After years of rumours, ducking, diving, politics and postponements, we finally have an undisputed heavyweight world championship fight just around the corner.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk clash in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday May 18 for the WBC, WBO, WBA, IBF and Ring Magazine titles, in an attempt in ending the long-running argument as to who the numero uno is in the most glamorous of all boxing divisions.
Originally slated for late 2023 as well as mid-February, both Francis Ngannou and a sparring cut to Fury’s eye caused separate delays, but Saudi — and more specifically Turki Alalshikh — have be insistent on getting this fight over the line, and on May 18 we’ll hopefully find out which of these two champions truly “Owns the Throne.”
Fury v Usyk Free Bets
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Fury v Usyk Betting Tip
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Fury is certainly on the decline but how steep is it? His 2020 routing of Deontay Wilder in their second fight seems a long time ago now, with a couple of dud performances against Dereck Chisora and Francis Ngannou all we have seen of him since early 2022.
But Usyk himself isn’t completely void of ring rust. The difference is the toll that Fury’s weight issues have had on his body throughout his career, compared to Usyk who has grown gradually into the heavyweight division and now looks good for it.
Fury’s awkward, spidery style is a nightmare for any heavyweight with his 34-0-1 (24) record proving that assessment, but if there is a man to crack that code then it’s the agile, well-schooled Usyk.
If Usyk is able to get on the inside of Fury then those short, sharp combinations and uppercuts could well begin to chop down the tree and question the equilibrium of a man that is known to tumble. This being said, Usyk to win this by stoppage is the value pick of the four outcomes at a meaty 5/1 with bet365.
We know Fury can be hurt and we know Fury can be cut and, above all, we know what a talent Oleksandr Usyk is.
Usyk will arguably be the best fighter that Fury has entered the ring with, and with a career littered in drama it’s hard to imagine this fight just ticking by with none.
Fury v Usyk Latest Odds
The bookies can’t really split these two, with both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk enjoying time as favourites throughout 2024.
At the time of writing, Tyson Fury is a 4/5 favourite with bet365 whilst Oleksandr Usyk sits at Evens to get the win in Riyadh. Fury was a much clearer favourite before he was dropped by Francis Ngannou in a genuinely shocking heavyweight moment in October last year.
And as is to be expected with heavyweights, the knockout odds aren’t huge. Fury is 10/3 to win by KO and 7/4 to take it on the scorecards, whereas Usyk sits a bigger 5/1 to win by stoppage and a short 2/1 on the cards. A draw comes in at 14/1.
The bookies don’t seem to fancy this one going early. You can get 18/1 on the fight being over inside the first four rounds and a whopping 25/1 for the first three rounds.
4/9 with bet365 is the price for the fight to go the full distance.
One of the best looking bets has to be Tyson Fury to get knocked down and win at 7/1 with bet365 – something he has done in recent fights with Ngannou and Deontay Wilder.
Fury v Usyk Fight Preview
It’s finally here: Fury and Usyk for all of the heavyweight marbles.
Saturday’s victor will be the first fighter to claim the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world since 1999, when Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield inside the Thomas & Mack Centre, Las Vegas via undisputed decision.
Such is the sport of boxing that politics make these fights very rare, but with significant help from the investment of Saudi Arabia and Turki Alalshikh, the number one and number two in the heavyweight division will face off over 12 rounds.
Asides from their four combined world title belts, Fury and Usyk bring unbeaten records, 55 wins and 38 knockouts to the table. But at 35 and 37 years old respectively, both know this is probably their last chance at cementing their legacy at the very top of the esteemed division.
Two of the biggest talking points ahead of the fight are as follows: 1) was Fury’s abysmal performance against Ngannou a blip or a sign of a bigger decline and 2) will Usyk’s frame be able to match up to Fury’s size at the bigger end of the heavyweight scale.
Luckily, we haven’t got long to find out…
Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24KO)
Since his trilogy concluded with Deontay Wilder in 2021, Tyson Fury has widely been recognised as the #1 in the heavyweight division.
Despite a checkered CV, Fury still arguably holds some of the most impressive wins in the division in beating Wladimir Klitschko (2015) and Deontay Wilder (2020, 2021) but outside of these world title wins, Fury list of victims is fairly uninspiring.
His last three victories have come against Dillian Whyte (2022), Dereck Chisora (2022) and, controversially, Francis Ngannou (2023), so it’s impossible to predict what kind of form Fury will be in this May as he sits three years out from his last notable win.
But credentials aside, Fury is a nightmare of a heavyweight for any opponent.
He moves more like a featherweight than a 6ft 9in monster, and his ability to box off the back foot makes it near impossible for others to connect consistently. Teaming up with SugarHill Steward has also added a spite to his punches, with power now also part of his substantial artillery.
Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14KO)
Oleksandr Usyk is a real problem in the heavyweight division, and that has been a surprise to many.
The former unified cruiserweight champion made his name in the pros by winning big fights on the road – Murat Gassiev in Russia, Tony Bellew in the UK, Michael Hunter in the USA, Marco Huck in Germany and Mairis Briedis in Latvia… no one was safe from the reign of the Ukrainian at the 200-pound limit.
And since moving up to the land of the giants, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist has recorded impressive wins over a trio of British heavyweights in Dereck Chisora, Anthony Joshua x2 and Daniel Dubois.
Not many fighters are able to move from cruiserweight to heavyweight so seamlessly, but Usyk has joined the duo of Evander Holyfield and David Haye to win titles in both classes – on Saturday he gets the chance to springboard his name to the top of the pound-for-pound arguments if he is to get the win over Fury.
Usyk’s cat-like reflexes, athleticism and amateur schooling make him a – so far – impossible puzzle to solve.
Fury v Usyk FAQs
When and where is the Fury v Usyk fight?
The fight will take place on Saturday May 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
What are the pre-fight odds for Fury v Usyk?
Tyson Fury is 4/5 with bet365 to win the fight and Oleksandr Usyk is a slight underdog at evens.
What time is the Fury v Usyk fight and where can I watch it?
Fury v Usyk is expected to start around 23:00 UK time. Sky Sports Box Office, TNT Box Office and DAZN are all broadcasting the fight live in a duel-broadcast.
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