Humpty
Well-known member
I would dispute the claim that Usyk’s punches were doing nothing. You can ask any one of his previous opponents and they’ll tell you that those punches are both relentless and exhausting to deal with.
Fury V Usyk.
- Thread starter Scrug
- Start date
JustTheGent
Well-known member
To say 'Usyk's punches weren't really doing anything' is a failure to understand the sport of boxing. Those early body punches from Usyk were clearing registering with Fury, you could hear them land.
Quite a few people have also said that a single punch changed the course of the fight. That simply isn't true, Usyk starts to increasingly land punches that Fury doesn't see from round 7 onwards. The lead up to Usyk's KO of Bellew was very similar to round 9 with Fury. Both Bellew and Fury were both softened up with a couple of sharp left hands and then Usyk moved in for the finish.
Looking at the fight again, it should have definitely been waved off. Fury wasn't defending himself, he was knocked out on his feet. Once a boxer is incapable of defending himself, the ref has got to stop the contest.
Quite a few people have also said that a single punch changed the course of the fight. That simply isn't true, Usyk starts to increasingly land punches that Fury doesn't see from round 7 onwards. The lead up to Usyk's KO of Bellew was very similar to round 9 with Fury. Both Bellew and Fury were both softened up with a couple of sharp left hands and then Usyk moved in for the finish.
Looking at the fight again, it should have definitely been waved off. Fury wasn't defending himself, he was knocked out on his feet. Once a boxer is incapable of defending himself, the ref has got to stop the contest.
naively_optimistic
Well-known member
Usyk laid his markers down early and landed a couple of left hand right down the pipe.... Fury felt it too. It seems too be forgotten..... Fury has been down seven times..... Usyk hasn't been knocked down. Usyk took Fury's best shots and then dismantled him as Fury got tied and dropped his hands..... That's what Usyk does..... Lays down his markers..... Plays the long game and picks off fighters in the second half of his fights..... He's a different level to Fury and the rest.... He just is and fair play to him..... Everything that is put in front of him..... He beats!
swordtrombonefish
Well-known member
The undisputed status will only last a short time as Usyk will soon be stripped of the title so that a match likely between Hrgovic and Dubois can take place for that belt. If that does happen before any rematch can be arranged then it won't have undisputed status which may well take the shine off a rematch for Fury if he has to fight Usyk then another IBF title owner to get undisputed status.
Juninhoburger
Well-known member
Isn't Joshua likely to face the winner of Hrgovic/Dubois? Both are poor fighters who Joshua should beat easily. If Fury beats Usyk in October we could finally have the Fury/AJ match with everything on the line...
I don't see how Fury beats Usyk, though.
The other bodies will start calling their mandatories as well though.
It's correct that AJ will probably fight for IBF.
But there's a good chance one of the other belts would need to be defended or vacated in the meantime. It's very unlikely we will see another undisputed fight. The belts will all fracture now unless Usyk gets busy fighting mandatories.
Centralscrutinizer
Well-known member
Unless he really just wants more money Usyk should walk away. He can't achieve anything more in boxing. And at least he's brought a brief bit of credibility to the heavyweight division, one he's gone it'll be a four ring circus with a load of second rate fighters (sorry AJ fanboys) + Fury possibly picking up the scraps and maneuvering around for big money fights.
I'd be surprised if Fury continued if the rematch doesn't happen.
I don't think he'll fancy Joshua now. He's had quite a few knockdowns now and his punch resistance is declining. I think AJ knocks him out if they meet.
If Usyk did walk away we will probably end up with 4 different mediocre Champs with no one presently good enough to unify them. Fighters like Zhang / Dubois / Kabayel / Parker could end up as world Champs. Similar to when Fury vacated all the belts after winning them from Vlad so Charles Martin and Joseph Parker found themselves getting World Titles.
The heavyweight division will be waiting for the next big talent to come through. Although AJ might have another run at picking up what he can. With Usyk and Fury potentially out the way he could get his hands on a couple of titles again.
Andy_W
Well-known member
When I say "nothing", I don't literally mean "nothing", he's a heavyweight boxer. I mean relative compared to what Fury was hitting with, and also relative to what Fury can take, being the size and mass he has etc. He can take a hit better than most it seems.
100% agree with it all adding up though, it can't not do that, it's not possible otherwise. It's a combination of the accumulation generally, same as anything in life. But also any one large event at one instance can also outweigh the typical single instance if it breaks the single tipping point, i.e one knockout punch is going to probably be worse than 5 punches which may otherwise cumulatively be a lot more.
As for his other opponents, he's only fought 4 heavyweights before Fury, and 5 fights, and he got his belts fighting Chisora and Joshua. Neither of those are not exactly well known for being able to take a hit, and the three fights with them all went 12 rounds, just like the Fury fight did. It's not like he's fought any heavyweight at their peak either.
Not at all saying he's not a great fighter, nothing like that, but I don't think he's a heavy hitter, seems more of a points merchant (which is to be expected coming from cruiserweight), who's timed his accession extremely well.
After seeing Chisora, AJ and Fury all face Usyk, it seems Fury has the least resistance to being hit or weakest chin. AJ took Usyk's big shots better than Fury did. I just don't think Fury has been caught flush too many times in his career.
Usyk hits hard for his size. He's fighting guys 25-50 lbs heavier than him and still hurting them. If he was put in against a Wilder who is slightly lighter than Usyk, then Usyk would knock him out within 6 rounds.
Andy_W
Well-known member
Yeah, I know what you mean, Fury used to be quicker and much better at avoiding the hits. Still have zero idea how I got back up after that massive Wilder shot though, and he's been hit by a few from him, and he's a big hitter.
I don't think Usyk hits hard for his size, not compared to others his size, but he 100% lands more and gets hit by less.
Wilder's a windmill merchant, he either wins his fights by landing one (like the early days against the bums he fought), or through others fear of being hit by one (his later wins). He's been figured out by the good fighters though.
I don't think he would land a windmill on Usyk, he's too clever for that and too quick. Wilder would just end up with his face smashed in and would either get stopped or knocked out in quick time.
Centralscrutinizer
Well-known member
Boroshirtmuseum
Active member
I agree, a Joshua/Fury undisputed could be on the cards.
Fury can beat Usyk, he has all the attributes to do so.
Needs to get rid of his buffoon dad in his corner
It won't be undisputed. No way
FabioPorkpie
Well-known member
I guess like any sport, we all see things differently. The 2 or 3 commentators/pundits on the dodgy stream that I was watching were in agreement that Fury was getting on top for 2 or 3 rounds from round 3 or 4, and they were commenting on how Usyk was struggling to make headway and wasn’t used to it, and they hadn’t really seen a fighter trouble Usyk in that manner before.
Usyk was clearly the winner in my view, mainly down to round 9 and the impact that had on round 10 and 11, but I don’t think Usyk was dictating the pace throughout the rounds where Fury was causing him genuine problems. I actually thought Fury was gradually getting well on top in those rounds in terms of strategy, if not points, but it’s testament to Usyk’s ability that he found his way round the problem.
I’m not entirely convinced there wasn’t a bit of arrogance/overconfidence from Fury following his decent rounds that helped Usyk out, but we could analyse it until the cows come home and it won’t make a jott of difference.
Usyk won the fight in Round 9 and he won it well and was absolutely the right and very worthy winner.
Good for him, good for boxing and good for Ukraine.
BoroMart
Well-known member
bit harsh on AJ. Come on, there are others you could levy at before him, Wilder being the prime example