It's always wise to not take too seriously anything a boxer says before a bout, especially when it comes to strategy. They're not eager to give away their game plans and give their opponents a chance for some extra preparation before the big night.
And then there is Tyson Fury.
Who can ever forget his promise in 2020 to walk down Deontay Wilder in their rematch on Feb. 22, 2020, at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas? They'd fought to a split draw on Dec. 1, 2018, but in the next 14 months, much changed with Fury. He switched trainers, from Ben Davison to Sugarhill Steward, and he vowed to no longer be on his bicycle. He would attack Wilder and walk toward him at the opening bell.
Wilder was one of the hardest hitters in the history of boxing and at that time was unquestionably the sport's biggest puncher. Considering Fury was dropped twice in their 2018 bout, the last thing that seemed to make sense was walking toward Wilder and inviting him to tee off.
But that's what Fury did and he delivered a career-best performance in a seventh-round stoppage of an overmatched Wilder.
Now, seven months after dropping a split decision for the undisputed heavyweight title to Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Fury is back, prepared for a rematch. This time, it's for the WBA, WBC and WBO versions of the title, as Usyk surrendered the IBF belt under pressure from the sanctioning body.
Fury has to find a way to change a disappointing result and once again, he's talking about altering his style.
Fury is a classic boxer whose range and powerful jab would have made him a handful for any heavyweight in history.
Usyk won the first fight by dominating the second half and hurting Fury and getting credited with a knockdown in the ninth. Fury is close with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia and the man whose money made both fights happened. Fury promised Alalshikh before the May 18 bout that he'd knock Usyk out early.
Usyk is one of the best boxers in the history of the division, so the task of stopping him early is monumental. In light of the result of the first fight, Fury is talking about another change, though. This time, he's saying he'll score a knockout in essentially the first round. He was asked what would be different in Round 13, which would be the first round of Saturday's bout, and he said Usyk would go down.
“I’m going to knock him out," Fury said at the arrival ceremony in Riyadh on Tuesday. "I’m going to give Turki what I promised him in May, a cooked rabbit in his kitchen. That’s my promise!”
Fury is a big and powerful man, fully capable of becoming the first to not only defeat but also to stop Usyk. Usyk, however, has gone 24 rounds with Anthony Joshua, 12 with Fury and nearly nine full with now-IBF champ Daniel Dubois, a reminder of his greatness.
It could be just hype on Fury's part, but then you remember his vow to walk down Wilder and that he actually went out and did it. It might not be the worst strategy for him to go out and confront Usyk and see if he could impose his size and strength on him. Usyk is no shrinking violet and at 6 feet 3 inches, 220 pounds, he's hardly a small man. But Fury is 6-9 and figures to weigh around 270 at Friday's weigh-in.
Usyk is one of the smartest boxers in the world and his ring IQ is unparalleled. Have no doubt he will be prepared for whatever tactic Fury tries. But a motivated, in-shape and aggressive Fury is another type of beast altogether. There were times in the first bout, particularly in the first half of it, when Fury kept Usyk at the end of his insanely long and powerful jab. He controlled the action early, but he wasn't letting the right hands fly like he did against Wilder.
Wilder is leaky defensively, particularly in relation to Usyk, but Fury's jab and aggression can create openings for him.
He's the underdog this time, and at DraftKings sportsbook, Usyk is a -150 favorite to win with Fury as a +120 underdog.
Fury isn't worried about that or what anyone thinks of his style. He knows he's nearing the end of his career but he believes with a deep conviction that he's the best heavyweight of his era. Saturday is his time to prove it, and he wants to do it with flair.
“I’m the only show in town," Fury said. "This time around everything is pretty much the same. It’s the biggest event of my life, so in that regard it’s pretty much the same. From one biggest event to the next biggest event. I’m looking forward to putting on a show, as always.”
If he loses, he'll likely be done. Yeah, he could hang around and face long-time rival Anthony Joshua in a non-title bout. While it would still be big, after both guys had been beaten twice each by Usyk it would lose some of its shine and global appeal.
But if he wins, massive fights abound. There would be a rubber match with Usyk. There would be the Joshua bout. There would be a bout with Dubois for the undisputed championship.
There is plenty of pressure on Fury's broad shoulders. This, though, is what he lives for, and what drives him.
He said in an interview the other day he's been so focused on his training that he hasn't spoken a word to his wife in three months.
He knows he needs to win on Saturday to make all the sacrifices worthwhile, so expect the best version of Fury we've ever seen. Usyk will have a say in whether that's enough to get the job done, but this rematch promises to be every bit as good as the first one, and likely better given Fury's desperation and the stakes at hand.
Leigh Dawney/DAZN
Tyson Fury is a +120 underdog at DraftKings sportsbook.