Tyson Fury’s co-promoter Bob Arum has given his fighter a crucial piece of advice for how to enact revenge on Oleksandr Usyk.
The Gypsy King will have the chance to avenge himself against the Ukrainian on Saturday night, having lost their opener via split decision in May.
Usyk crowned himself the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era on that night in Riyadh and this time it is the WBA, WBO, and WBC belts he is defending – after he relinquished the IBF one for Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua to scrap over.
On Friday night, Fury weighed in 19lbs heavier than he did for the first fight, clocking 281lbs, though his actual weight is expected to be more in the region of 270lbs. Meanwhile, Usyk came in at 226lbs in comparison to the May fight when he weighed in at 223lbs.
In an interview with Mail Sport’s Charlotte Daly, Arum warned that Fury must make more of his physical advantage over Usyk.
‘He decided that even though (Deontay) Wilder was this tremendous puncher, he’d go right after him and lean on him and try to destroy him physically and he was able to do that (in their fights),’ Arum said.
Tyson Fury must be more physical against Oleksandr Usyk this time, Bob Arum has advised
The Gypsy King weighed in at a whopping 281lbs ahead of the fight – 19lbs more than in May
Fury’s Co-promoter Arum thinks he can win the physical battle, but the psychological one will be incredibly challenging as Usyk is ‘tough as nails’
‘I think he might try the same thing as far as doing that type of fight with Usyk, because he is much bigger and he’s got to be a lot more phyical with Usyk than he was in the first fight.’
However, he does not expect Fury to find the mental battle an easy one to contest.
‘Usyk is Ukrainian, I know so is (Wladimir) Klitschko, but Usyk has been through the war and what’s happening in Ukraine, very, very difficult to play mental games against he Ukrainian fighter because they’ve seen first hand the horrors of war, so everything that takes place in a sport, even a tough sport like boxing, doesn’t intimidate them. Usyk is a tough (guy), a great guy, very intelligent guy, but tough as nails.’
One fight fans have been clamouring for over many years is a face-off between Fury and Anthony Joshua, the two most successful British heavyweights of this era.
They had signed contracts to fight an undisputed fight in August 2021. However, a court of arbitration ruled that Fury had to contest a third bout with Wilder.
Had Joshua beat Daniel Dubois in September, with Fury beating Usyk, they could have gone toe-to-toe in an undisputed bout. That will not be the case, but many fans still hope they will come to blows before hanging up their gloves.
Arum said: ‘If Tyson Fury wins the second fight (against Usyk), there’ll be the demand for a trilogy, but that demand can only really be met by the resources of the kingdom because they’ve gotten paid so much money in the first two fights.
He recognises the demand of the British public for a face-off against Anthony Joshua
‘If it doesn’t go to a trilogy, the fight that everybdy in the UK wants to see is Fury against AJ. No matter how many fights they win or lose, people would pack Wembley to see those two fight each other.
‘I don’t think there have been negotiations with Fury and AJ because there was always another fight that each of them was going to take. If there’s another fight and you lose the other fight, that sidetracks what you’re doing.
HOW TO WATCH: Register and watch Usyk vs. Fury 2 on DAZN here
