Usyk will beat Gassiev comfortably.

Let's not start with the bad trainer, Russian judges, Russian ref excuses without even hearing the first belt for cryin' out loud.

Usyk has his hands full no matter where the fight is. However, WBSS needs to start promoting the crap out of this cause so far, there aren't enough indications that this actually, really is happening some 3 weeks from now.

 

Thanks.

Obviously, I wasn't the only one that had read wrong info:

https://ringside24.com/en/19814-usyk-lomachenko-sr-not-my-trainer

 

To be fair though I’d say he’s improved some since then

 

Gassiev has improved since then. You can clearly see how much more muscular and imposing he has become throughout his career. He also didn't have the amateur experience. He gets better every fight.

Right now Gassiev is probably the most destructive fighter in the world.

 

Damn good candidate for Fight of the Year! While Usyk is the most skillful boxer at CW, Gassiev is a most dangerous opponent. He beat Lebedev, one of the best CW of this generation, at the age of 22, with only a few fights as a pro and no amateur pedigree. And anyone who has watched his fights, knows he's improved greatly since 2 years ago. His skills are good (both offense and defense), excellent chin and he packs enough power in his punches to KO heavyweights. Watch out for his murderous left hook to the body. I agree with the bookies - 60/40 for Usyk, but I am not betting the house on this one. BTW, since Briedis was given as an example - I think Gassiev beats him, by UD with at least one KD and lots of pain.

 

I don't think Gassiev is really any better than Breidis. He is on the same level, if not a level lower. I still think Gassiev will give Usyk a less difficult fight than Breidis did and lose by a wider margin.

 

I'm going with the upset, Gassiev by late KO or Decision. Usyk's legs looked funny in the last fight, he was off-balance all night, That usually means a guy is weight drained. He also doesn't have any big punches.

 

I mostly agree. Gassiev is not as talented as Briedas, and I think both men hit about as hard.

The biggest difference, as someone said above, is that Briedas likes to be a counter-puncher, while Gassiev is a more come-forward type of fighter. That means Usyk will have less time to think, and he may absorb even more arm punches than he did against Briedas. That could really cost him in the late rounds.

Of course, Usyk is incredibly good at fighting off the back foot & using angles, when he chooses to do so, so that will likely be his plan against Gassiev.
- and so I still favor him to win the fight.

 

Ppl. already have the Russian judges excuse prepared when it's up to Usyk to not let Gassiev come forward and swarm him which could give any legit scoring panel the impression that he's winning razor-tight rounds, and there should be many. Most judges seem to favor the come-forward, busy style if some success follows it, so Usyk will either have to look incredibly good on the back foot, or risk giving away close stanzas, even if his pitty-patty punches out-land Gassiev's fewer but more telling blows.

What I've learned this past two years about Gassiev is that he's prime GGG level at delivering whatever blows he's prepared, superb timing and accuracy, underrated speed (including cutting down the ring) and concussive power. That sort of stuff with not bad defense and 12 rounds of pressure impresses the hell out of judges even before talking about location and favoritism.

So here's the thing: unless Usyk wants to do 12 close rounds on the back-foot and cry robbery afterwards which may or may not be a legit claim, he must take matters into his own hands, and if by the 5th round he's not beating Gassiev from the outside comfortably, he simply needs to change up and start impressing judges with clean, hard, proactive blows. Either way, he has his hands full, and given the styles, this great, great fight seems impossible to disappoint.