On May 18th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO champion Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) and WBC titleholder Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) will vie for the undisputed world heavyweight championship (over 200 lbs).
Former Usyk opponent Tony Bellew (30-3-1, 20 KOs) commented on the upcoming fight, asserting that Fury’s only advantage is his size.
"I think Tyson Fury had a better chance to beat him when he was with his uncle Peter Fury because that’s when he was unorthodox, big, an awkward fighter who used his size to his advantage. Now, he’s a fighter who likes to press opponents and look for knockouts under the brilliant guidance of SugarHill Steward. He's a different fighter now; he's looking for a knockout opportunity, and that’s music to Oleksandr Usyk’s ears.
Don't get me wrong, there's another side to this coin. Tyson Fury can be at his best, might be too heavy, but in my view and from my experience, Oleksandr Usyk will win on points. We have to put this into context: if Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury were the same size – this fight wouldn’t even be a topic of discussion," said Bellew.
Tony Bellew faced Oleksandr Usyk in November 2018 in a fight for the undisputed cruiserweight world championship (up to 200 lbs) and lost by technical knockout. Soon after, the Brit announced his retirement from professional boxing.