"Tyson Fury has paid the price" - Former boxer theorizes the real reason the Brit lost to Oleksandr Usyk despite showing right attitude and intent
Oleksandr Usyk triumphed over Tyson Fury via unanimous decision in their Dec. 21 rematch at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, solidifying his undefeated record at 23-0. The Ukrainian champion handed Fury his second career defeat, with judges scoring the bout 116-112 in favor of 'The Cat.'
Former cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson weighed in on Fury’s performance, attributing the loss to the Briton’s lifestyle outside the ring. Writing for the Daily Mail, Nelson remarked that Fury entered the rematch with the right mindset but lacked execution.
He observed Fury’s hesitance and overthinking during critical moments, deviating from his usual instinctive style. Nelson emphasized that Fury’s decision to gain weight for the fight worked initially, as he led in the early rounds.
However, by Round 6, his legs gave out, leaving him vulnerable:
"Ultimately Tyson Fury has paid the price for his lifestyle away from the ring. He came into this rematch with the right attitude, the right intent but the delivery just wasn't there. Normally we see Fury firing off instinctive shots that have been good enough to knockout fighters."
Nelson added:
"I think he threw half a dozen here and spent the rest of the fight overthinking, pondering about how he should set up his next shot, reacting instead of activating. He was thinking too much about who was in front of him."[H/t: Daily Mail]
Tyson Fury reacts to second loss against Oleksandr Usyk
Tyson Fury voiced his disappointment after suffering a second consecutive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night at the Kingdom Arena. Fury claimed he was unfairly judged in their fight for the WBA (Super), WBO, and WBC heavyweight titles.
Despite a unanimous decision loss this time—compared to the split decision in their first encounter in May—Fury insisted he outperformed Usyk in both matches:
“I was quite confident. I thought I won that fight again... I thought I've won both fights. But then again, I've gone home with two losses on my record now, so there's not much I can do about it.”
Usyk, who entered the bout with disadvantages in height, weight, and reach, controlled much of the fight, frustrating Fury with his superior footwork and accuracy. Fury acknowledged Usyk’s dominance but maintained his belief in his efforts:
“It is what it is. I'm not going to cry over spilled milk, it's happened now. I know boxing, I've been in it all my life. You can't change no decisions, but I'll just always feel a little bit hard done-by. Not a little bit actually - a lot. [H/t: ESPN]”