Undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk 22-0 (14) has explained the difference between Anthony Joshua 28-3 (25) and Tyson Fury 34-1-1 (24).
The 37-year-old Ukrainian southpaw lifted the WBA, WBO and IBF titles from Brit Joshua, 34, with a points win in 2021 and repeated the feat in their rematch one year later.
Last month, Usyk added the WBC belt to his trophy cabinet with a decision win over 35-year-old Brit Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Usyk attempted to define their two contrasting styles in an interview on the 3 Knockdown Rule podcast this week.
“Anthony Joshua has classy boxing,” The Ring heavyweight champion said. “Greedy Belly, my friend Tyson Fury, is like sparkling water. When you open it without shaking, it’s good. If you shake it, it [blows]. Sparkling water is Tyson Fury and still water is Anthony Joshua. Tyson’s arms are like two metres, like a rope.”
Despite being outweighed by almost 40 pounds by Fury, it was Usyk who hurt the bigger man in the ninth round of their contest and scored a knockdown.
As for Fury’s power, former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk says he has faced bigger punchers since moving up to the open weight class five years ago.
“I would say toughest fight, yes, but I think biggest punch, no,” Usyk said of Fury. “Derek Chisora [is the biggest puncher], very tough guy. With Derek, I don’t remember which hand, if it was left or right, but I would block it and it would be like a baseball bat. It was very dangerous.”
The six-foot-nine Fury was able to outbox Usyk, six-foot-three, for much of the first half of the fight before Usyk came on late. In those early rounds the right uppercut was a particularly effective weapon for Fury.
“When I get the uppercut, it was very pain. I feel for maybe ten seconds and say, ‘Hey God, thank you, help me.’ I say to myself, ‘Move, move because if you stop, he’ll kill you’,” Usyk reflected.
Back in November at the press conference to announce the first fight, Fury was in full voice, attempting to rattle Usyk with a series of slights.
“I’m going to bust him, sausage, ugly little man, rabbit. Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run!” he blustered.
“I don’t want a ‘more, more’. You know what’s coming, you’re getting smashed to pieces sausage.
“You’re fighting the best British heavyweight there’s ever been, the fucking dauntless in these waters, me.”
Usyk said the taunts never bothered him.
“I respect Fury because he’s a great fighter, great man, very smart,” he said. “What Tyson does, ‘blah, blah, blah.’ A lot of people say he’s a clown. It’s playing.
“Not me, but maybe a different opponent who doesn’t have tunnel vision.”
Usyk will meet Fury for a second time in at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 21. After that, he said he is contemplating a move back down to the 200-pound division after that.
“For me, it’s hard. I don’t like it. I think maybe after the rematch, I am going to go down in weight to cruiserweight,” Usyk said.
“I want more cruiserweight. Maybe I can be undisputed for a second time in the cruiserweight division. It’s my plan.”
