Tyson Fury’s upcoming rematch against Oleksandr Usyk is make or break for his career however, there aren’t many tipping him to win.
Oleksandr Usyk inflicted a first professional career defeat on Tyson Fury during their first meet in May 2024, which activated a rematch clause for a second fight in December 2024.
The two fighters are among the best to grace the sport, however, the ‘Gypsy King’ will need to drastically need to improve if he is to beat the Ukrainian.
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Tyson Fury can’t afford to be ‘bullied’ again
Fury’s first professional career defeat shocked many, none more so than when Usyk dropped the British giant.
And despite still being four months out from the rematch, the ‘Gypsy King’ doesn’t have much backing him to get the win at the second attempt, with several boxing legends making some rather bold predictions.
Tony Bellew is one of those tipping him to lose again and says that Fury can’t afford to be “bullied” again.
He told iFL TV: “If I’m being totally honest, do I think he’ll win? No. I think he’ll lose again. And this time, I think he’ll lose really, really clearly.
“Because Usyk this time will go on the back foot. And that is the worst nightmare for Tyson Fury because that’s one that he can’t control.
“You’ve got to understand, he pressed the whole fight. He walked the 6ft 9ins, 20 stone man down. He walked him down and bullied him.
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Tony Bellew explains how Tyson Fury can beat Oleksandr Usyk
Bellew is no stranger to facing Usyk having lost to the Ukrainian in 2018.
The Liverpool-born boxer has previously admitted he is a huge fan of the 37-year-old but offered Fury some insight into what he needs to do to beat the world’s best boxer.
“Anyone who studies him and knows Usyk the way I know him, and I studied him, you’ll know that you’ve got to bring him to you. And that’s the way to beat him,” he said.
“But you’ve got to counter him and feint and you’ve got to be able to sharpshoot with him.
“You’ve got to be able to box with him. You’ve got to be able to offset him.
“But you’ve got to be able to continuously do all these things round after round.”
The Liverpudlian isn’t the only one to predict defeat for Usyk, with Joshua also recently predicting that the Ukrainian would have too much for Fury.