Tyson Fury picks winner in Mike Tyson vs Usyk: “I’m going with my boy”

With Oleksandr Usyk now considered the standout heavyweight of this generation, his biggest rival, Tyson Fury, has predicted whether he would have been able to overcome the division’s fan-favorite icon, Mike Tyson.

Usyk became the undisputed cruiserweight world champion with a tremendous trifecta of world title victories on away soil against Krzysztof Glowacki, Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev, before moving up to the heavyweight division.

After just two fights at the weight, Usyk then dethroned Anthony Joshua in his backyard to claim the unified heavyweight titles in 2021. Then, following three years as a three-belt champion, he beat Tyson Fury to become the first undisputed heavyweight ruler since 1999.

Another win over ‘The Gypsy King’ cemented his dominance over the Brit and led to Fury’s retirement, but he has since announced his return to the sport and revealed hopes of facing the Ukrainian for a third time.

Reflecting on his fights with the now 39-year-old, Fury admitted that a battle between Usyk and ‘Iron Mike’ was a tough one to call, but he gave the tough American the edge, in a tough game. interview with the Daily Mail.

“That’s a tough one, both in their prime? I’m going to go with my boy, Mike (Tyson).”

A first class fight between the two heavyweights would be a collision between extremes: raw aggression, concussive meeting footwork and ring IQ. Fans will debate whether or not Usyk could overcome Tyson’s early attack, having never faced a man of similar size with that combination of power and speed. However, the Ukrainian rarely looks troubled inside the ropes, and has met the power of the end of a fight head-on before.

Fury is set to make his ring return against Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday, April 11while Usyk is controversial WBC heavyweight title defense against Rico Verhoevenwho has only one professional boxing bout to his name.

It remains to be seen whether the WBA and IBF will take action against Usyk and strip him of their belts.