Months have now ceded the place to weeks. There are only a few days left before the curtains draw on the 25-year-old quest. Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will walk into history when they clash on February 17 in Riyadh. The fight will finally settle the over-two-decade-old mission to anoint the heavyweight division’s undisputed champion.

Needless to say, both champions are moving heaven and earth to ensure a sure-shot triumph. Minute details are being attended to. Leaving nothing to chance, as reports display, even sparring partners seem to be hand-picked. So who are those mysterious campmates? Curiosity beckons answers. It seems, however, that help is not too far off. A list has come out. It showcases the sparring partners employed to help Fury and Usyk. As much as it reveals the names, the disclosure also helps in understanding the overlaying tactic deployed by the two teams.

The Enthralling Roster

Yesterday evening, through its X/Twitter handle, iFL TV updated, “Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk’s sparring partners ahead of their undisputed clash next month have been revealed.” The list reads as follows:

Tyson Fury:

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1. Jai Opetaia (24-0-0)
2. Moses Itauma (7-0-0)
3. Kevin Lerena (30-2-0)
4. Alexis Barriere (11-0-0)

Oleksandr Usyk:

1. Sanel Hasanovic (7-1-1)
2. Mariusz Wach (38-10-0)
3. Darren Sealy (0-1-0)
4. Emanuel Odiase (3-3-0)
5. Volodymyr Katsuk (5-1-0)

The post justifiably asked for followers’ thoughts. To the layeye, it might appear like any other innocuous list of names. However, a close perusal might present a different picture alltogether.

Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk: The Seconds At Hand

Starting with the Ring’s cruiserweight title holder, Jai Opetaia, despite being short of one pair of hands, the credentials of Tyson Fury’s sparring partners appear on strong footing. Apart from the unbeaten Opetaia, there’s the undefeated 19-year-old prodigy, Moses Itauma. Then there’s the WBC bridgerweight (interim) title holder and former IBO cruiserweight champion, Kevin Lerena.

With two defeats under his belt, unlike the previous two, the South African native’s record may not be spotless. Two years ago, he challenged Daniel Dubois for a heavyweight title but failed to succeed. Finally, there’s the unbeaten Alexis Barriere. The Canadian with an 82% knockout-to-win rate is another heavyweight like Itauma to help out Fury.

All four boxers are southpaws, like Oleksandr Usyk. Discounting Francis Ngannou, it should be remembered that Tyson Fury has fought only one southpaw, Otto Wallin, in the last four years.

On the other hand, the records of Usyk’s sparring partners might sound a bit obscure. But just like Fury could be trying to get himself more adept at handling a southpaw, the Ukrainian, who stands six feet and three inches, appears to get himself a rundown on fighting taller boxers with lengthy reach.

Finally…

Sweat more in training to bleed less in war, so goes the saying. In combat sports, one of the measures that honors the adage remains sparring. As much as it helps in upskilling a fighter and provides constant feedback, there remains a fundamental difference between a random one and a driven, tactical sparring. Exchanging jabs with a fighter whose style and physical features match up with the opponent ensures a level of familiarity. Later, it helps the boxer with improved reflexes and defenses on account of better anticipation.

Who can forget boxing legend Evander Holyfield taking help from David Tua before the first Mike Tyson fight? The Samoan-New Zealand boxer‘s fighting style, body weight, and size matched Tyson’s, and reportedly, it helped a great deal in sealing a victory for ‘The Real Deal’. Time alone will tell whose tactics, whether Fury’s or Usyk’s, eventually succeeded.

Derek Chisora Advices Tyson Fury to “Gear Up” Ahead of Oleksandr Usyk Undisputed Fight

What are your views on February 17, after coming across the sparring partners’ names? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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