Tyson Fury claimed he was ‘hit more than ever’ ahead of Oleksandr Usyk fight, and stats show how his rival could benefit

History awaits the winner of Tyson Fury’s clash with Oleksandr Usyk, but the result leaves the boxing world divided.

Fury and Usyk will face off in an intriguing battle to make history in Saudi Arabia on May 18, with the opportunity to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.

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The Briton holds a significant height advantage over his 6ft 9in rival to Usyk’s 6ft 3in, but it remains to be seen whether he can use his frame against the former Olympic and undisputed cruiserweight champion.

He also enters the competition following a lackluster points victory over former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in October 2023, where he was forced to return to the canvas after being knocked down.

Likewise, Usyk found himself on deck in August 2023 after Daniel Dubois landed a controversial low blow, but he managed to recover with no knockdown scored to stop his helpless rival.

Fury claimed he was “struck more than ever” after adopting a new aggressive knockout-seeking style since teaming up with Sugar Hill Steward.

And talkSPORT.com wonders if this is true and how the fight could play out.

Is Fury more affected than ever?

“I used to box the jab and move around or whatever,” Fury said ahead of his win over Derek Chisora ​​in December 2023.

“People have found it very difficult to hit me, but if you look at my last few fights, people haven’t found it that difficult to hit me. So yeah, I’m obviously getting hit more than ever.”

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Fury found success during his rise to the world title, thanks in large part to his illusionary movements, sharp punches and ability to use his size to box out on the back foot.

He admitted that it wasn’t the most entertaining style, but it allowed him to stage intensive boxing workouts against high-quality opponents, including against Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015.

Klitschko landed just 52 punches on Fury in 12 rounds, a low output considering the level of operator Fury came up against.

His fight against Otto Wallin when adopting a punch and move strategy was rare, with 127 punches on him, while Deontay Wilder threw him to the canvas landing 71 punches during from their first meeting in December 2018.

He adopted a more powerful and aggressive style after teaming up with Steward, knocking out Wilder in their rematch in 2020, but their trilogy in October 2021 saw him knocked down twice in a tough victory.

He then faced Dillian Whyte who only landed 13 punches on him when they met in 2022, but the real turning point came when Derek Chisora ​​managed to land 87 punches on an offensive-minded Fury in their trilogy in December 2022.

Most recently, former UFC champion Ngannou managed to knock down Fury in stunning fashion, while landing 57 punches over ten rounds, with fans left shocked by his compromise strategy.

The stats show that Fury has been less illusive against seemingly weaker opponents, and the interesting point of contrast will be whether Usyk can surpass Klitschko’s work in their two matchups.

Will Usyk be able to exploit Fury’s new style?

Usyk has a scintillating method for perfecting the sweet science, using fluid movements, rapid hand speed and lightning reflexes that make his defense impenetrable.

His southpaw stance allows him to increase pressure against orthodox fighters, forcing them to reset while landing straight, clean shots out of range.

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The decorated fighter has displayed elite skills since his days as an amateur and will likely pose an extremely stern test for Fury.

Given his boxing intelligence and his lightning speed in movement and decision-making, it could be a long night for Fury if he is unable to break Usyk’s rhythm.

Fury will have to impose his size and weight, the clinches will be a key point of analysis in the first exchanges in order to empty Usyk’s seemingly eternal gas tank.

Usyk will need to get closer to Fury to likely be more comfortable boxing from a distance if necessary, but his new style could also make him favorable if they trade punches in the pocket.

What is an undisputed world champion?

In boxing, an undisputed world champion is someone who wins all four major world title belts in their division – WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO.

Fury currently owns the WBC while Usyk holds the WBA, IBF and WBO. Therefore, the winner will hold all four belts as the undisputed king.

The last man to hold all the belts in the division was Lennox Lewis when he defeated Evander Holyfield to add his WBA and IBF titles to the WBC belt before what is now known as the “four belt era” , the WBO being recognized from 2004. .

The Ukrainian’s ability to outplay his opponents will be a key aspect he can use to exploit Fury, especially if it comes to a chess match, which could well be Fury’s approach which is about to weigh in at the lightest of his career.

Size matters, but Usyk completely dismantled Anthony Joshua in two fights, although Fury is considered a far superior boxer and bully when using his frame.

Final prediction

A massive battle dubbed ‘Ring Of Fire’ will see the highest level of talent available exposed in a mouth-watering collision on Middle Eastern soil.

Fury has been considered the narrow favorite on British shores, but this is truly a match-up like no other in the sport.

The Gypsy King’s performance against Ngannou left fans on the edge of their seats, with many wondering if a notable decline is on the horizon.

Fury will gain confidence from Dubois’ close shave with a spectacular knockout, with Usyk’s vulnerability to body shots appearing to be a key part of Fury’s game plan.

The WBC champion will also want to avoid reopening a fight break on the night, but undoubtedly has the skills to inflict the same pain he did to Usyk’s compatriot Klitschko.

His rival’s incredible resume and skillset will give him a huge chance to cement his name in the record books, but Fury knows he has the physical advantages to get the job done.

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