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- Who: Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk
- When: Saturday, Might 18, 2024 – major occasion at about 1pm native time (22:00 GMT)
- The place: Kingdom Area, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Skilled information (W-L-D): Fury (34-0-1), Usyk (21-0-0)
- Wins by knockout: Fury (24), Usyk (14)
- Peak: Fury – 206cm (6ft 9in), Usyk – 190cm (6ft 3in)
- Attain: Fury – 216cm (85in) Usyk – 197cm (78in)
- Comply with the struggle LIVE: Al Jazeera will run a reside web page for the build-up and textual content commentary of the Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk struggle from 18:00 GMT on Saturday, Might 18.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Within the days main as much as their undisputed heavyweight title struggle, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk appeared relaxed and keen to absorb the event, whilst their camps taunted one another and clashed.
The most important drama got here early within the week, when Fury’s father, John, headbutted a member of Usyk’s entourage. However each the fighters had stayed light-hearted all through the build-up – good-naturedly teasing one another, and grinning and showboating of their open exercises.
However on a baking sizzling Thursday night in Riyadh, because the unbeaten fighters got here collectively on the ultimate information convention earlier than the bout on Saturday, each grew terse and tight-lipped as the burden of the event appeared to press in.
Sitting reverse them, within the entrance row of a crowd of sweating journalists, entourages and VIP visitors, was a grey-bearded Lennox Lewis, 58, and Evander Holyfield, 61. Lewis beat Holyfield in 1999 to grow to be boxing’s final undisputed heavyweight champion.
On stage, Usyk, 37, was carrying a black and white conventional Ukrainian sash.
“Let’s make historical past. Sufficient. Thanks very a lot,” he mentioned.
Fury, who sported a flame-coloured go well with and a black trilby hat, is generally a garrulous and flamboyant determine famend for his trash discuss. However the 35-year-old British boxer additionally had little to say on Thursday.
“I’m prepared. I’ve obtained nothing else to say aside from I’m prepared for a superb struggle,” he mentioned.
“God bless him,” he added when requested if he had a message for Usyk. “I’ll say a prayer for him earlier than the struggle for us each to get out of the ring safely.”
Boxing has lengthy annoyed followers with varied belts and sanctioning our bodies creating a number of champions on the similar weights, and frequent disputes over cash and clashing egos typically stop one of the best fighters from dealing with one another of their prime.
Though Fury vs Usyk has taken some taken to materialise and was postponed from its unique date in February after Fury suffered a minimize in coaching, the truth that a bout of this magnitude is lastly taking place – partly a results of rising Saudi affect within the sport – means many are billing it because the struggle of this century, with the winner entering into the ranks of the all-time greats.
On Thursday, chants by rival followers shortly petered out into the sweltering evening as locals regarded on quietly. Drones fizzed overhead as spotlights illuminated swirling mud, and gusts of wind buffeted the microphones on stage.
The host of the information convention tried and failed to attract extra phrases from the fighters. After they stood for the normal face-off, Fury refused to even have a look at his rival, flexing his biceps and gazing into the group, whereas Usyk stared at Fury intently, a smile enjoying on his lips.
“[This fight is] of monumental significance for the historical past of the heavyweight division, for boxing’s worth,” fight sports activities analyst Luke Thomas informed Al Jazeera a couple of days forward of the struggle.
“Individuals at all times complain folks don’t know who the champions are. Properly, now they’re going to know. And so they’re going to know in essentially the most storied division in boxing.”
How they match up
Fury, who usually fights out of the orthodox stance, is a big of a person who first grew to become a heavyweight champion by beating Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.
The “Gypsy King” subsequently battled extreme psychological well being points and ballooning weight, however got here again from years within the wilderness to dethrone knockout artist Deontay Wilder – beating him twice (one struggle led to a draw) in an exciting trilogy to win and retain the WBC belt.
Fury survived a scare in his final struggle in opposition to combined martial arts (MMA) star – and novice skilled boxer – Francis Ngannou, because the Gypsy King obtained up from being floored on his option to a split-decision win.
Usyk – a grasp technician and an Olympic gold medallist who normally fights southpaw – moved as much as heavyweight after dominating the cruiserweight division as a unified champion. He made his heavyweight debut in 2019 and gained the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight belts in 2021 – outclassing the a lot greater Anthony Joshua, whom Usyk has now overwhelmed twice.
In his final struggle, Usyk stopped Daniel Dubois within the ninth spherical, however it was not a completely snug struggle for the Ukrainian, who was damage on a few events.
