Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk: Prediction and Tips

History will be made at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Saturday night as Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk battle it out in a bid to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era.

Usyk has already been an undisputed champion at cruiserweight and he goes into the bout with a perfect 21-0 record, with 14 of his wins coming inside the distance.

Fury is 34-0-1 and a draw with Deontay Wilder, who he subsequently beat twice, is the only blemish on his CV.

Tip 1 – Oleksandr Usyk to win at 11/10

Tyson Fury’s advantages are plain to see going into this mouthwatering heavyweight clash. The Briton boasts significant height and reach advantages, but he is also an extremely technically gifted boxer and is quick for a man of his size.

Fury is the best heavyweight Usyk will have faced - but the Ukrainian is the best boxer the Gypsy King will ever have come across.

Usyk can fight on the backfoot and as the aggressor and his exceptional movement, footwork and hand speed can guide him to victory against the far bigger Fury here.

Fury hasn’t faced a test like this in years, where he is coming up against a far quicker and more agile opponent. The last bout that looks anywhere near comparable is his 2015 victory over Wladimir Klitschko, where he produced a defensive masterclass to win a lopsided points decision, but Usyk is a lot faster than his compatriot and he should be able to avoid getting drawn into any serious danger, while moving in and out of range to land his own shots.

In contrast, Usyk is now used to fighting bigger men at the highest level and if he is able to execute his game plan on Saturday he can record a historic victory on Saturday, even if Fury proves to be his toughest test to date.

Tip 2 – Oleksandr Usyk to win in rounds 7-12 at 6/1

Usyk has a fairly modest 14 stoppages in 21 fights so far but there is a chance he could pull off a grandstand finish this weekend and make sure the judges aren’t required in the second half of the fight. The 37-year-old’s speed and movement is unrivalled in the heavyweight division, potentially also in the cruiserweight division, and even as a comparatively quick big man himself that could be a major problem for Fury.

If Usyk is able to land at regular intervals and avoid taking any punishment himself he could record a stoppage here. Fury was knocked down by novice Francis Ngannou in his last bout and Deontay Wilder was able to send him to the canvas a few times over the course of their three meetings. Ngannou and Wilder may have more power than Usyk, but they are nowhere near him in terms of skill level and if it is all one-way traffic in the later rounds there is a chance of an early finish here.

Tip 3 – Both fighters to be knocked down at 12/1

Anyone looking for a big price option for this contest could be tempted by the 10/1 on both fighters being knocked down at some point.

Usyk has never officially been knocked down, but he also hasn’t been in the ring with a heavyweight as quick and powerful as Fury is before.

Fury may need only to land one good shot to record a knockdown here as he carries exceptional power, having won four of his last five fights by either KO or TKO.

Usyk doesn’t possess that kind of one-punch stopping ability, but he has won two of his five heavyweight bouts inside the distance and could follow Wilder and Ngannou’s example by sending Fury to the canvas.