Former super middleweight champion George Groves is backing Oleksandr Usyk to shock Tyson Fury in their undisputed heavyweight showdown.
It was recently announced that Fury and Usyk had reached an agreement to collide in the ring.
The date has yet to be determined, because Fury is scheduled to return to the ring on October 28 in Saudi Arabia – where he faces former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in a crossover boxing match. Fury’s WBC title will not be at stake.
While Fury is a massive favorite to defeat Ngannou with ease, everyone involved in the Usyk deal is hoping that he walks away without any cuts or injuries.
Groves believes Fury has done a disservice to himself by facing easy opposition in his last two outings.
Back in December, Fury dominated and stopped a way past his best Derek Chisora in their trilogy fight. The upcoming bout with Ngannou, who makes his pro debut as a boxer, may potentially be Fury’s only fight of 2023.
“Usyk wins. I don’t think Fury’s run of fights serve him well to fight in January, say, because his last time out was Chisora, that was almost like a glorified spar. He’s got this fight coming up with a UFC fighter, who knows what your mindset is when you’re fighting someone who you know is inferior to you, so has he been training properly? Is he sharp? Has he had the right sparring?,” Groves explained.
“Usyk is exceptional at being able to change and adapt. His boxing ability is superior, in my opinion, to everyone else in the heavyweight division. What he lacks in natural size, he makes up for in timing, shot placement, adjustments of feet, tempo and power. It’s Usyk’s hardest fight, and it might be a close fight, but I think I think Usyk wins.”