Tyson Fury failed to overcome a relentless surge from Oleksandr Usyk in the championship rounds of their undisputed heavyweight showdown last May.
Despite an encouraging start to their contest, the ‘Gypsy King’ was ultimately outworked and outgunned by his formidable opponent, who even scored a standing count in the ninth round.
Since then, Tyson Fury has been somewhat criticized for lacking the fitness, and perhaps the discipline, to restore his control down the stretch.
And so, ahead of their eagerly awaited rematch on December 21, the Brit will be forced to reassess his approach should he wish to emerge victorious.
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Lennox Lewis explains what Tyson Fury must do differently against Oleksandr Usyk
In his defense, Fury has revealed that his wife, Paris, had suffered a miscarriage on the day before his clash with Oleksandr Usyk, undoubtedly putting his mindset in much a darker place.
In addition to the devastating news, the 36-year-old’s preparation was made worse by the fact that his sparring was significantly limited.
This was due to a cut he sustained above his right eye earlier this year, postponing his first encounter with Usyk by several months.
Nevertheless, former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, who knows a thing or two about winning rematches, believes that Fury simply needs to work harder.
“I think Fury learnt what he needs to do next time because he didn’t do enough,” Lewis told BBC 5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce.
“He needs to do a lot more. I like him a bit heavier for his fights and not moving around as much.
“He has to conquer his own self first. He’s been through these things before so I think he can do it because he knows what to do.
“He’s been at lows before and at highs before. He’s down here right now, he knows how to get back up here. He just needs to put in the work.”
Will Tyson Fury adopt a similar strategy to his rematch with Deontay Wilder?
One thing that Fury has proved over the years is his ability to make adjustments, with all three of his professional rematches ending in more definitive fashion.
| John McDermott rematch | Derek Chisora rematch | Deontay Wilder rematch |
| Fury win via ninth-round stoppage | Fury win via tenth-round stoppage | Fury win via seventh-round stoppage |
Arguably his most destructive performance, though, arrived in 2020, when he manhandled former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
Fury, after all, entered their rematch with a 42 lb weight advantage, utilizing his superior physical attributes to force Wilder onto the backfoot, preventing the American from landing his signature right hand.
And so, with Lewis suggesting that a bigger version of Fury would be more effective against Usyk, then perhaps the former heavyweight king will be able to take some confidence from his previous strategy.