Oleksandr Usyk is not only a top notch boxer, he's a man of strong character. Tyson Fury in contrast delayed the fight for 18 months, retired and unretired several times, boasted about using cocaine, tested positive for steroids, avoided a contracted rematch with Klitschko, ballooned up to over 300 pounds, avoided Usyk to fight faded old Chisora, and avoided Joshua and Usyk to fight a boxer in his pro debut. He disgraced the sport of boxing by coming in terrible shape, losing but being gifted a win against MMA fighter Ngannou, who was in his pro boxing debut. This content is protected This content is protected
I think the loss will humble Tyson Fury and that's a good thing going forward. I also think we'll see a less playful Tyson Fury in the build up to the rematch.
I can't think of anything I wanted more in boxing than Usyk beating Fury for some time. But I don't agree with all this "good for boxing" stuff. I don't think it's a disaster for fighting if Fury wins a rematch. I don't think that's some sort of disastrous result that will reduce money and interest in boxing. The opposite, probably, is true as a huge trilogy is stoked. A lot of this stuff gets exaggerated. But i'm glad he won.
I agree Fury didn't just fly too close to the sun for so long and get away with it, he flew into the sun and popped out the other side and thought his burn was a sexy tan. It was near inevitable. How he rises to the rematch is what matters and that will begin quite literally next week if he's serious. I hope both can get an injury free camp in to be honest. Odds of that are what, 90%? Fury's problem is he needs to do low impact cardio to stay in shape...but you ever seen this man swim or ride a bike? nope. Slow jogging.
I said that for boxing to be redeemed in the eyes of the public two things needed to happen: Joshua needed to brutally dispatch Ngannou and Usyk needed to defeat Fury. Both things thankfully actually happened. Usyk's win was actually bigger than him (as big as it was), it really was to move boxing past the Fury era at HW. Wilder's gone, Fury's gone and Joshua has redeemed himself overall but already has two losses to the man that has now settled on the throne, now there is absolutely no question who the king at the top of the HW division is because everyone who had a claim has now fallen by the wayside. Usyk's win actually sorted so much out.
True, Usyk does represent the good side of the sport while Fury has always been the outsider the one who sometimes represented the worst aspects of the sport. But to be fair to Fury he's a great character and you need boxers like that to generate interest and controversy and much of what he says is tongue in cheek and is simply done to promote fights. But having said that I'm glad is was Usyk who won, he represents a better role model for the next generation of fighters.
You would have think the loss to Ngannou, as he lost that fight would have humbled him already? Nothing will humble them. They are arrogant pricks. Neither John Fury apologies to the guy he publicly assaulted, neither Fury for his comment that Usyk has won, cause his country is at War and people side with him for that. The worst loser the history has seen. And he and his manager are still in delusion that the fight was close, and Fury believe he won it.
Trash talkers are needed in the sports, as they definitely had their fanbase, but firstly they had to backup their words, and secondly the problem with Fury was not the trash talk, but that he never deliver. The guy makes the HW division extremely stale, and ducked the top fights for year. He already should have fought most of the top contenders, but he choose to mess around, and waste everyone time. And we are not talking about 2-3 months, but actually 2-3 years. This ain't good for the sport, and wouldn't have been allowed in a normal sport with clear rules. He is also a proven Drug Cheat, and even more of a cheat inside the ring, which is allowed, only cause he is a big name and has big promoter behind him that pays the ref and judges. This one is as clear as it can get. Sorry but if you think this is needed in Boxing i don't know what to say. MMA is thriving because they don't have this s****. There is strict rules, best are fighting the best, and when they step into the cage, the fight is fair and every foul is called, whether it's for the big name or not. Lowblow - you will get warned once, the second time you do you, you will get a point deduction, one more time DQ. Poke in the eye - same treatment, and if the ref sees it's intentional, there may not even be warning. And it's for every rule that there is, and no matter if you are winning the fight or not, if you break the rules, you will paid for it. Boxing needs to be the same, but as long as Promoters are leading the game, nothing will change. As the big Fish will always want to have a say and paid to refs/judges and their fighter to get away with anything.
I think the Ngannou loss humbled him. This was as good as you were going to get from this version of Fury. The only thing he can change is tactics, which he has shown he can do well. Still give him a chance.
I think his best strategy is to come in heavier and to try and knock Usyk out, similar to what he did with Wilder in the second and third fight. Even though it's risky, since Usyk has shown he's got a granite chin, and it may lower Tyson's speed and stamina, I feel like it's even riskier to try and outbox him again. With this legacy being on the line, it just seems too dangerous to leave it in the hands of the judges. Usyk is just too tricky of a fighter. It would also redeem his loss a lot more if he managed to knock him out as well, and might make a potential third fight unnecessary.