Tony Bellew knows what it’s like to share a ring with the great Oleksandr Usyk, and he’s made his final prediction for the rematch with Tyson Fury.
He was the last man to fight the Ukrainian down at cruiserweight when Usyk owned all four major world titles. Bellew started well but eventually grew tired from the constant pressure of Usyk and was knocked down and out in the eighth round with a crisp left hand.
Since then, Usyk has cleaned out the heavyweight division and became undisputed champion by beating Fury in May, and this weekend he rematches ‘The Gypsy King.’
Speaking to FighLens, Bellew was asked for his prediction for the fight and sided with his former opponent.
“I’ve said before I’ll say it again, I just can’t see past Oleksandr Usyk. I think the guy is an absolute machine.
“Don’t get me wrong, at Tyson Fury’s size and weight he shouldn’t lose, if I’m being totally honest, with advantages like that you shouldn’t lose. But if anyone was going to beat him it was Oleksandr Usyk.”
It was then suggested that Fury got lucky when the referee chose not to stop the fight when he was in trouble after taking plenty of clean shots in the ninth round.
“Fortunate is an understatement. He literally saved his bacon in that round, he saved his backside, he really did. We’ll get all the answers on December 21st. Is Oleksandr Usyk going to cap off an unbelievable career and walk off into the sunset or is he going to falter and lose that winning streak?”
Even if Usyk does win, he has said he will carry on fighting and attempt to regain his undisputed crown back down at cruiserweight once more. Fury meanwhile has said if he wins, there would have to be a trilogy fight.
