Fury vs. Opetaia

In terms of skills, Opetaia could compete with him, but Fury is somehow too big for now, maybe in the near future they will meet in the ring...

 

I’d like to know if Jai sat Fury down in sparring.

 

Fury's S&C coach came out and said in an hour long podcast that Fury utterly dominated Jai in sparring, and on that day Tyson was on absolute fire. He said in Jai's defense, he hadn't been in camp yet when Fury was nearing his peak.
Don't believe it 100%, but it makes sense to me. I could see Fury roughing Jai up (who seems to be weak in the clinches), and keeping him off balance, timing his entry, and pushing him off. Jai is also shorter than Usyk with an even shorter reach and I think he would have had a hell of a time closing the distance on Fury.

Fury in the first fight was absolutely brilliant, I think best performance of his career.

 

Usyk only beat Fury because he is that good. Any other cruiser champ likely gets beat comfortably. If other cruisers think they can do it, better make sure they're as good as Usyk or Fury will win (assuming current Fury not completely shot version in times to come), because Usyk won close fights. And if you're smaller than Usyk, again, good luck, because Usyk was already up against it in the size department.

 

Fury and he'd make it look easy

 

Fury's too big.

 

I doubt Opetaia would beat many of the top 10 at HW.

His defence is extremely leaky and he only looks so good at the moment because the talent pool at CW is seriously shallow.

Let’s not forget that a semi retired Briedis gave him fits in the last 3 rounds of their last fight, and he was only there for a payday and didn’t throw a punch for the first 8 rounds.

Everyone with anything about them at CW, beefs up and goes to HW, that is where the money is.

 

Opetaia hits harder than Usyk. He KOes Fury easily.

 

Usyk is far more skilled than Opetaia. Odds are Opetaia is chopped down before he ever lands a big punch.

Skills pay the bills.

Opetaia is a physically imposing guy at CW. At HW, he may not be. He might grow into it but it's no sure thing.

 

There is no evidence he hits harder than Usyk.

who has he fought? A shot to bits Briedis who easily took his best shots.

his best win beyond that is around the level of Mchunu who was Usyks 10th fight

Before Usyk fought Briedis, he had 13 wins and 11 by KO

 

Agree with this. I like Jai, but I think Fury would honestly toy with him.

 

@Malph @FastSmith7 Fury struggles against cruiserweight-size slick fighters such as Cunningham, Wallin and Usyk. Opetaia is also from that family and hits much harder than them.

Fury is also easily knocked down. I think Opetaia knocks him down a few times, and in the end he KTFOes Fury around round 11.

 

Wallin isn't a cruiserweight, he's roughly 240 pounds and 6 foot 5. Fury also beat him convincingly despite a cut that Wallin repeatedly tried to foul open.

Cunningham got a nice knockdown, and after that Fury knocked him clean out (even if it was a bit controversial with the framing).

And Usyk is just a different breed altogether. In his current form I don't think anyone can beat him.

I think Chisora would put Jai through some serious adversity, let alone Fury.

 

Cunningham was outboxing Fury before the KO. That knockdown wasn't a one off he also got wobbled twice. Fury will struggle with smaller guys that can give some movement and counter punch but for some reason he still has this aura of invincibility. Fury is definitely the favorite Opetaia hasn't done anything at heavyweight but realistically and stylistically no way is Fury running through the best cruiserweight in the world, especially an abrasive power puncher with better footwork than Cunningham