How to beat Ukrainian – by Britons who tried but failed

Gareth A Davies

Three British fighters in four fights have tried – and failed – to defeat Oleksandr Usyk, the unbeaten Ukrainian who has been a world champion as a cruiserweight, and now heavyweight. So how does Tyson Fury, also undefeated, overcome Usyk here when the bell tolls tonight? Tony Bellew, Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua have all offered their views.

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“Usyk is going to win and I think the fight is going to be a really highquality chess match,” Bellew said. “I think Fury will be behind after about four to five rounds and then he will put his foot to the floor trying to chase Usyk and that’ll be the worst thing he can possibly do. As long as Usyk sticks to his game plan, I don’t see him being defeated. The only reason this fight is 50-50 and is so close is because one man is 6ft 8in and nearly 20st. And one man is 6ft 3in, and 16st.

“If Usyk was the same size as Tyson Fury, this wouldn’t even be spoken about. It wouldn’t even be close. The reason we write him off so much is because he’s so much smaller and because he’s a former cruiserweight king. That’s why this fight is so compelling.”

Bellew was knocked out in the eighth round by Usyk. “Usyk’s a truly amazing fighter. He’s the best cruiserweight ever,” he said. “This isn’t a guy who took an 18-month hiatus from the game and came

back full of muscle. This guy literally left the cruiserweight game, went straight to the heavyweight game, had a couple of nice touches at heavyweight, but then went in with probably at the time one of the most feared heavyweights in the world, Anthony Joshua, the unified heavyweight champion. And against all odds, he beats him. On his own patch, by the way.

“This guy goes to everyone’s patch and beats them up. And make no mistake, he did the exact same thing to me.”

Joshua lost back-to-back fights against Usyk, with three world title belts on the line. “Usyk is a phenomenal fighter, does everything to a tee, and I would say he is going to do a really good job,” Joshua said. “I have never fought Tyson Fury so I can’t really speak on how he will perform or what it is like to face him, so only speaking on what I know, I would have to say Usyk will be victorious.”

Joshua admitted that he “felt frustrated and annoyed” losing to Usyk, adding: “I knew I was out of the title race.” But Joshua is now back, with four victories on the bounce, momentum in his career and set to face the winner of FuryUsyk after their encounters.

What are the qualities that make Usyk a great fighter? “His feet, his judgment of distance, his variation of shots, his timing, everything,” Bellew said. “What he does is he exhausts you. I mean, in my whole entire career and life, I have never been as tired as I was when I walked out for round eight. Ever.”

If Fury wins, where would that put him in the pantheon of greats?