Measurement vs velocity
Fight sports activities commentator Sean Wheelock cautioned in opposition to taking an excessive amount of from their final fights.
“For me, that is a particularly even struggle between two extremely gifted heavyweights,” Wheelock informed Al Jazeera.
“I feel that Fury undoubtedly depends on energy punches extra, he’s obtained unbelievable energy when he has his timing. Usyk clearly additionally has energy, and I feel Usyk typically showcases that he generally is a bit extra of a technical and slicker, boxer.”
Fury will certainly look to take advantage of his appreciable measurement benefit. He might attempt to preserve and management distance together with his attain, and he might attempt to smother, tough up, lean on and drain Usyk within the clinch.
“Clearly if Fury needs to play an inside sport and be heavy, you begin wanting on the referee,” Wheelock mentioned.
“Are you getting warnings for extreme holding? How shortly is the referee breaking it up? And even world-class referees are prepared to do issues otherwise in that state of affairs.”
Usyk’s combating moniker is “The Cat” attributable to his velocity and agility; his head motion and quick ft make him exhausting to hit, together with his distinctive footwork creating angles, slicing off the ring, and tormenting and exhausting opponents. His motion additionally offers him the leverage to ship blistering counters as he evades photographs.
However Usyk is not going to solely have to beat Fury’s measurement benefit; the Gypsy King can also be extremely skilled, has nice ringcraft, and is stuffed with feints and is elusive for such an infinite man. Fury additionally has distinctive stamina, has misplaced numerous weight for this bout, and has unbelievable powers of restoration – he’s gotten up from a number of knockdowns by Wilder, presently essentially the most devastating puncher in boxing – though there’s at all times a danger that Fury’s in depth scar tissue could be carved open.
Fury can struggle southpaw and may change stances to counter Usyk’s awkward fashion. Each educated of their reverse stances within the open exercises on Wednesday evening.
Usyk’s major weak spot could also be with photographs to the physique – though he was floored by a low blow in his final struggle in opposition to Dubois, he was additionally troubled by authorized physique photographs.
Whereas Fury has known as Usyk an “ugly little man”, “rabbit” and “sausage” within the build-up to the struggle, he has additionally expressed respect for the Ukrainian and has mentioned it will likely be the hardest struggle of his profession.
“He’s a nasty man,” Fury mentioned whereas describing Usyk’s boxing prowess.
Uysk doesn’t appear to care what Fury says, and the Ukrainian usually says he’ll do his speaking within the ring, however he has mentioned that Fury’s evident weight reduction means that the British fighter is “scared” of him.
Thomas was unable to say who he thought would emerge with their hand raised.
“Fury looks as if he’s one of the best generational heavyweight,” he mentioned.
“However all people that Usyk has overwhelmed at heavyweight has been greater than him. He was a unifier at cruiserweight, he looks as if an ultra-special expertise … his boxing IQ is off the charts. I actually don’t know who’s going to win.”
Kind information
Fury’s final 5 fights:
- October 28, 2023: vs Ngannou (Fury wins break up choice 96-93, 94-95, 95-94)
- December 3, 2022: vs Derek Chisora III (Fury wins by TKO in tenth spherical)
- April 23, 2022: vs Dillian Whyte (Fury wins by TKO in sixth spherical)
- October 9, 2021: vs Wilder III (Fury wins by KO in eleventh spherical)
- February 22, 2020: vs Wilder II (Fury wins by TKO in seventh spherical)
Usyk’s final 5 fights:
- August 26, 2023: vs Dubois (Usyk wins with ninth-round stoppage)
- August 20, 2022: vs Joshua II (Usyk wins break up choice 115–113, 113–115, 116–112)
- September 25, 2021: vs Joshua (Usyk unanimous win 117–112, 116–112, 115–113)
- March 11, 2020: vs Chisora (Usyk unanimous win 117–112, 115–113, 115–113)
- October 12, 2019: vs Chazz Witherspoon (Usyk wins as Witherspoon retires after the seventh spherical)
The undercard
- Jai Opetaia v Mairis Briedis – IBF cruiserweight title
- Joe Cordina v Anthony Cacace – IBF super-featherweight title
- Mark Chamberlain v Joshua Oluwaseun Wahab – light-weight
- Sergey Kovalev v Robin Sirwan Safar – cruiserweight
- Isaac Lowe v Hasibullah Ahmadi – featherweight
- David Nyika v Michael Seitz – cruiserweight
- Moses Itauma v Ilja Mezencev – heavyweight
- Agit Kabayel v Frank Sanchez – heavyweight
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