The biggest fight of 2024 is upon us as Oleksandr Usyk puts his unified heavyweight world championship on the line against Tyson Fury in a highly-anticipated rematch Saturday in Saudi Arabia, and live on DAZN Pay-Per-View with no subscription required.
With the stakes reaching a fever pitch, DAZN News lists the keys to victory for each fighter.
Oleksandr Usyk’s keys to victory
Touch Fury, use nimble footwork
Oleksandr Usyk fights with rhythm in boxing brilliantly, slipping punches and moving laterally.
He used that tempo to hand Tyson Fury his first professional loss in May and until the “Gypsy King” makes him otherwise, the Ukrainian fighter must look to get into this flow as early into the rematch as possible.
It's his best chance of banking rounds and frustrating Fury along the way.
Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Avoid the uppercut at all costs
Fury’s uppercuts hurt Usyk. The “Gypsy King” inexplicably didn’t follow up on the power shots, though.
Through that footwork, movement and flat out anticipation, Usyk has got to avoid this punch from Fury because if the British fighter lands one with English on it, he’s not going to let up this time around.
Look for the left hook
Usyk detonating a massive left hook over Fury’s guard devastated the “Gypsy King,” turning his legs into jelly and sending the six-foot-nine superstar careening around the ring with only the ropes holding him up for an official knockdown.
DAZN’s FACE OFF segment had Usyk calling the blow “perfect” and Fury referring to it as a “punch from the Gods.”
If Usyk senses early that Fury is lax in protecting the right side of his face, the unified heavyweight world champion has got to test his jaw by launching that left hook.
Tyson Fury’s keys to victory
Be the bigger man, walk Usyk down
Fury fought on the back foot over far too many sequences of his original fight with Usyk back in May. He can’t afford to do that again.
The “Gypsy King” is the bigger man and must act like it. That means walking Usyk down and refusing to take the back foot.
Lean on Usyk, rough the champ up
Look back on Fury’s rematch with Deontay Wilder and he made it a conscious decision to up the aggression.
When he wasn’t detonating power shots, Fury was leaning on Wilder, putting all his weight on the smaller man and sapping his energy.
Obviously, Wilder and Usyk are two very different fighters but Fury has got to give the Ukrainian the same treatment.
As aforementioned, that means crowding the champion’s space and not giving him time to dance on his feet.
Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Launch the uppercut with reach and be aggressive
Fury hurt Usyk a couple of different times by cranking up and landing that big looping uppercut, skillfully and brutally using his seven-inch reach advantage.
The problem is he was content in admiring his work, instead of pouncing and piecing together more damaging power shots after those uppercuts landed.
The British fighter simply cannot do that again. When he blasts Usyk, he’s got to capitalize and try to end the champion’s night early.
This offense serves as his best shot of avoiding Usyk’s loaded-up left hook, which he’s got to brace for in this rematch. It’s also his best avenue for becoming a two-time unified heavyweight world champion.
Watch Usyk vs. Fury 2 on DAZN PPV
The Oleksandr Usyk/Tyson Fury rematch and full undercard is a DAZN Pay-Per-View (PPV) worldwide event and will cost £24.99 in the UK / $39.95 in the US. For prices in your region click here.
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