Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury II: Boxing Previews and Predictions

Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will reignite their rivalry in Saturday night's much-anticipated unified world heavyweight championship rematch in Saudi Arabia.

With the judges siding with Usyk in the first phase, the Ukrainian will now attempt to defend his WBA, WBC, and WBO titles.

In this article, Sports Mole examines the highly anticipated bout and the battles leading up to it.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury II 

Most people thought Fury could be too large for Usyk before the first installment. With an extra 15 centimeters of height and 39 pounds on top, it was hard to argue with that assessment.

After the first six rounds, most people would be right. Usyk took the opening round thanks partly to Fury's showboating, but the British fighter eventually found his stride and took over.

Rounds seven and eight saw Usyk gain ground, and Fury was left dangling in the ninth after a devastating left punch from Usyk. The fight then took a dramatic turn in the second half.

Fury did a good job of ending the fight, and he had some aid from Usyk, not keeping up the pace he had been setting for the first three rounds. Each of the three judges gave Fury a bonus round, although most onlookers thought Usyk had won even before the judges' scores were announced.

The decision was 114–113 for Fury with one judge but 115–112 and 114–113 for Usyk, establishing him as the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO champion.

The fact that Usyk has relinquished the IBF crown to Daniel Dubois—who defeated Anthony Joshua by knockout in September—does not diminish the significance of the rematch, however.

Fury has six months to think about what went wrong in his first professional loss, and he must also figure out how to capitalize on the promising indicators from rounds three through six.

Rumor has it that the 36-year-old will be heavier than the 262 pounds he weighed before his first fight. Also, a fighter like Usyk, who is all about mobility, has to wonder whether he should react.

A packed undercard event is on the horizon, and the decision-making, even with the last-minute tweaks, adds to the plot.

UNDERCARD

The card has taken a serious hit with the withdrawals of Israil Madrimov (bronchitis) and Dennis McCann (failed VADA test) from their respective fights.

The Englishman Ishmael Davis, who gave Josh Kelly a run for his money in September as a late replacement, deserves another shot with Serhii Bohachuk at 154 pounds. Therefore, he will fight on a Riyadh Season bill.

Welshman Still Unbeaten One of the most intriguing fights on the bill is the super-bantamweight bout between Peter McGrail and Rhys Edwards, a respectable opponent.

Many other heavyweight bouts are scheduled for the rest of the program, not just the main event. An all-English bout between Johnny Fisher and Dave Allen would allow Fisher to extend his undefeated record. At the same time, a victory against Demsey McKean of Australia would be a statement of purpose for highly-rated prospect Moses Itauma.

British featherweights Liam McGregor and Isaac Lowe are fighting for a spot in the top ten, while Andrii Novytskyi and Edgar Ramirez are vying for the WBC world championship.

Mohammed Alakel of Saudi Arabia will face off against Joshua Ocampo in the card's first bout.

Our Predictions

Oleksandr Usyk to win @ 1.69 on Sky247.ng

The fight will take on a different tone if Fury does land a powerful punch. The additional weight may hinder his mobility, but it might provide him the necessary protection to resist Usyk's pinpoint blasts.

If Fury successfully connects, he may be able to do additional damage to the Ukrainian. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to wonder whether Fury may profit from weight changes, given that the bigger-punching Anthony Joshua little hurt Usyk in 24 rounds.

That being said, we are rooting for Usyk to win on points, this time with a more significant margin than in their first fight so that he may face Dubois again in 2025.

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