Next month’s undisputed heavyweight world title clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is a topic of fervent discussion in the boxing world, and WBA light heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol has offered up his analysis.
The winner of Fury vs Usyk will be the blue ribbon division’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield, all the way back in 1999.
Much has been made of the height and weight advantages Fury, who stands at 6’9 and often enters the ring over 270lbs, will boast over the masterful Ukrainian.
However, Bivol is refusing to rule out Usyk, who he described as having “a little more skills than Fury.”
That said, the Russian stopped short of giving a prediction when he spoke with Fight Hub TV.
“Usyk could beat him. These fighters are such high level fighters and who’s better could depend on how they wake up, what they eat, how they mentally prepare.
“I think Usyk has a little more skills than Fury, but Fury has a big punch and he knows how to use his size against fighters.
“It’s a very interesting fight for me, I will watch of course – and I don’t know who will win!”
After several failed negotiation stages, fight fans were beginning to lose hope that that a four-belt unification between Fury and Usyk would ever come to fruition.
🚨 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐅𝐔𝐑𝐘 𝐕𝐒 𝐔𝐒𝐘𝐊 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 🚨
The historic undisputed clash between Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk will now take place on February 17th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as per @MikeCoppinger
Right then, who wins?👀#Boxing #FuryUsyk pic.twitter.com/5ygsvD8RvO
— Pro Boxing Fans (@ProBoxingFans) November 14, 2023
However, the recent emergence of Saudi Arabia into the boxing landscape quickly put those fears to rest and the eyes of the world will be on the Kingdom Arena in just over three weeks’ time.
Bivol himself knows all about boxing in Riyadh, which played host to his one-sided decision victory over Lyndon Arthur on December 23rd’s Day Of Reckoning card.
(Mark Robinson, Matchroom)
The Krygystan born star is expected to return to the Middle East this summer for an undisputed fight of his own, with talks for a mouthwatering clash against unified champion Artur Beterbiev reportedly nearing completion.
