Just as everyone in the boxing world has an opinion, it seems that almost everyone in the boxing world has a “source” close to the upcoming situation. As a result, boxing scribe and all-round boxing personality Gareth A. Davies has something of an exclusive regarding Tyson Fury, or to be more accurate, he has something of an exclusive regarding the weight the former heavyweight champion aims to weigh in at ahead of his massive, must-win rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
Speaking on Talk Sport, Davies said he had been informed “internally from his camp” that Fury aims to hit the 19-and-a-half stone mark, or 273 pounds, for the December 21st return fight. Fury, as fans know, did a similar thing ahead of his second fight with Deontay Wilder when he came in well above the 270-pound mark, with Fury telling anyone who would listen that he would go right out and basically steam-roll Wilder. And Fury did it in what still has to rank as his career-best showing, with Fury battering Wilder for the seventh-round stoppage win.
Now, against the superbly skilled Usyk, can Fury do a similar bulldozer job? Is Davies correct when he says Fury plans to come in at around 273 pounds for the Usyk sequel?
“When Tyson beat (Wladimir) Klitschko nine years ago, he was 27 years old, very light on his feet, he bamboozled opponents with those telescopic arms, his movement and tying fighters up,” Davies said. “That version went away in the three fights with Deontay Wilder, certainly the second and third fights where he became a bigger hitter at 19 and a half stone. I’m told internally from his camp that is where they intend him to be for Usyk in this fight, 19 and a half stone.”
Maybe. But some educated boxing people have stated that in their opinion a heftier Fury will not succeed against Usyk, that he will simply be slower, more sluggish and an easier target against the constantly moving (“I will not leave you alone”) in and out, high punch output Usyk.
Is this the last chance saloon for Fury, and is his possible plan to come in around 14 pounds heavier for the December rematch a case of him rolling the dice? Or has Fury simply had no choice? This is because he cannot get down to anything around 260, much less 250, at this stage of his career. We will only find out in three week’s time.
But if Fury does enter the ring in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at around 273 pounds, how long at age 36 can he carry that weight? If he’s all out of gas after four or five rounds and Usyk is still there, might Fury become a veritable sitting duck? If Davies is right with his weight prediction, what price will the Usyk KO or stoppage win this time?
