Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 predictions roundtable: Will Fury get his revenge?

Oleksandr Usyk made historical past in his first combat with Tyson Fury. Now all he has to do is do it once more.

No fighter had ever handed Fury a loss earlier than (sorry, Francis Ngannou), however that’s precisely what Usyk did this previous Might when he went 12 thrilling rounds with Fury, practically ending him within the ninth earlier than finally successful a choice within the eyes of two of the three judges. Identical to that, Usyk—already the undisputed champion at cruiserweight—was now boxing’s undisputed heavyweight king.

A rematch was booked virtually instantly and we at the moment are lower than a day away from seeing two of the perfect fighters on the planet run it again. Will Usyk shut the door on this rivalry for good or does Fury capitalize on his probability for revenge (and certain arrange a trilogy bout)?

MMA Preventing’s Mike Heck, Damon Marin, and Alexander Ok. Lee placed on their prognosticating goggles and make their picks for who leaves Saudi Arabia with the heavyweight crown.

Heck: I believe we’re taking a journey to Trilogy City, gents!

The primary combat between Usyk and Fury was an absolute traditional. Each males seemed nice at moments within the matchup, however Fury realized a worthwhile lesson that he’ll probably always remember — don’t fiddle with a man like Usyk, as a result of he’ll make you pay. Skillwise, Fury has the entire intangibles to win this combat — however between the ears is the place the distinction might be made.

Whereas most haven’t beloved the short-answered temperament from Fury this week, I completely do. I believed the open exercise dismissing was large, the post-“exercise” interview was completely hilarious, and the truth that John Fury—who has a knack of taking the highlight off his kids’s fights and placing it on himself—won’t be in Fury’s nook is smart decision-making throughout the board.

Fury understands what’s at stake right here. He’s preventing an elite boxer, a two-division undisputed champion, and a man who harm him very badly of their first assembly in Might. Fury was capable of finding a number of success in his loss in opposition to Usyk, and I believe he was that components, together with the established measurement and attain benefit, plus, having a small crew in his nook telling him what he wants to listen to might be enormous. In one other spectacular affair, give me “The Gypsy King” to even the collection.

Choose: Fury through resolution

Photograph by Richard Pelham/Getty Photographs

Martin: If not for the referee making a colossal mistake within the first combat, Usyk could be coming into this rematch in opposition to Tyson Fury with a knockout win on his file. Usyk had Fury wobbled and reeling late within the combat and the referee inexplicably determined to provide The Gypsy King a standing eight-count fairly than simply waving the combat off. Whereas Fury managed to seek out success in different rounds, Usyk’s skill to get inside his attain and harm him repeatedly all through the combat made the distinction.

I don’t anticipate the rematch to play out a lot in a different way.

Usyk is the higher boxer and he’s been persistently nice over the previous few years. His velocity, motion, and quantity punching have given loads of greater opponents issues and it’s troublesome to think about Fury having the ability to change that a lot over the previous six months to negate these benefits. Whereas Fury discovered rather more success in his rematches with Deontay Wilder, Usyk is a vastly superior fighter to the knockout artist from the US.

The one factor that may get Usyk in bother goes for the kill when Fury isn’t fairly lifeless but and that might probably backfire. Outdoors of that distant risk, Usyk may win in much more lopsided style this time round and truly get the prospect to ship a knockout as long as the referee doesn’t discover a technique to screw it up once more.

The most important drawback Usyk faces is what occurs after this combat as a result of he’s already run roughshod over virtually each different viable challenger within the division (a few of them twice. Hey, Anthony Joshua!) However that’s a query to be answered one other day.

Choose: Usyk through knockout in Spherical 9

Photograph by Richard Pelham/Getty Photographs

Lee: Rewatching the primary combat, it’s clear that Fury has a number of work to do to shut the hole between him and Usyk. When Usyk superior, Fury had little to supply in the best way of counters, his jab scored however did little to stifle Usyk’s aggression, and even his dependable clinch recreation wasn’t current sufficient to affect the combat. All Fury had was quantity and that didn’t matter a lot with Usyk closing the gap and scoring persistently inside.

Fury’s uppercut might be key within the rematch, as a result of if he can suss out Usyk’s timing, there are enormous alternatives for him to wreck Usyk and throw off his rhythm, one thing he did not do in Might. When Fury let his palms go, he had success, although he additionally discovered himself in peril as a result of Usyk is as correct as they arrive even when it seems to be just like the motion is breaking down right into a brawl. Let’s see how nicely Fury does if he can arrange his jab to manage distance and his uppercut to combat fireplace with fireplace when Usyk will get in his face.

Usyk is definitely at a slight drawback as a result of he not solely gained the primary combat, he got here as shut as anybody to placing Fury away inside the gap. He can’t be overeager simply because he appears like writing the referee’s improper, so how he approaches a possible end is simply as vital as how he will get to that time. Fury may have loads of respect for Usyk’s punching energy this time round, if he didn’t already.

I scored the primary combat for Usyk by a slim margin, 114-113, and whereas we may see one other shut contest, I’m really leaning in the direction of a re-focused Fury delivering on his promise to harm Usyk. No judges wanted this time, it’s Fury inside the gap.

Choose: Fury through knockout in Spherical 10