- Lennox Lewis has outlined the gameplan that Fury should use against Usyk
- He has also explained why he thinks Fury has added nearly 20lbs in weight
Lennox Lewis has revealed the gameplan he believes Tyson Fury should implement to beat Oleksandr Usyk in their heavyweight rematch on Saturday night.
Usyk got his hand raised seven months ago in his first fight with Fury, as he won a split decision to be crowned the undisputed champion of boxing’s blue-riband division.
He became the first heavyweight to achieve that feat since Lewis managed it over 20 years earlier, and now he will put his unbeaten record on the line again in Saudi Arabia.
Fury fell short last time and was pushed back for long periods in the fight. Lewis believes he is capable of exacting revenge, and has urged his fellow Brit to be more aggressive while using his uppercut to good effect this time around.
‘I would go right after him because I’d say he’s not as strong as me,’ Lewis explained to Mail Sport.
‘And he would realise this and he would move and it would be a situation where I’m cutting off the ring and putting my weight on him, throwing that jab, that left hook, that right hand. I’d be a pugilist specialist in that fight using all my strengths.
Lennox Lewis has revealed the gameplan he thinks Tyson Fury should use against Oleksandr Usyk
Lewis believes Fury needs to use his uppercut more regularly in Saturday’s rematch
He has also urged Fury to be more aggressive and try to push Usyk back
‘Whether it’s my uppercut, whether it’s my jab, whether it’s my hook. And I’ve got to put all those things together.
‘He’s going to see that he had great effect with his uppercut so he’s going to be throwing it a lot more. I would throw some combinations and end off with the uppercut, because he’s going to throw the left, right then the hook and he’s going to duck under that. Then, the uppercut should be there.’
Fury and Usyk both tipped the scales on Friday evening as they went face to face for the final time before Saturday’s fight.
Usyk was just three pounds heavier than their first meeting, but Fury weighed 19 pounds more than he did in May.
There was some scepticism over exactly how accurate the figure of 281lbs was given that Fury was wearing heavy clothing, but it still seems that he has put on a significant amount of weight for the rematch.
Lewis believes this is a deliberate ploy from Fury to try and make the most of his physical advantages and take Usyk to an uncomfortable place.
‘He’s coming in with a lot more weight because he probably wants to put his weight on Oleksandr Usyk and tire him out a little bit,’ Lewis continued.
‘I think it will have an effect on Usyk if he allows that, but Usyk is not going to allow that. He knows that he can’t afford Tyson Fury putting his weight on him because he knows that’s going to drag him down. He’s going to try and stay outside, pick his time when he comes in, and when he comes in he’s going to try and do as much damage as possible before he gets out.
‘It’s much easier coming forwards than going backwards. So, if Tyson Fury is coming forwards, Oleksandr Usyk is going to be using up energy trying to get away from him and trying to give him different looks.
Fury weighed in almost 20lbs heavier on Friday than he was for the first fight with Usyk
Lewis feels Fury has come in heavier to try and use his weight to lean on Usyk and tire him out
‘I don’t think he wants to do that, but I think he would be in shape for that because he knows his advantage is moving and standing on the outside and picking his shots and times when he’s going to come in.’
There was very little to split the two men earlier this year, and Lewis is expecting another close battle.
He is tipping Usyk to get the job done again, but is not ruling out Fury turning the tables to potentially set up a trilogy bout.
Lewis said: ‘I can’t go against the undisputed world champion, a man that hasn’t lost yet.
‘But I will say they both have equal skills, and I usually pick the bigger guy. Tyson Fury, is he boxes the right fight, if he makes the right decisions in this fight, he should win.’
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