I wonder if there was any fighter in history that was so good at not letting his opponents hold him. He fought a guy twice who is ATG in clinching/holding, 6'9", 280 lbs giant who can put his weight on his opponents as good as anybody, which he did numerous of times against different types of opponents. But it didn't work against Usyk at all. Marco Huck was also elite clincher, yet he failed to hold Usyk at least once in their fight. Ability to avoid getting hold is very rare, even among great fighters. - Mike Tyson, despite all his amazing abilities in his prime, was easy to hold. Smith, Tucker, Ruddock held him a lot in his prime. So no surprise he had zero answer against Lewis clinches while being shot. Hell, he couldn't even avoid getting held by smaller guys like Holyfield and Botha - Holyfield himself could do little to avoid getting held hell a lot by Lennox in their rematch - Fraizer against Ali - Povetkin was absolutely clueless how to avoid getting held by Wlad - Wilder, Cunningham, Chisora, Whyte could do nothing to avoid getting held by Fury - Mosley and others against Floyd - everybody against Hopkins Etc, etc, etc What were other examples of fighters who were as effective at avoiding getting held as Usyk? I believe Mercer didn't let Lewis hold him which made the things much harder for Lennox. Eddie Chambers lifted Wlad up and made clinching uncomfortable for Wlad. Any other examples?
He really is. I commented this during Usyk v Fury 1 but there was a pirouette he did to escape a clinch from Fury that I'd never seen from any boxer in my life, let alone any heavyweight. It was Lomachenko-esque.
Fury held constantly in a few rounds and held and hit while the ref did nothing, Fury looked scared in there.
Infighting and clinch tactics have gone extinct in boxing. Only rare few who have applied skills and teachings there. Usyk has talked about judo other boxers who excelled inside have done or realize importance of different skillset there ala judo, wrestling. Roberto Duran might be the GOAT infighter and you watch those breakdowns of it and he uses a lot of wrestling and grappling understanding to dominate those exchanges and set up his punching. Not surprising Usyk completely shut down Fury attempts. He is no Wilder and LOL Fury's clinch/infighting is not ATG at all. Fury even shamefully lost the infighting and clinch exchanges to MMA fighter Francis Ngannou. Francis had never boxed pro but he looked far more schooled when they were clinching or infighting which was ALARMING and said a lot about how extinct a whole area of boxing has gotten by today's fighters even many of the elite champs.
Can’t recall which round but there was also the notable moment during the fight when Usyk shoved 281 lb Fury off him, sending Tyson back on his heels into the corner. One of many HLs for Usyk during the fight.
