Usyk vs Fury Fight Preview and Latest Betting Odds

by Luke Andrews, 7 March 2023

The fight between Britain’s Tyson Fury and Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk is one of the most eagerly anticipated clashes for years, as the winner will hold all the heavyweight belts for the first time since Lennox Lewis in 1999. In this article, we discuss the chances of both fighters and who the bookies believe will win.

We will also explore the best odds, both fighters’ strengths and weaknesses and the tactics likely to be used if the fight takes place. Finally, we will explore the previous opponents of both boxers and suggest different opponents if this fight ultimately doesn’t happen.

Heading into this monumental encounter, both fighters have had their share of close calls in their 2023 bouts.

Usyk faced a daunting moment against Daniel Dubois, being floored by a punch that was later deemed a low blow by the referee, granting him a crucial recovery period. He eventually triumphed, halting Dubois in the 9th round.

Fury also suffered a scare and encountered a formidable challenge in October from ex-UFC heavyweight kingpin Francis Ngannou. Ngannou managed a knockdown and secured enough rounds to pose a serious threat, though Fury narrowly clinched a split decision win. While Fury’s title wasn’t at stake, a defeat would have been a more significant blow in a bout where he was widely expected to reign supreme.

Fury vs Usyk – Finally Confirmed

Fight fans can be forgiven for thinking the Fury vs Usyk fight would never happen, as there have been many false dawns and breakdowns in negotiations between the pair over the last few years. However, contracts have been signed and barring any late injuries, we should finally see the two fight each other on February 17th.

***Update – 08/02/2024 – Due to an injury to Tyson Fury, the fight has now been moved to the 18th of May. If either fighter is unable to compete, they must pay almost ten million pounds to the other fighter (£9.3m).***

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have both sensationally claimed that they are only training for five weeks ahead of their upcoming undisputed heavyweight clash on February 17th. Traditionally, boxers will be in camp for 10 to 12 weeks ahead of a blockbuster showdown, but the heavyweight duo say they only need half of that time to prepare for each other.

In a TNT Sports Face Off segment with Steve Bunce, Usyk and Fury engaged in a candid conversation, showcasing their mental acuity as they casually responded to Bunce’s probing. Discussing his fight prep, Fury remarked, “I’m not even in the gym. I don’t train this far out come on. Who do you think you’re talking to? A professional athlete? Come on. I train four to five weeks for these fights.”

Bunce interjected, pointing out, “You said you trained 12 weeks for Francis Ngannou.” Fury retorted, “Please. Like I trained 12 weeks for Wilder and everybody else. Four or five weeks. How much training does a man need? Three or four weeks of sparring and one week of resting, done.” Similarly, Usyk has indicated he’s opting for a more restrained training regimen in the lead-up to the fight, though his response seemed tinged with a bit of irony. “I can keep on boxing non-stop for five weeks,” he stated.

Fans of Fury are likely hoping that the ‘Gypsy King’ is more committed to the upcoming undisputed fight than his comments suggest, especially after his close call against Francis Ngannou in his last match.

Fury’s performance hinted at a lack of sharpness in that fight, sparking speculation about insufficient gym preparation. Even his father, John, mentioned that Fury had eased up on his conditioning. However, English heavyweight champion Sol Dacres, who spent five weeks in camp with Fury, attests that his training intensity matched that of his previous camps.

The fight card for the event on February 17th at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, features a range of exciting matches across different weight classes. Besides the headline bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship, Jai Opetaia and Mairis Briedis compete for the vacant IBF cruiserweight championship. Also of great interest to boxing betting fans is Joe Cordina vs. Anthony Cacace, who are vying for the IBF super featherweight championship.

Fury Vs Usyk Betting Odds

In anticipation of the fight, I’ve checked the latest Fury Vs Usyk Betting Odds;

Fury is slightly favoured with odds of 3/4, implying a probability of approximately 57.1%. The draw odds are set at 14/1, suggesting a low possibility of about 6.7%. Oleksandr Usyk, listed at 23/20, has implied odds indicating a probability of around 46.5%. These odds reflect a closely anticipated match, with Fury being a marginal favourite over Usyk.

The betting market for the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight offers diverse options for predicting the method of victory. Tyson Fury is favoured to win on points at 29/20 odds, while Oleksandr Usyk’s odds to win on points are slightly higher at 7/4. For a more decisive victory, Fury’s odds to win by KO, TKO, DQ, or Technical Decision stand at 33/10, compared to Usyk’s odds in the same category at 27/5.

