Boxing analyst Tim Bradley says Tyson Fury is “damaged goods” now, and he expects Oleksandr Usyk to make their December 21st rematch an easier fight than it was earlier this month when he beat the ‘Gypsy King’ on May 18th.
Some fans believe that Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) can avenge his loss to the undisputed heavyweight champion Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) if he comes forward the way he did in the second fight with Deontay Wilder in 2020.
Fury’s Diminished Chin a Major Concern
Bradley doesn’t buy that. He feels that Fury’s punch resistance isn’t the same from being dropped numerous times by Wilder and knocked down by Francis Ngannou.
At this point in the 35-year-old Fury’s career, he doesn’t have the chin to come forward against Usyk, even if he wanted to, and he’s too chunky. Even after two training camps, Fury’s waistline was blubbery, carrying around loads of adipose tissue.
When Fury fought Wilder for the second time in 2020, he wasn’t that chunky, and he was younger at 31. That weight isn’t going to leave Fury’s midsection for the rematch with Usyk, and his chin isn’t going to improve.
Doubts About Fury’s Roadwork and Lung Capacity
“He’s got to hit the roadwork. As you age out, you start doing less and less roadwork. Get your behind back on that roadwork, Tyson Fury. You need them lungs against Usyk,” said Tim Bradley to Probox TV about what Tyson Fury needs for him to win the December 21st rematch against Oleksandr Usyk.
Roadwork isn’t going to change anything with Fury. He would need to lose a lot of weight still, denying himself calories, and it still doesn’t help his weak chin. That’s going to continue to be a problem.
Wilder dented Fury’s chin in their three fights and arguably knocked him out in the first and third. Fury was out cold in the first fight and what appeared to be an 11-second count for the third.
“I would also say that Tyson Fury is damaged goods. I’m not going to lie. He’s damaged goods,” said Bradley. “He don’t like it on the chin. I’m just saying that his punch resistance has faded drastically.
“Bro, he got hit with a left hand early in the [Usyk] fight that nobody would talk about, and he got clipped. I saw his eyes roll back a little bit in his head. He got buzzed by that shot.
“So, if he’s going to want to stand there and trade and come forward [in the rematch], I think he’ll have some success against Usyk. But what happens when the counters come from Usyk?” said Bradley.
The Wilder Effect
“You got to understand that he did have three fights with Deontay Wilder,” said Paulie Malingaggi about Fury. “That dent his chin a little bit.”
“And he got dropped by Ngannou as well. Two fights, how many times was he dropped? Six or seven times?” said Bradley about Fury. “Think about that now. So, he doesn’t believe in his chin as much as he did in the past, and that’s the reason why he chose to box from the outside [against Usyk] and maintain this guy from the outside.”
Fury’s problems:
- Punch resistance gone
- Carrying too much fat around the waist
- Too rich and not as hungry
- Old: Fury is an ancient 35, and arguably closer to 50.
“The minute that Usyk stood his ground, he was like ‘Forget all the feints and all these counters you’re trying to do to get me out of position,” said Bradley. “I’m going to stand my ground and fight you, because I know when you let your hands go and you try to retreat, you’re not disciplined defensively.’
“I think Usyk knows that now, and he’s going to apply that, and he’s going to make adjustments himself, and he’s going to make this fight a lot easier than it was the first time around,” said Bradley.
