Experts, fighters and pundits have their say ahead of the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury for the WBO, WBA and WBC world heavyweight titles in Riyadh.
Joseph Parker (former heavyweight champion)
I’m confident, I think the approach coming into this fight is very different from the first fight. The first fight he [Fury] was serious but I feel like this time he’s a lot more serious. He’s keeping the team small, he’s a lot more focused. I think he’s more motivated and he wants to prove that he can beat Oleksandr Usyk and bounce back. Going into this fight, I’m 100 per cent confident that he can get the job done.
When you have that belief in yourself and the confidence, when you’ve been doing the work – and I’m sure he has been doing the work in camp with the sparring partners, with Sugarhill [Steward, his trainer]with everyone else he has in camp – he’s got the belief that he can win but in incredible fashion.
Many have tried but haven’t succeeded. But if anyone can do it, Tyson Fury can.
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Despite having lost their first fight, Shane McGuigan feels Tyson Fury can take confidence and avenge that defeat to Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday
Natasha Jonas (world champion)
I’m going to go Fury. He’s going to upset the applecart. I thought in the later rounds he thought he was ahead and he didn’t do enough. Then came the knockdown. I just thought if he’d ended like he started he probably would have got the nod.
I did see him at the Nick Ball fight and he looked so lean, so trim. He looked in good shape. One of the best shapes I’ve seen him so I thought he’s on it. When Fury’s on it, I think he’s a tough person to beat.
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Despite weighing a career-heavy 281 pounds, Matthew Macklin believes Tyson Fury is at his optimum weight as he looks to avenge his loss to Oleksandr Usyk
Johnny Nelson (former world champion)
I am putting my neck on the line and saying a Fury win inside the distance.
I have gone full circle. I am usually giving him stick for everything he does and says but for such an important fight, a legacy fight, I like everything.
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Oleksandr Usyk gave his thoughts ahead of Saturday’s huge heavyweight clash with Tyson Fury, while promoter Frank Warren has backed his man to get the stoppage and avenge his defeat in the first fight
Wladimir Klitschko (former heavyweight champion)
Oleksandr is going to repeat history. It’s going to be deja vu. So repetition. That’s actually what is happening. I was here for the first fight. It just feels the same and it looks the same and is the same.
It’s all about strategy. It’s all about technique.
We’re going to keep our fingers crossed that also this time he’s going to show that he’s the baddest man on the planet, Oleksandr Usyk.
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Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk faced off for the final time before their much-anticipated heavyweight rematch in Saudi Arabia on Saturday
Dillian Whyte (former Fury opponent)
It’s a hard one to say because if I’m a betting man, I would pick Oleksandr Usyk.
But I know from history and seeing Fury fight and knowing his resolve, and being in camp with him and fought him and seen that he has always bounced back.
It’s hard to go against him because you can’t just write him off. You think he’s finished, he’s not going to come back, and then he just comes back and produces the goods.
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Johnny Nelson believes Team Usyk are trying to unsettle Tyson Fury by questioning the length of his facial hair before Saturday’s rematch
Mikaela Mayer (world champion)
You never know in a heavyweight fight. My gut is telling me that Usyk is going to pull it off.
It depends what Tyson shows up. I think you’re going to see a pretty similar Usyk. He’s going to do what he does.
Tyson is the one who needs to adjust a little bit and we’ll see if he does.
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There was controversy at the Usyk vs Fury 2 rules meeting after it was revealed third judge Fernando Barbosa has stood down due to illness, with the rival camps split on who should replace him
Kalle Sauerland (promoter)
It’s a 50-50, like the first one was. You’re dealing with two boxers whose biggest asset, both of them, isn’t physical skill, it’s their boxing IQ, their ability to change between fights, change styles, tactics. So from that point of view it’s fascinating.
When they’re that close in terms of talent at heavyweight, you go with size. You go with the bigger man. I’ll go with the bigger man.
The fight’s not going to go the distance this time, I think. Tyson’s going to use the extra weight that he looks to be carrying to really have a go at him and I feel like he did that in periods of the first fight.
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Tyson Fury broke the icy atmosphere following his head-to-head with Oleksandr Usyk by joining in a traditional Saudi dance
Shane McGuigan (trainer)
Fury lacked [aggression] in the first fight when he was too calm, too relaxed.
He has to stay switched on and hit Usyk with intent. That is the way for him to win.
I think Fury gets more success than the first fight – he could drop Usyk. But the longer the fight goes, I favour Usyk to win on points or stop him.
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Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have to be hauled apart after an incredible 11-minute face-off
Richard Torrez (Olympic silver medallist)
I favour Usyk a little bit more, just because he has the game plan now. He knows what it takes to win.
I think Usyk has done a really good job of nullifying some of those heavyweights. Just the movement, the feints and getting inside and not letting them sit down and throw.
But I feel like people are thinking that Usyk demolished Tyson. It was a close fight, it was within two rounds. It was active, it was competitive. I think if Tyson Fury can just keep him at bay a little bit more and if he can do something, to either use more feints or maybe just keep that jab hand out … the big thing is you can’t count Tyson out.
I’m excited for the fight. I am favouring Usyk a little bit more.
But I’m not counting out the big man.
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Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk engage in an intense 11-minute staredown which had to be broken up ahead of their rematch
David Adeleye (English titlist)
I think Fury’s going to stop him. Usyk’s near the ceiling so I don’t know how much improvement he can do. I think Tyson’s got room for a lot of improvement so I do see Tyson coming out victorious.
Regardless of whether Fury wins or Usyk wins, I do see it being a knockout. I don’t think the judges are going to be needed. I don’t see it going to the scorecards this time.
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Wladimir Klitschko believes Oleksandr Usyk has proved the doubters wrong by stepping up from cruiserweight to heavyweight ahead of his rematch with Tyson Fury
Martin Bakole (heavyweight contender)
I was surprised [when Usyk beat Fury]. I was not only surprised by Usyk, I was surprised by Tyson Fury’s performance. He was playing.
He was supposed to be focused like he was in the Deontay Wilder rematch. If he takes that mentality in the rematch I think he will stop Usyk like he did with Deontay. Because the Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury rematch, we saw a different Tyson Fury, focused, coming to win.
Putting his hands behind his back, not moving, that is showing that you’re not focused. One round changed everything. One left hook changed everything.
I want him to be 100 per cent focused, not playing around.
[Usyk] is coming 100 per cent focused to win the fight. So you need to be the same.
Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury’s huge heavyweight rematch will be live on Saturday December 21 on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Usyk v Fury 2 now!