Additionally, the possibility of the match ending in a draw is considered at 14/1, indicating it’s a less likely but still plausible outcome. These odds reflect the varied expectations of how this highly anticipated bout might conclude.

In the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight, betting odds favour the match going the full distance at 4/11. However, there’s still a notable chance, with odds at 9/5, that the fight could end early, indicating expectations of a strategic yet potentially decisive bout.

In the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight, the betting odds offer a wide range of possibilities for the outcome. The most favoured scenario is Tyson Fury winning on points, closely followed by Oleksandr Usyk winning on points.

For those betting on a knockout, the odds vary significantly across different rounds, with both fighters having similar odds for early-round victories but diverging in the later rounds, reflecting the unpredictability and excitement surrounding this matchup.

In the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk bout, the odds for the fight concluding in early rounds (1-3) are set at 14/1, indicating a lower probability. The likelihood increases for middle rounds (4-6) at 9/1 and further for rounds 7-9 at 27/5. The odds are more favourable for a late finish (rounds 10-12) at 6/1.

However, according to the odds, the most probable outcome is the fight going the full distance, marked at 4/11, suggesting a high chance of a decision after all scheduled rounds are completed.

The Two Fighters in More Detail

A fight featuring Tyson Fury Vs Oleksandr Usyk will be watched globally, and unless the fight ends in a draw, one man will hold four belts for the first time ever (Lennox Lewis had three in 1999). In the next section, we list the two fighters’ strengths and weaknesses.

Tyson Fury Profile – The Unbeaten Giant

British boxing fans need no introduction to one of the most well-known names in professional boxing, Tyson Fury.

The 6’9″ heavyweight from Manchester is the current holder of the WBC belt, earned by fighting Deontay Wilder in 2020. In 34 professional fights, Fury has a stellar record of 33 victories, including 24 knockouts and one draw. He is regarded as the lineal heavyweight champion and is listed as the greatest active heavyweight in the world by both BoxRec and ESPN.

Fury is a controversial figure whose early career was blighted by the fighter’s controversial views on topics including homosexuality. As an amateur, he represented both England and Ireland, winning several titles, including the ABA super-heavyweight title in 2008. He turned professional later that year and quickly made a name for himself by winning the English heavyweight title twice before becoming the British and Commonwealth champion in 2011.

Fury’s first significant breakthrough came in 2015 when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko to win the unified WBA (Super), IBF, IBO, WBO, and The Ring magazine titles.

Despite this success, Fury’s reign at the top was short-lived, as he was stripped of his IBF title ten days after the Klitschko bout. His contract with Wladimir Klitschko included a rematch clause meaning that Fury couldn’t face the IBF’s mandatory challenger, Vyacheslav Glazkov.

Fury’s life was beginning to spiral out of control away from the ring, and he had problems with his mental health, alcoholism, and recreational drug use. As a result, he vacated the WBO, WBA, and IBO titles in 2016, and The Ring stripped him of his last remaining title in early 2018.

Many people at the time thought we would never see Fury in the ring again, but the Brit staged a remarkable comeback in 2018, two years after his last fight, challenging Wilder for the WBC heavyweight title. The fight was scored as a draw, which was controversial as many thought the Brit had won the fight. Fury’s strong performance earned him the Comeback of the Year award from The Ring.

In February 2020, Fury defeated Wilder in the rematch by a technical knockout in the seventh round after a dominant performance. He knocked out Wilder again in the trilogy fight in October 2021, this time in the eleventh round.

Tyson Fury – Route to Victory

Fury has plenty of experience in high-stakes fights against elite opponents as the reigning champion. Here are some ways he could look to retain his titles against Usyk:

Power Punching: Fury is one of the hardest-hitting heavyweights in the world, with a devastating right hand that can knock out even the most durable opponents. Against Usyk, he’ll need to be patient and wait for his openings, looking to land his power punches whenever Usyk tries to close the distance. If Fury can land clean shots on Usyk’s chin, he could potentially end the fight early.

Ring IQ: Fury is known for his uncanny ability to read his opponents and adapt his strategy on the fly. Against Usyk, he’ll need to use his superior ring IQ to outthink and outmanoeuvre his opponent, constantly changing up his attack and keeping Usyk off-balance.

