Usyk will beat Gassiev comfortably.

Usyk under Bashir was a lot more defensive minded.
When he switched trainers he became more exciting to watch and a bit more reckless starting with Huck fight.

 

Usyk is now in Ring Magazines pound for pound rankings. What took them so long?

 

Agreed Uysk is a lock in imho. I will throw down over 500 on Uysk. Ill put the bet slip on my avi like I've done with other bets.

Uysk is too skilled, like Hunter said Gassiev too green, like you said Breidis>Gassediev.

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He'll win but it won't be easy. Gassiev is a better boxer than Briedis - better technique , better balance and better on the front foot . To have a shot at beating Usyk you need to be good at applying pressure and at cutting off the ring.
Briedis is a counter puncher and performs better when guys are coming at him so Gassiev is a more dangerous fight for Usyk.
If Usyk can avoid early punishment for the first 4-5 rounds he'll adapt to Gassiev and cruise to a decision win.

 

Good point. - But I wouldn't blame it on Anatoly Lomachenko, who clearly has a great grasp on defensive boxing. (Lomachenko)

I think it's more that Usyk simply became more aware of the need to be fan-friendly, combined with the dire purses that CW have been making & the almost non-awareness of this division by the American fans.

 

Anatoly "Papachenko" Lomachenko is NOT Usyk's trainer. He has never trained Usyk as a professional, in fact. At one point (of Usyk's professional career) he was rather a consultant — that's all.

 

This guy is: Serhiy Vatamanyuk (age 34 years)
https://ki.ill.in.ua/m/670x450/24067689.jpg

 

Gassiev is too slow one dimensional to beat Usyk.

 

Gawsiev KO

 

I hope Usyk WILL work with Anatoly Lomachenko for this fight. Even Denys Bericnhyk labelled Vatamanyuk as "useless" or "incompetent" in his recent interview. Usyk is basically trained by himself, just like Wlad was since starting working with Banks. As for Bashir, he used exactly the same training philosophy for Usyk as Anatoly Lomachenko did in the amateurs and WSB. A lot of movement, working behind the jab, setting up his opponents for the counters and so on. I don't know why Usyk tried to change his style. He would be almost impossible to beat in the CW division if he had used the same style as he did with Lomachenko and Bashir.

 

Oh, that's interesting, thanks. But, to be fair, the main reason was (I've just googled it) that Vatamanyuk was paying almost all his attention to Usyk (and almost none to Berinchyk).
Regarding Anatoly Lomachenko working with Usyk for this fight... Hmm... Not realistic at all, I think. And, by the way, two different trainers at the same time may even be a bad thing.
So Usyk is stuck with Vatamanyuk for this fight, who is not a perfect trainer, let's put it this way...

 

Gassiev is somewhat underrated - in fact he has solid footwork, very good defense, cuts the ring off well. Sanchez is certainly a better trainer than Vatamanyuk, which is a major factor.

I can't imagine Usyk winning this fight easily - it may be the kind of the fight where one guy (Usyk) lands more light punches, like jabs, and another guy lands harder punches. And given that Gassiev was awarded with the win for this kind of fight against Lebedev, I can't see how Usyk can get a comfortable decision in Moscow. But we'll see.

 

Briedis fights a lot different than Gassiev though. He's quicker and more mobile. Usyk will be able to move in and out easier against Gassiev. But yeah you're right that Usyk would be wise not to go to war and keep the fight long...

 

And even running might not be enough — Usyk better train his clinching. And with the fight being in Russia, they can find a referee who will prevent him from doing so. And with several points deducted from Usyk for holding, Gassiev might even win by decision.