JOHNNY NELSON: Tyson Fury has the right mindset this time and is a bitter man with a chip on his shoulder – here’s how he will stop Oleksandr Usyk in rematch

I have seen a change in Tyson Fury since I’ve been here in Riyadh this week. A change that has convinced me he will reclaim his title.

Back in October, at the Guildhall press conference in London, Oleksandr Usyk stole the show. Dressed like a hitman, he got Fury to autograph a photograph of him delivering a punch to Fury’s jaw. When Fury signed it, I questioned why? He’d allowed Usyk to belittle him. Something he used to do himself to opponents.

It left me questioning his mindset, his professionalism and I fully expected Usyk to come into this fight with the upper hand.

But I think walking away from that press conference, a switch flipped in Fury’s head. His pride kicked in and he questioned himself. I’ve often been critical of Fury and that’s because he is incredibly talented but rarely fights at 100 per cent of his real ability.

This time, perhaps riled by what happened in London, he has gone away to Malta for his training camp, made himself uncomfortable and got into the right head space. What we see now is bitter man with a chip on his shoulder.

A hungry fighter is a dangerous man but a hungry champion is unbeatable. Fury lost his hunger. The signs were there, falling out of pubs, not being professional, it had all become too easy, but I now see a different mentality and he looks to have his appetite back. Here’s how he can win…

Tyson Fury has a different mindset going into this fight with Oleksandr Usyk and should win

The two heavyweights will conduct their highly-anticipated rematch on Saturday night

Fury seems different to the first fight and has got himself into the right head space for bout

Use the uppercut

After losing to Usyk, Anthony Joshua tried to put extra weight on thinking he could overpower him in the rematch, and it played into the Ukrainian’s hands. Fury will be heavy at just over 20 stone but he won’t make the same mistakes.

He needs to be offensive, apply calculated pressure and take Usyk out of a conventional environment. That means sailing close to the wind. Use the forearms, the elbows, maybe punch him in the balls on the blind side, ultimately make Usyk uncomfortable because that evokes emotion and that’s when mistakes happen.

Usyk is strong, fleet-footed, moves his body like an eel and will be looking to draw Fury out. Fury though will be looking to randomly throw shots over the top, change the angles and then look for the gap as Usyk is prone to raising his elbows and leaving the gate open for the uppercut. With his extra weight, I’m convinced that’s the punch that can end this fight in Fury’s favour.

Fury will be heavy but not too heavy – and he can use the uppercut to end the fight

Reach for the stars

Fury’s physicality has a big role to play in this fight. It’s no use sitting on the back foot with that extra height and weight. He needs to use that reach to pound in the straight jabs, establishing a pattern to open up Usyk’s defence a gap down the middle.

He is an intelligent boxer but he’s also the better fighter, smarter at using the dark arts. Usyk is a great boxer but he’s not a great fighter. His strength is his movement, his fighting science. He’s a clever counter puncher. He feeds off his opponent’s actions and makes them work at a pace that suits him. He’s got the greater discipline and may have the edge in mental strength and fitness too.

Usyk is a great boxer but not an intelligent fighter – Fury is smarter at using the dark arts

Go for body blows

Fury’s legs aren’t what they used to be. He has not been professional enough with his lifestyle and that can take it’s toll. He is prone to clowning around at the wrong moment, as he did in the first encounter. It has become habit in most of his fights when he has that little switch-off.

In the 11 minute face-off on Thursday, it was Fury who was first to break into the verbals and Usyk had a wry smile as if to acknowledge a mental point gained. Usyk is vulnerable to body shots. Daniel Dubois proved that but wasn’t able to capitalise because Usyk played to the ‘low blow’, it wasn’t and it hurt him, you could see by the knee-jerk reaction. It’s no coincidence that the beltline and what is deemed the ‘low blow’ level were among the issues under discussion with officials yesterday.

Usyk is vulnerable to body shots, as Danie Dubois showed when the two did battle

Verdict

This won’t go beyond six or seven rounds and I take Fury to win by a stoppage.

If it goes the distance, it will be a fight both will struggle to recover from physically.

HOW TO WATCH: Register and watch Usyk vs. Fury 2 on DAZN here