Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury Preview May 18th, 2024
Former Undisputed Cruiserweight Champion Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine will be putting his IBF, WBO, IBO and WBA (Super) Heavyweight Titles on the line against unbeaten WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury of England this Saturday, May 18th. The fight from Saudi Arabia can be seen live in America on pay-per-view and ESPN+ PPV, while those in the UK and Ireland can see it on TNT Box Office while other pay-per-view outlets such as DAZN will show it in other nations. Fury last fought in October when he edged mixed martial artist Francis Ngannou by a controversial 10-round split decision while Usyk stopped Daniel Dubois in the ninth round in August.
Usyk vs Fury Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Oleksandr Usyk -105
- Tyson Fury -125
For a full step by step guide outlining how to bet on Fury vs Usyk, click here
My Pick
The 37-year-old Usyk is a 6-foot-3-inch southpaw with a reach of 78 inches who turned pro back in 2013 and has boxed 177 rounds since. He unified the cruiserweight titles in July, 2018 in the final of the World Boxing Super Series when he beat Murat Gassiev by unanimous decision. He became the first man ever to hold the WBO, IBF, WBA and WBC Cruiserweight Belts at the same time. He was the WBO and WBC champ when he beat Gassiev who was then the IBF and WBA champ. Usyk, who owns a perfect record of 21-0 with 14 Ko’s, had also won the WBO Title by beating Krzysztof Glowacki by unanimous decision in September, 2016.
He defended it against Thabiso Mchunu with a ninth-round stoppage three months later and against Michael Hunter in April, 2017. He then stopped Marco Huck in 10 rounds before taking the WBC title from Mairis Briedis by majority decision in January, 2018 and defended all of the cruiserweight belts against Tony Bellew in his last fight in the weight division. Since then he’s laid claim to most of the heavyweight belts with his wins over Anthony Joshua, which came by unanimous decision in 2021 and split decision a year later. He also beat Dereck Chisora at heavyweight by unanimous decision for the WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight crown.
Usyk has better-than-average power as his current knockout ratio stands at 66.7 per cent, but he’s been taken the distance in seven of his last 12 outings. Before halting Dubois, his last stoppage came in 2019 when he stopped Chazz Witherspoon in the seventh round in Usyk’s heavyweight debut. The only men to last the distance with him have been Joshua (twice), Chisora, Gassiev, Hunter, Glowacki and Briedis. Usyk enjoyed an excellent amateur career as he competed at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China and then won the gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 2012 Games in London. He also won bronze and gold at World Amateur Championship tournaments in 2009 and 2011 respectively.
The 35-year-old Fury of Manchester, is best known for his controversial trilogy against Deontay Wilder (two wins and a draw) and his only other true moment of glory as a pro boxer which came in November, 2015 when he upset an aging Wladimir Klitschko by unanimous decision to win the IBF, WBO, IBO, WBA and lineal world titles. However it was arguably the worst heavyweight title fight in history. After beating Klitschko, Fury was soon stripped of his belts and suspended for drug use, but still does lay claim to the lineal heavyweight crown as well as the WBC version.
Fury is one of the bigger heavyweights out there as he stands 6-feet-9-inches tall with a wingspan of 85 inches which gives him six inches in height and seven inches in reach on Usyk. He’ll enter the ring with a mark of 34-0-1 with 24 Ko’s and has 230 rounds under his belt since turning pro in 2008 following a good amateur career. He has better-than-average power as 70.6 per cent of his wins have come by way of stoppage but has gone the distance in five of his 11 outings. Fury possesses good, but awkward and unconventional boxing skills and has been been dropped by Steve Cunningham, Neven Pajkic, Ngannou and Wilder during his career which makes his chin a slight question mark.
Fury’s biggest wins were definitely against Wilder and Klitschko but Klitschko basically gave his titles away by not engaging with him. Other than that, he’s also beaten some pretty good journeymen along the way such as Chisora, Whyte, Francesco Pianeta, Otto Wallin, Christian Hammer, Joey Abell, Cunningham, Kevin Johnson, Marcelo Luiz Nascimento and Vinny Maddalone. Since turning pro Fury has also captured the English, Commonwealth, British, Irish, European, WBO Inter-Continental and WBO International Heavyweight Titles.
Prediction…
Fury has the edge in size and arguably power as well but Usyk is the owner of the better boxing skills. I have no doubt that just about any heavyweight out there has the potential to drop Fury if they land on his chin and Usyk of course is no exception. However, the problem is keeping Fury on the canvas as he has a habit of getting up just before the count reaches 10. If you have him in trouble you need to make sure you don’t let him off the hook like Wilder and Ngannou did. Fury will try to use his size and lean on Usyk with his weight but it might not be as easy as it sounds as Usyk should be utilizing his skills by getting inside, landing punches and then getting out of range. This should be an interesting fight but if Usyk is at his best and has the right tactics in place and can also adapt inside the ring, he should emerge as the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion on Saturday Night.
Play: Usyk -105 @ BetOnline.ag
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Oleksandr Usyk betting • Tyson Fury betting