s special to make it happen. And that first sentence is the direct opposite of what Breadman thinks Fury needs to do.
In fighting at this level between fiercely competing opponents Every punch has meaning. Each fight that Fury misses is detrimental to him. And even a punch that lands — at least to the head — is a long shot to achieve the desired effect against a surprisingly tough former cruiser.
What does Fury actually have to do to get points? As you remember, he did Great modifications all the time. Fight Wilder in the second fight Fiercely crack down on those who penetrate innocent people. and defy conventional wisdom by defeating attackers. I think he has to defy conventional wisdom like Usyk. The pressure doesn’t bother the champion that much. Fury should look to box the boxer’s legs. (As he did, at various stages in rounds 5, 6, and 7 of the first fight), he would do so without wasting any energy. without making yourself exhausted And can it hold up with its quick hands and versatile 12-round offensive arsenal?
It’s a big question. Includes evidence of the first fight, which narrowly went Usyk’s way. With the feeling that if any man is approaching “last leg” territory after the fight in May, it’s Fury, and you can see why all the sportsbooks are listing Usyk as the favorite.
When they hit the ring on Saturday It might come down again on the small edge, one punch, or one punch. or one key lift
Fury says he learned his lesson from the first fight. But is it too late for the old clown to learn new tricks?
And does it matter if your opponent possesses the one thing that can’t be taught: the ability to pick up everything you can pick up?
Eric Raskin is a boxing journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering the sport for outlets including BoxingScene, ESPN, Grantland, Playboy, Ringside Seat and The Ring (where he was managing editor for seven years). He also co-hosts The HBO Boxing Podcast, Showtime Boxing with Raskin & Mulvaney, The Interim Champion Boxing Podcast with Raskin & Mulvaney, and Ring Theory. He has received three top writing awards from the BWAA for his work with The Ring, Grantland and Outside of HBO boxing, he is the senior editor of Casino Report and author 2014 money making effect– He can be contacted. X or Linkedinor via email at RaskinBoxing@yahoo.com
