Usyk: Fury Has Right Mentality, Skills Required To Beat Joshua

Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk believes Tyson Fury has all of the necessary tools to overcome Anthony Joshua.

The negotiations are ongoing for a 2021 heavyweight unification between Fury, who holds the WBC title, and Joshua, who has the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO titles.

Usyk, as the WBO’s mandatory challenger to Joshua, is standing in the way of that particular world title being involved in the fight.

Usyk views Fury as a fighter who stylistically is very difficult to deal with in the ring.

While Usyk appears to side with Fury to beat Joshua, he realizes that anything can happen in a boxing match.

“I should say that Tyson Fury is an unpredictable boxer. He has the right mentality and the boxing skills required [to beat Joshua],” Usyk told The Sun.

“But it is boxing so I can’t predict what would happen and how such a fight would end. But we will have to wait and see and I would be sure to watch.”

Earlier this month, Joshua retained his titles with a ninth round knockout of Kubrat Pulev, who was the mandatory challenger under the IBF.

Usyk, who was a very interested observer in the outcome, had expected that contest to end earlier.

“I personally thought the fight would end somewhere around round six or seven but they held out nine rounds. I think that if Anthony didn’t end the fight in round three [when dropped Pulev twice] – either he couldn’t or he just didn’t want to,” Usyk said.

Usyk has already stated that he’s willing to hear out the terms for a potential step-aside deal – which in turns would allow Fury-Joshua to go forward with all of the major belts at stake.

“All four belts might end up in the same hands of one person. It might be a once in a lifetime opportunity. We should all talk and communicate for that to happen because it is a really big event,” Usyk said.

ORIGINAL POST: https://www.boxingscene.com/usyk-fury-right-mentality-skills-required-beat-joshua–154236

Noel Galang – Kamao TV