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    Boxing

    Speed vs. power! Can Oleksandr Usyk make most of weight difference against 'walking fortress' Tyson Fury?

    Speed vs. power! Can Oleksandr Usyk make most of weight difference against 'walking fortress' Tyson Fury?Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
    Usyk vs Fury 2 live tonight on DAZN PPV - BUY NOW
    Usyk vs Fury 2 live tonight on DAZN PPV - BUY NOW

    Few men would accuse Oleksandr Usyk of being a particularly small gentleman. At 6' 3", with broad shoulders and a hulking physique, The Cat frequently stands out in a crowd.

    But then, few men have to square up to Tyson Fury - and the Gypsy King is one of a handful who can not only measure up to the Ukrainian, but exceed him to boot too.

    When the pair made their final appearances in the heart of a cold Arabian night late on Friday - tipping over into Saturday local time - there was little in the way of pleasantries.

    Weighing in over fifty pounds more than his rival, Fury has spoken of tipping the scales at a career-heaviest - and Usyk has not shied away from the physicality of the challenge.

    "I know things will be different this time," he told Sky Sports News ahead of their blockbuster bout. "For me I'm training like I'm preparing to go up against a walking fortress."

    Train all he might, but a walking fortress is still going to be a monster target to put down as the pair prepare to meet at Riyadh Season's Reignited, live on DAZN Pay-Per-View.

    Speed vs. power

    Tyson Fury_19122024Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

    Cut away the differences on the scorecards, and Usyk and Fury have both engineered similar records on average throughout their careers as professionals in the ring.

    Across 22 fights, the former has won 14 by knockout, while the latter has taken 24 such triumphs across his 36 bouts - with respective percentages of 63.6% and 66.6%.

    It speaks both to the calibre of their opponents, and to the difficulty they have faced in the latter stages of their career at putting them down on the canvas for good.

    That form looks likely to be replicated this weekend - it seems unlikely that either men will finish this bout before the final bell rings after a dozen rounds and we go to the judges.

    But in their weight for this rematch, it seems apparent that Fury has hopes he may be able to upset the anticipated narrative and simply bludgeon his foe into raw submission.

    Usyk has seldom been knocked down in his career, both amateur and professional. The last time he hit the canvas, against Daniel Dubois, it was ruled as a controversial low blow.

    Oleksandr UsykMark Robinson Matchroom Boxing.

    Fury's heft suggests he is gambling on power for this contest - a trade-off that he surely deems to be acceptable, even against an opponent who has the speed of The Cat.

    There will be serious force behind his blows, aided by his advantage in height and reach. If he is able to connect with his foe's chin and midriff, he could deal serious damage.

    And therein lies the question. Fury, for all of his intelligence in the ring, has never been as fast as some of his contemporaries, compensating instead with a smart fight IQ.

    Usyk is more than a match for him in this regard - it likely proved to be what helped him edge their first contest, aided by that destructive flurry in the ninth after starting slow.

    If the Ukrainian can dictate the flow of the contest, and work his way around Fury inside the ring, to take advantage of what could be reduced mobility, then he can make him bite.

    It paints a fascinating picture for both men, and their belief in how they can beat the other - a battle between finesse and force, with far-reaching reprecussions for the division.

    One thing is for certain - heavyweight boxing may never be the same again come the final bell at the Kingdom Arena - and only one man can stand triumphant at the close.

    Usyk v Fury competition

    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.

    A PPV event is a single one-off payment, with no subscription requirement or extra costs. Buying the Usyk vs. Fury 2 PPV on DAZN brings great benefits.

    This includes a range of options to watch the fight, from the traditional commentary to watchalongs with True Geordie or ShowBizz; the best broadcast team including Kate Scott, Ade Oladipo, Andy Lee, Darren Barker and Eddie Hearn; and commentary in multiple languages.

    The PPV also comes with a seven-day free trial of the whole DAZN platform.

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    Buy Usyk vs. Fury 2 PPV on DAZN now.

     

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