Fury On His Keys To Beating Usyk

As Tyson Fury prepares for his April 11 return against Arslanbek Makhmudov, the former WBC heavyweight champion has admitted that he likely cannot beat Oleksandr Usyk on the scorecards.

Despite Usyk recently announcing a three-fight retirement plan that culminates in a December 2026 trilogy, Fury believes that boxing the Ukrainian to a decision is a “lost cause.” Fury’s skepticism is rooted in his two 2024 defeats, which cost him the chance to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era.

Fury remains particularly bitter about their December 2024 rematch, which Usyk won via unanimous decision. Fury and his promoter, Frank Warren, labeled the 116-112 scores “impossible,” leading Fury to conclude that a knockout is his only path to victory in a third fight.

Fury Reacts

Before a third fight with Usyk can materialize, both men have high-stakes hurdles to clear in the coming months. Fury faces Arslanbek Makhmudov on a Netflix broadcast, while Usyk will defend his WBC title against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven in Egypt.

“I want a third fight but, the thing is: I know if he stands up at the end of it, I’m not going to get a decision. For me, it’s like you may as well give him the fight. Before we even box, give him the W [win] and just give me the money, because that’s what’s going to happen anyway – if I don’t knock him out. If I could’ve knocked him out, I would’ve done already. He’s a tough man and, every time he gets hurt, he can sort of nip and run away with his speed and agility. So yeah, I’m not going to get a decision; it’s not going to be a fair result,” Fury said 

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