Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury predictions: Mike Tyson, Anthony Joshua, Lennox Lewis and more give verdict with stunning KO on the cards
The monumental rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury is just one day away – and everyone has an opinion. Usyk eked out Fury via split decision in May and they are now due to run it back on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Fury and Usyk are gearing up to do it all over again on Saturday nightGetty Follow Fury vs Usyk 2 LIVE HERE En route to getting his hand raised, the Ukrainian had Fury in real trouble in the ninth stanza when he scored a dramatic standing eight-count. Fury miraculously survived to see out the round and showed immense powers of recovery to finish strong down the home straight. However, it wasn’t enough for him to get the nod. In the end, the scorecards read 115-112 to Usyk, 114-113 to Fury, and 114-113 to Usyk with the knockdown proving to be decisive. Ahead of their rematch, Fury has promised not to leave the result in the hands of the judges and insists he will enter ‘destroy mode’ on the night. “I’ve always been a bad man my whole life, and I’m still one today at nearly 40 years old, a few years off 40,” he said. “I’m going to go in there with destroy mode. Last time, I went to box him, I was being cautious. “Anybody can get caught as we have seen in a lot of these heavyweight fights. But this time I’m not going for a points decision. I’m going to knock that motherf***** out.” Some believe Fury has what it takes to make the appropriate adjustments to topple Usyk while others think it will be repeat rather than revenge. Here, talkSPORT.com takes a look at how several of the most prominent names in combat sports see the second bout going. Who is backing Oleksandr Usyk? Lennox Lewis Lewis is picking Usyk to win againGetty Lennox Lewis told Droeks on Boxing: “Well, I cannot go against Usyk. Oleksandr Usyk has proven himself time and time again, and he’s still undefeated. “It really comes down to who boxes the best. Who’s smart in the ring. I didn’t think Tyson Fury was smart in the first fight. “I think he played around a little bit too much and allowed Oleksandr Usyk to really pile up the points.“Oleksandr Usyk is a difficult opponent. He moves all the time, he’s always throwing punches, he’s in great shape, and that’s hard to beat.” Eddie Hearn Hearn wants Fury to win but is backing UsykMark Robinson/Matchroom “I want Fury to win, I think he’s capable of winning. I think he’s going to have to do something extraordinary, which we’ve seen him do before,” Eddie Hearn said on talkSPORT. “But I think with a level head, it’s very difficult to not pick Oleksandr Usyk in this fight.” Duke McKenzie McKenzie doesn’t see a way Fury can beat Usyk “Now, they’re trying to tell us that Fury is going to be bigger and better,” Duke McKenzie remarked during a recent talkSPORT talkBOXING episode. “Bigger and better isn’t going to beat Usyk. It’s really not. “If he puts on more weight and thinks to himself ‘I’m going to bully Usyk this time, I’m going to go in and walk him down, I’ll be able to take his shots because I’m that much bigger’, it’s not going to work for him. “He’s going to be slower, he’s going to be more predictable, he’s going to get hit more and a lot sooner… “Usyk wins the rematch all day long, I can’t see how Tyson Fury beats him. He’s not going to knock Usyk out. Anthony Joshua Joshua lost to Usyk twice and expects him to get his hand raisedMatchroom Boxing Anthony Joshua told Queensberry Promotions: “I think it’s going to be a tough fight early on and then I feel like Usyk will edge it again. “He’s a class operator and I feel like Usyk’s one of the best out there. That’s why I think he’ll win.” Chris Eubank Jr. Eubank Jr. is backing Usyk to wintalkSPORT Boxing “I think Usyk is Fury’s boogeyman,” Eubank Jr. told talkSPORT Boxing. “I think he’s got his number and knows what he needs to do to win again. It will be a great fight while it lasts.” Carl Froch Froch is ruling a Fury win out, but he found it hard not to predict a Usyk victorytalkSPORT Boxing - YouTube Speaking to talkSPORT Boxing, Carl Froch said: “I’m going to have to pick Usyk just because I can’t pick against him. “But I do just feel that Tyson now is saying all the right things, he’s looking good, and I feel like we’re going to get the best last of him. “I’m not saying he can’t do it though, because he can.” Who is backing Tyson Fury? Mike Tyson Tyson is picking Fury for personal reasonsMatt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Netflix “Usyk is the best heavyweight in the world at the moment. But I’m going for Fury to beat him,” Mike Tyson affirmed to the Daily Mail. “Why? Because I’m a fan. Because his father gave him my name. I’m not abandoning him now.” Daniel Dubois Dubois thinks his Queensberry stablemate can get the job done this timeGetty Daniel Dubois didn’t hesitate before telling Podlounge UK: “I’m still backing Fury [for the win]. I hope our man does
The monumental rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury is just one day away – and everyone has an opinion.
Usyk eked out Fury via split decision in May and they are now due to run it back on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Follow Fury vs Usyk 2 LIVE HERE
En route to getting his hand raised, the Ukrainian had Fury in real trouble in the ninth stanza when he scored a dramatic standing eight-count.
Fury miraculously survived to see out the round and showed immense powers of recovery to finish strong down the home straight.
However, it wasn’t enough for him to get the nod.
In the end, the scorecards read 115-112 to Usyk, 114-113 to Fury, and 114-113 to Usyk with the knockdown proving to be decisive.
Ahead of their rematch, Fury has promised not to leave the result in the hands of the judges and insists he will enter ‘destroy mode’ on the night.
