Three Predictions for Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk

On Saturday, May 18, at the Kingdom Arena, Saudi Arabia, Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) and Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) will finally collide for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world. These two will meet in the main event at the event billed as “Ring of Fire.” Viewers can catch all the action on PPV on DAZN, Sky Sports Box Office and TNT Sports Box Office in the UK. The action will also be shown on ESPN+ in the US. 

Three Predictions for Undisputed Clash Between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury to Beat Oleksandr Usyk by Late Stoppage

Ahead of the undisputed showdown, we have already examined the weight and height advantage of “The Gypsy King.” These advantages lead us to believe Fury will implement similar tactics to close the distance and work on the inside as he did against Deontay Wilder in their second fight, possibly incorporating strength training – to further enhance his ability to control the pace and dominate in close quarters as he did against Deontay Wilder in their second fight.

Despite Usyk having great lateral movement, if Fury can walk him down and work his opponent’s body, it could be a long night for the Ukrainian. Usyk has visibly struggled with shots to the body, as seen in his win against Daniel Dubois. When Fury gets inside, as proven against Wilder, he can use his size effectively and work his opponent. 

Usyk to Win by Unanimous Decision

Our second prediction we wanted to put forward was for Usyk to win by unanimous decision. The Ukrainian southpaw has an incredible ring IQ, enabling him to change the course of a fight by altering his tactics. Usyk controls the centre of the ring with his intricate footwork, ensuring he controls the distance during his bouts. The Ukrainian will need to use his excellent footwork to negate Fury’s weight and height advantage and stop “The Gypsy King” from trying to bully him.

His reflexes ensure he is difficult to hit, which will be vital when looking to counter effectively, which will be possible with his excellent footwork. We don’t see Usyk as having the power to KO Fury, so a win by unanimous decision looks the most likely.

Tyson Fury to Win by Split Decision

Our last prediction is for “The Gypsy King” to wipe away the memories of the split decision win over Francis Ngannou – and put in a much better performance, beating Usyk by a split decision. Fury has proven to be an awkward fighter who can feint and unsettle his opponents before launching his attacks. 

If the fight is to go the 12 rounds, it’s hard to envisage one of the fighters running away with it. We have already mentioned Usyk’s incredible ring IQ, but “The Gypsy King” is as tough as they come – and as clever as they come in the ring. Usyk is tough and will not be easily beaten – so Fury will need to use all his ring generalship to get close enough to upset Usyk’s rhythm and come on strong in the championship rounds to get the decision.