Carl Frampton believes that Tyson Fury’s best chance of winning the heavyweight title outright is to challenge Oleksandr Usyk right from the start.
On Saturday night, Fury and Usyk square off in Riyadh, with the winner becoming the first man to dominate the division since Lennox Lewis in 2000 and the first to simultaneously hold the WBO, WBC, WBA, and IBF championships.
The “Gipsy King” has a height advantage of six inches and a reach advantage of seven inches, and Frampton, the former world champion at two weight from Northern Ireland, feels he has to force the issue with the Ukrainian.
I believe both a strong and an aggressive Tyson Fury will be shown. Like in his second and third fights against Deontay Wilder, he will be attacking from the front, Frampton told the PA news agency.
One may wonder if Fury still has the same level of dexterity as before. Given his girth, if he moves around a lot, his knees and ankles must hurt.
It’s easier to move forward by being more aggressive and flat-footed than it is to move forward by being alert. In actuality, it’s a simpler method of combat, particularly for your lungs.
“I think that Fury’s aggressive style will be evident in this fight, as I find it appealing.” Assuming the role of coach for Team Fury, I would advise him to start strong.
“You could almost say they had very comparable approaches a few years ago before (Fury’s trainer) Sugar Hill Steward came involved because Fury roamed around a lot more.
But Usyk has incredible footwork. He’s a fantastic mover and shot selection, but you don’t typically associate cruisers and heavyweights with outstanding footwork.
“Size becomes a huge problem for Usyk if he lets Fury get close to him. All that matters is how long he can keep him away. He should win a lot of the early rounds, but eventually Tyson will catch up to him.
Notwithstanding the outcome at the Kingdom Arena, the undefeated opponents will square off again this year according to a rematch provision.
Anthony Joshua, the British opponent of Fury who has rebounded with four victories after being outclassed by Usyk in back-to-back fights, is waiting for them.
“The level of rage directed on Joshua would be enormous. It would be the biggest all-British bout of my lifetime, according to Frampton.
“Even if Fury were to lose to Usyk, AJ would still have lost to Usyk, making it an enormous fight.”
Joshua has improved since losing to Usyk, as you can see. Ben Davison, his coach, can help him become a better fighter.
“I think Ben is great. Joshua is fighting more forcefully now that he has him on the offensive. Joshua in the past was more gregarious and delighted to engage in trade.
Some have speculated that AJ may be a little gun shy following the Andy Ruiz fight, but when he’s in the right mood, he can be a nightmare for anyone. It will hurt if he strikes you on the chin.