Tony Bellew has weighed in on Saturday’s rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, predicting that Usyk could dominate Fury if the WBC champion chooses to press the action. Bellew, who faced Usyk in the Ukrainian’s final cruiserweight bout in 2018, believes Fury’s aggressive approach might backfire against a fighter as elusive and skilled as Usyk.
Reflecting on the first fight, Bellew was surprised by how Usyk managed to dictate the pace and even hurt Fury in the ninth round. Many expected Fury to use his size to wear down the smaller man, but it was Usyk who pushed Fury back and came close to forcing a stoppage. “I never thought [Usyk] could push him back like that,” Bellew admitted.
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Fury has stated that he plans to adjust his strategy for the rematch, emphasizing that he cannot leave the fight in the judges’ hands. Bellew, however, warned that if Fury opts to pressure Usyk, it could lead to disaster. “If you let Oleksandr Usyk go on the back foot and you press him all night, you’re in trouble,” Bellew said. “He’s the hardest man in the world to hit.”
Bellew pointed to Usyk’s masterclass against Murat Gassiev in 2018 as an example of how dangerous the Ukrainian can be when opponents attempt to chase him. Gassiev struggled to land clean shots as Usyk’s movement and counterpunching nullified his attack. “Chasing him is the worst thing in the world you could do,” Bellew said.
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