Former WBC cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew is backing his former opponent, Oleksandr Usyk, to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.
Usyk, who currently holds the WBO, IBF, IBO, WBA titles, is slated to face WBC champion Tyson Fury on April 29 at Wembley Stadium in London.
Bellew retired from the sport after getting knocked out by Usyk in 2018. At the time, Usyk was the undisputed world champion at cruiserweight.
He moved up to heavyweight the following year, and eventually secured back to back wins over Anthony Joshua to solidify himself as the unified champion in the weight class.
In the opinion of Bellew, Fury has made major stylistic changes- since hooking up with trainer SugarHill Steward of the Kronk Gym – and he believes those changes will greatly benefit Usyk,
“Tyson Fury’s style has changed over these last few years, ever since he went under the tutelage of SugarHill of the Kronk,” Bellew told Talk Sport.
“His style has completely changed, he’s no longer this big awkward fighter, who uses his elusiveness as an advantage. He is now someone who is an aggressive counter puncher, he looks to hurt fighters and get rid of them. That change of style will play into Oleksandr Usyk’s hands, it really will, and I’m tipping Oleksandr Usyk to win.”
To make the fight happen, Usyk accepted a 70-30 monetary split in Fury’s favor – a decision that surprised Bellew.
“Oleksandr Usyk has sold himself well short,” Bellew said. “He’s bowed to every demand and I think it’s crazy that he’s done that, but it is what it is. He’s done it for the good of boxing and he’s done it for the bettering of his country and that’s the kind of man he is, I’ve faced him, I know all about him.”