Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury Fight Card, Odds, & Predictions

min read
Britain's Anthony Joshua, right, takes a blow from Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk during their world heavyweight title fight.
(AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Anatoly Pimentel @AnatolyPimentel May 16, 2024, 7:19 PM
  • Oleksandr Uysk and Tyson Fury will go head-to-head this weekend to determine the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion.
  • Both Usyk and Fury are undefeated fighters.
  • Usyk is the slight betting underdog at +100, and Fury is the slight -110 betting favorite.

For the first time since 1999, a unified heavyweight boxing champion will be crowned. IBF, IBO, WBA, and WBO heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk faces the reigning WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in a unification match this Saturday inside the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Usyk and Fury are both undefeated world champions, but the latter is tagged as the slight betting favorite in the boxing odds at -110. Meanwhile, the former will be the slight betting underdog with +100 odds.

Oleksandr Uysk Recent Fight Results

Usyk was a former Olympic medalist before he turned professional in 2013. In just five years, he unified the cruiserweight world title by collecting all four belts. After that, he finally moved up to the heavyweight division.

In September 2021, Usyk unanimously beat Anthony Joshua to capture the IBF, IBO, WBA, and WBO heavyweight world titles. Then, he successfully defended them against Joshua in their rematch in August 2022. His most recent world title defense was against Daniel Dubois in August of last year via ninth-round knockout.

Tyson Fury Recent Fight Results

Fury dominated the U.K. boxing scene during the start of his pro career and secured multiple minor titles. His career breakthrough happened in November 2015 when he scored a gigantic upset of Wladimir Klitschko to win the IBF, IBO, WBA, and WBO heavyweight championships.

But after that career-defining win, he went on a three-year sabbatical. He won the WBC heavyweight title against Deontay Wilder in October 2021 and fended off the challenges from Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora to retain the belt. His most recent triumph was against Francis Ngannou when he eked out a split-decision win in October.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury: Tale of the Tape

Oleksandr UsykTyson Fury
Age3735
Height6โ€™3โ€6โ€™9โ€
Reach78 inches85 inches
Record21-034-0-1
StanceSouthpawOrthodox
TKO/KO Percentage67%71%

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury: Fight Analysis

The tale of the tape for this upcoming heavyweight unification bout will favor Fury because heโ€™s 6 inches taller and has 7 inches longer of reach compared to Usyk. Additionally, the British star is two years younger than the Ukrainian superstar and has a higher finish rate.

Stylistically, these fighters couldnโ€™t be more different. Usyk, a master of relentless work rate, seeks to overwhelm his opponents with sheer volume. On the other hand, Fury possesses a one-punch knockout power that, when unleashed, can send his opponents into the shadow realm.

Keys to victories for Usyk include controlling the fightโ€™s pace, maximizing his speed, and making Fury miss his big shots. This way, he can wear down โ€œThe Gypsy Kingโ€ and gas him out to neutralize the threat of his power.

Fury must not yield to Usykโ€™s pressure and continue marching forward, cutting off his space before throwing his signature power punches. Once successful, he would disrupt the Ukrainian superstarโ€™s rhythm and give him a higher chance of landing a clean shot.

Furthermore, Fury should maximize his height and reach edge against Usyk by throwing more jabs. Employing this approach would not only frustrate Usyk but also tally his points on the judgesโ€™ scorecards.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury: Date and Start Time

May 18, 12 p.m. E.T.

May 18, 9 a.m. P.T.

May 18, 11 a.m. C.T.ย 

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury: Official Prediction

Official Prediction: Unanimous decision win for Tyson Fury.

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About the Author

Anatoly Pimentel

Read More @AnatolyPimentel

Anatoly Pimentel is an NBA and MMA writer previously featured in ASEAN Sports, Asian Persuasion MMA, and Overtime Heroics MMA. He graduated from Adamson University with a B.A in Communication and is a Web Content Writer for BetMGM.

Anatoly Pimentel is an NBA and MMA writer previously featured in ASEAN Sports, Asian Persuasion MMA, and Overtime Heroics MMA. He graduated from Adamson University with a B.A in Communication and is a Web Content Writer for BetMGM.