Maybe it’s true what the man who fought an incredible 350 amateur fights before entering the professional business says about himself: “I’m much better as a dancer than I am as a boxer.” What sounds strange actually makes sense. Usyk constantly dances on the razor’s edge in the ring, he takes on physically superior opponents, deals with them brilliantly tactically, can take a lot and in the end punches them out in a classic way. Probably no one can play this game of risk as well as him.
Fury left the hall immediately after the disappointing verdict. Of all people, this boxing entertainer, usually never at a loss for a sharp sentence, this time fled without a word. What will happen next for him remains to be seen. His promoter, Frank Warren, was deeply disappointed with the outcome of the fight. The Fury camp had actually expected a third fight. But that is more than questionable. While still in the ring, heavyweight competitor Daniel Dubois entered the stage and with a cocky gesture challenged Usyk to a duel. He replied dryly: “No problem.”
Fury, on the other hand, wants to go back to his family first. The former world champion had prepared harder than ever for a fight, as he told The Guardian, among others. His training camp in Malta consisted of nothing other than training, boxing and food. He only disappeared from the camp with his brother once a week. On Sundays to go to church.
The 2.06 meter tall giant is considered God-fearing. However, he has never been afraid of his opponents so far. Fury has dominated the heavyweight scene for years not because of his brilliant technique, but because of his shirtless demeanor. He regularly put his opponents through the ringer, even mocked them in the ring, fooled around between the ropes, let his opponents hit the air and then, when they were tired of boxing, he brought out the wrecking ball.
In this way, Fury won title after title and for a long time it seemed that no one could do anything to this giant of the traveling crowd. Until Usyk came.
The punch statistics also show how futile the Brit’s efforts were in the rematch. Fury hurled a total of 509 fists at the defending champion, of which only 144 hit (28 percent). Usyk hit much more effectively: out of 423 fists, 179 found their target (42 percent). In the end, the judges’ verdict was as clear as the stroke statistics.
For the 36-year-old Fury, the time of dominance in boxing’s heavyweight division now appears to be over. The “Gypsy King” had to finally give up the scepter in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Someone else now sits on the throne. The gifted dancer Oleksandr Usyk.