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Tyson Fury Should Not Target Oleksandr Usyk’s Weakness, Says Artur Beterbiev

Published 05/01/2024, 12:46 PM EDT

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The world is waiting for the undisputed clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, which will grace the eyes of the masses on May 18 in the land of the sand and oil, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. And who will be watching with intense interest? None other than the reigning IBF, WBC, and WBO light heavyweight champion, Artur Beterbiev. This fight is especially crucial for the game everyone calls boxing. Why? Because it will decide who gets to call themselves the undisputed heavyweight champion? But there is another reason why Artur Beterbiev is looking at the fight with anticipation.

Beterbiev has previously fought Oleksandr Usyk in the amateurs. Usyk was one of the few people to ever deal a loss to the knockout machine during their time in the amateurs. Another reason for the fight’s overall importance is, that the last person to hold the title was Lennox Lewis back in 1999, the golden era of boxing. Nevertheless, going into the fight, Fury is a slight favorite because of his height and weight advantage. However, when Beterbiev, who will face Dmitry Bivol in an undisputed clash of his own on June 1, was asked about Usyk’s weakness in an interview with Queensberry Promotions recently, the Montreal resident said Fury shouldn’t look to target Usyk’s weakness. Why? 

Artur Beterbiev agrees Oleksandr Usyk has a big weakness

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Following his fight press conference in London a couple of weeks ago, Beterbiev sat down with a reporter from the English promotion. Addressing the reporter’s question about Usyk’s body being his weakness, the Khasavyurt, Russia native, agreed without any resistance. Beterbiev said, “Yeah, I think yes.”

Hearing this, the reporter threw a curveball Beterbiev’s way that he could not dodge. The reporter simply asked if Tyson should look to exploit Usyk’s weakness, which can secure a guaranteed win for the London man. So, Beterbiev said, “Not that, but sometimes you need to punch there too.” Now, think about this. If not Usyk’s weakness, what else should Fury do to ensure the undisputed status comes home with him to the land of the English? 

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Fury’s known for adapting to his opponent’s style, which some believe explains his knockdown by the powerful Francis Ngannou. This adaptability makes the upcoming fight with Usyk so intriguing, especially with Fury’s recent weight shedding. Adding another layer of intrigue, someone Usyk previously faced has weighed in on the Fury fight…

Anthony Joshua shares his prediction

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It doesn’t matter what the critics say about this man, Anthony Joshua was and is undoubtedly one of the best in the heavyweight division right now. He fought Usyk, not one time but two whole times in the past, and lost both of them in a tragic upset. So, think about this, who could be better than the Brit to share a glimpse of Usyk’s performance come fight night? During an interview with talkSport recently, Joshua made his case for choosing Oleksandr Usyk as the winner over his fellow Briton Tyson Fury. 

via Reuters

Joshua said, “I’ve fought Usyk so I can only speak on what I’ve experienced with him – phenomenal fighter. I would say he’s going to do a really good job.” He further added, “I’ve never fought Fury, so I can’t speak on what it’s like to face him. Only speaking on what I know, I have to say Usyk will be victorious.”

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With every passing day and every passing second, the sheer anticipation for the ultimate undisputed clash has everyone in the community talking about the fight. However, only time will tell what will happen when the two best heavyweights in the world get in the ring.

Who are you rooting for? Do you think Usyk can pull off a win? 

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Written by:

Sudeep Sinha

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Sudeep Sinha is a Boxing writer at EssentiallySports. His string of noteworthy coverages includes USA Boxing’s new controversial guidelines, Francis Ngannou’s stunning boxing debut, and Amanda Serrano’s tussle with the WBC. Sudeep continues to contribute valuable insights with his passionate understanding of the ins and outs of the sport.
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Edited by:

Gokul Pillai