“I’ve always been a bad man my whole life, and I’m still one today at nearly 40 years old, a few years off 40,” he said.
“I’m going to go in there with destroy mode. Last time, I went to box him, I was being cautious.
“Anybody can get caught as we have seen in a lot of these heavyweight fights. But this time I’m not going for a points decision. I’m going to knock that motherf***** out.”
Some believe Fury has what it takes to make the appropriate adjustments to topple Usyk while others think it will be repeat rather than revenge.
Here, talkSPORT.com takes a look at how several of the most prominent names in combat sports see the second bout going.
Who is backing Oleksandr Usyk?
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis told Droeks on Boxing: “Well, I cannot go against Usyk. Oleksandr Usyk has proven himself time and time again, and he’s still undefeated.
“It really comes down to who boxes the best. Who’s smart in the ring. I didn’t think Tyson Fury was smart in the first fight.
“I think he played around a little bit too much and allowed Oleksandr Usyk to really pile up the points.
“Oleksandr Usyk is a difficult opponent. He moves all the time, he’s always throwing punches, he’s in great shape, and that’s hard to beat.”
Eddie Hearn
“I want Fury to win, I think he’s capable of winning. I think he’s going to have to do something extraordinary, which we’ve seen him do before,” Eddie Hearn said on talkSPORT.
“But I think with a level head, it’s very difficult to not pick Oleksandr Usyk in this fight.”
Duke McKenzie
“Now, they’re trying to tell us that Fury is going to be bigger and better,” Duke McKenzie remarked during a recent talkSPORT talkBOXING episode.
“Bigger and better isn’t going to beat Usyk. It’s really not.
“If he puts on more weight and thinks to himself ‘I’m going to bully Usyk this time, I’m going to go in and walk him down, I’ll be able to take his shots because I’m that much bigger’, it’s not going to work for him.
“He’s going to be slower, he’s going to be more predictable, he’s going to get hit more and a lot sooner…
“Usyk wins the rematch all day long, I can’t see how Tyson Fury beats him. He’s not going to knock Usyk out.
Anthony Joshua
Anthony Joshua told Queensberry Promotions: “I think it’s going to be a tough fight early on and then I feel like Usyk will edge it again.
“He’s a class operator and I feel like Usyk’s one of the best out there. That’s why I think he’ll win.”
Chris Eubank Jr.
“I think Usyk is Fury’s boogeyman,” Eubank Jr. told talkSPORT Boxing.
“I think he’s got his number and knows what he needs to do to win again. It will be a great fight while it lasts.”
Carl Froch
Speaking to talkSPORT Boxing, Carl Froch said: “I’m going to have to pick Usyk just because I can’t pick against him.
“But I do just feel that Tyson now is saying all the right things, he’s looking good, and I feel like we’re going to get the best last of him.
“I’m not saying he can’t do it though, because he can.”
Who is backing Tyson Fury?
Mike Tyson
“Usyk is the best heavyweight in the world at the moment. But I’m going for Fury to beat him,” Mike Tyson affirmed to the Daily Mail.
“Why? Because I’m a fan. Because his father gave him my name. I’m not abandoning him now.”
Daniel Dubois
Daniel Dubois didn’t hesitate before telling Podlounge UK: “I’m still backing Fury [for the win]. I hope our man does it.
“Usyk is capable. Fury should jump on him and smother him.
“Fury is a slick boxer too, but it will be a great fight and I’ll be out there calling on to fight the winner.”
Amir Khan
Amir Khan told BoxNation: “Good fight. I think this time Fury knows what mistakes he made in the first fight.
“He knows that he can’t stand in front of a strong Usyk, Usyk still has a lot of power, and he’s felt Usyk’s power this time, knowing that Usyk has come up a weight and still holds that power.
“So, I think Fury is going to be one step ahead. Whenever Fury comes back in a rematch, he is always much better so he could probably stop Usyk toward the later rounds.”
Johnny Nelson
Johnny Nelson told talkSPORT Drive: “I met Fury and Usyk yesterday. I flipped already. I’ve changed my mind already, in literally 24 hours.
“I got here and I said, ‘Usyk – he’s got his number.’ But then Usyk did an interview and I’m like, ‘He’s big.’
“And then Fury came in. That Fury should have turned up the first time because he’s no nonsense. He’s playing no games, not spoke to his wife for three months. He said he’s locked himself away, he’s serious.
“I think he was so humbled and hurt so much by the things he said to him and he got egg on his face. Now he’s thinking, ‘That’s not happening again.’
“I am telling you now – do not be surprised if Fury does Usyk, we’re talking the latter part of the fight. Do not be surprised because I believe that can happen.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan
Outside of the boxing sphere, snooker icon Ronnie O’Sullivan has given his thoughts on the bout.
O’Sullivan spoke to talkSPORT on Wednesday as he is in Saudi Arabia ahead of this week’s Riyadh Season Snooker Championship.
“Well, I’m going to go with Fury only because I heard that his training camp the first time round could have been better,” he explained.
“I spoke to Spencer [Brown – Fury’s manager]. He said, ‘This time we’ve been in for two, three months. He’s in like peak condition.’
“So for me, I just feel like the extra five per cent, 10 per cent that he was maybe lacking in the first fight will probably make the difference this time. I still think it’s going to be an unbelievable fight though.”
talkSPORT will bring you live commentary of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday, December 21 with our coverage kicking off from 7.30pm
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