Upon review of the fight footage back at the weekend just gone of the big Usyk vs Tyson Fury 2 fight it is important to understand some things.
For one, Fury is not done and boxed very well and has plenty remaining in top flight professional heavyweight boxing.
His use of the jab to set up some quality one-two combinations at times was excellent.
He was moving well on his feet, landing some very clean uppercuts on the inside when Usyk tried to close the range, a shot he spoke about beforehand and one that worked well at times.
He showed how quality an operator he really is, Fury, at times, landing both the right and left uppercut with either hand.
He landed some decent shots to Usyk’s body as well.
The main thing was some thought he would make it more of a physical fight and brawl with Usyk, using his size, but Usyk didn’t quite let him do that and boxed out of his skin, maybe one of the best boxing displays of his entire career, from the Ukrainian.
Usyk for his part unusually as the much smaller fighter with much less reach opted to keep the fight long on the outside for the most part against giant Fury.
That is how much of a genius we are dealing with her in Usyk, in that, he was able to do that and still win.
Very few in history did that going from cruiserweight to heavyweight.
Usyk negated some of Fury’s attack by keeping this distance and range between him and Fury for much of the bout.
Keeping his front foot on the outside of Fury’s front foot mostly to keep things on the outside as opposed to getting into the trenches with the bigger, heavier opponent.
Fury with respect might have used the jab more as an actual weapon and put more spite on it to back up Usyk.
Not pawing with it as a range finder at times like he did.
At times, as well, when Fury looked to come in to close that gap he got caught square on by the straight left hand numerous times for Usyk.
His feet were not where they should have been to get this square on with the same shot so many times.
This was Usyk’s best punch and he walked Fury onto it but also landed it as a lead left himself at times timing it — coming forward with it himself — utilizing and showcasing his versatile variation of arsenal with the shot.
Alas, both fighters are future all-time greats for different reasons in boxing. History will show that as time goes on.
Both can keep boxing at the highest level of professional heavyweight prize fighting for at least another three years or so if they keep in condition and want to.
All in all, that was one of Usyk’s best wins, maybe his best ever pure boxing display that is — in the heavyweight division at least.
