Tony Bellew Names the Most Talented Heavyweight Boxer

Former champion Tony Bellew has shared his thoughts on the upcoming rematch between WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titleholder Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) and former world champion Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs).

"Fury cannot allow himself to be intimidated. That surprised me. I was one of the few analysts who picked Usyk to win before the fight.

Everyone thought Fury would be too big, too strong, and too heavy. I told anyone who would listen that Usyk would win. But I never imagined he would do it by overpowering and dominating Tyson Fury.

That was a shock for Fury and everyone else. But he won’t be able to rely on that again. This time, Tyson will be much smarter and more cautious.

It’s simply incredible that a guy standing 191 cm tall and weighing 100 kg could dominate a 130-kg, 206-cm giant. But that’s exactly what Usyk did. However, the element of surprise won’t be there in the rematch.

That said, Usyk is undoubtedly the most talented heavyweight boxer I’ve ever seen. I never thought he would be big enough for this division.

Do I think Fury has no chance? Absolutely not. But do I think he’ll win? No. I would favor Usyk again. I think it will be a very tight fight, and Usyk will win on points," Bellew stated.

To recap, in May, Usyk defeated Fury via split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years (over 90.7 kg). The rematch is set for December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.