Klitschko: «I Don’t Rule Out Dirty Tactics from Fury»

The «Eternal» WBC World Champion, Vitali Klitschko, commented on the upcoming bout between WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO heavyweight titleholder (over 90.7 kg) Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) and WBC champion Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs).

- Mr. Vitali, when was the last time you spoke with Usyk? Did you give him any advice?

- The advice was given a long time ago, as the fight between Oleksandr and Tyson Fury has been in the works for years. We discussed the 2015 fight between Wladimir and the Briton. I emphasized the mistakes Wladimir made in that bout. The last time I spoke with Sasha was about a month ago. He doesn’t need advice anymore. Usyk is an experienced boxer with a professional team. The team has a plan for the fight, and Oleksandr has every opportunity to prepare thoroughly to enter the ring and do his job.

- What do you think the fight will look like?

- I expect Fury to try to work at a distance since he has much longer arms. Sasha, in turn, will try to close the distance. The Brit will clinch and lean on Sasha. I don’t rule out dirty tactics from Tyson Fury.

- What does Usyk need to do to win?

- He needs to impose a fast-paced fight, pressure, and set the tempo. Work at a mid-range distance. Exhaust Tyson Fury physically. I hope Oleksandr shows excellent conditioning. The Brit’s weakness is his stamina; he gets tired in the later rounds.

- Are you worried about Usyk before the fight?

- Will that help him? I’m rooting for Oleksandr. I really want him to bring the belt back to Ukraine after the fight. This belt is special to me. For the fight in Saudi Arabia, the WBC created a unique belt in Ukrainian-British colors.

- Saudi Arabia is raising the bar for boxers’ purses at its events. If they offered you to fight against Wladimir and paid the same fee as Tyson Fury and Usyk, would you break the promise you made to your mother years ago – not to fight each other? Perhaps to donate a large part of the fee to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

- My brother and I have already received such an offer. We refused. Now we have a much more important fight. Against the aggressor, for our freedom, for a European future. This fight is much harsher than a boxing match. It is a matter of life and death for many Ukrainians. Therefore, it is very important for us to win this battle.

The fight for the undisputed world heavyweight championship between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will take place on May 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.