Cutting off the Ring: To nullify Usyk’s superior movement and footwork, Fury will need to cut off the ring effectively and trap Usyk against the ropes. If he can do this, he can use his size and power to rough Usyk up and wear him down throughout the fight.

Mental Toughness: Fury is a master of psychological warfare, using his trash-talking and mind games to get inside his opponents’ heads and throw them off their game. Against Usyk, he’ll need to stay mentally focused and avoid getting sucked into Usyk’s mind games. However, if Fury maintains his composure and remains disciplined, he could emerge victorious.

Oleksandr Usyk – The Ukrainian Heavyweight Champion

While boxing fans may be more familiar with the Tyson Fury story, Usyk’s journey has also been fascinating.

As an amateur, Usyk won his first gold medal at heavyweight in the 2011 World Championships and the subsequent 2012 Olympics. He became a professional in 2013 and quickly made his mark in boxing.

Initially fighting as a cruiserweight, it took him just 15 professional fights to claim the undisputed cruiserweight championship.

During the inaugural World Boxing Super Series, three of his titles were won, earning him the Ring and lineal cruiserweight titles and the Muhammad Ali Trophy.

These wins saw him collect awards, such as the 2018 Fighter of the Year (awarded by Sports Illustrated), the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) awards, and the Ring and ESPN titles.

Following in the footsteps of Jermain Taylor, Bernard Hopkins, and Terence Crawford, he became the fourth male boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles in boxing history.

He was the first Ukrainian undisputed champion. He won his first world title in his tenth fight and became the undisputed cruiserweight champion. Usyk only fought four more fights before vacating the title in 2019 to move up a division to heavyweight. He beat five current or former world champions in just sixteen fights in his remarkable run.

An exclusive episode of @WeAreTheOverlap this week with @usykaa ! We spoke about the challenges he’s faced personally in his life , the war in Ukraine and his upcoming fight with Tyson Fury . Have a watch if you like 👍🏻 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RClIs0Ag2Y&feature=youtu.be pic.twitter.com/Z2y3OgmfzS

— Gary Neville (@GNev2) March 6, 2023

Usyk’s victory over Anthony Joshua in 2021 cemented his legacy as one of the greatest boxers in history. He joined the legendary ranks of Evander Holyfield and David Haye, the only other fighters to have taken all the cruiserweight world titles and become heavyweight champions.

As of August 2022, The Ring class him as the world’s best pound-for-pound active boxer. He is ranked second by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (TBRB), third by BWAA, fifth by BoxRec, and sixth by ESPN.

Oleksandr Usyk – Route to Victory

To defeat the reigning WBC champion, Usyk must deploy a careful strategy considering Fury’s strengths and weaknesses. Here are some ways Usyk could look to capitalise on his opponent’s shortcomings:

Pressure and Movement: Fury is an imposing figure in the ring, standing at 6’9” with an 85-inch reach. However, he’s not particularly fast, and he can be vulnerable to quick, agile opponents who can evade his power punches. Usyk, with his superior footwork and lateral movement, could aim to frustrate Fury by circling around him and peppering him with quick jabs and combinations while staying out of range of Fury’s counterpunches.

Jabbing and Counterpunching: Usyk is a master of the jab, using it to set up his combinations and control the distance of the fight. Against Fury, he could aim to keep him at bay with his jab while looking for opportunities to counterpunch whenever Fury lunges in with his trademark overhand right. If Usyk can land clean counters on Fury’s chin, he could potentially hurt him and force him to abandon his game plan.

Bodywork: Fury has a solid chin and can take a lot of punishment to the head, but he’s less adept at defending his body. Usyk could aim to exploit this weakness by targeting Fury’s midsection with hooks and uppercuts, which could slow him down and sap his stamina as the fight wears on.

Ring Generalship: As a former undisputed cruiserweight champion, Usyk is no stranger to fighting on the big stage. He’s used to facing taller opponents with longer reaches and knows how to control the pace and flow of a fight. Against Fury, he’ll need to assert his authority in the ring and dictate the terms of engagement while avoiding getting caught up in Fury’s mind games.

The highly anticipated Fury vs. Usyk fight is scheduled to take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 18th. This major boxing event will be broadcast live on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK, featuring the undisputed heavyweight championship bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. For those preferring to stream the event, it will be available through the TNT Sports Box Office app, which can be downloaded onto mobile and tablet devices.