Home Sport Frank Warren reveals the Oleksandr Usyk weakness Tyson Fury failed to exploit during his first career loss, but now the Gypsy King knows what to do in his rematch with unified world champion

Frank Warren reveals the Oleksandr Usyk weakness Tyson Fury failed to exploit during his first career loss, but now the Gypsy King knows what to do in his rematch with unified world champion

Sport — 12/12/2024 · 0 Comment

Frank Warren has highlighted what he believes to be Oleksandr Usyk‘s biggest weakness ahead of the Ukrainian’s upcoming rematch with Tyson Fury.

Since turning professional in 2013 off the back of an Olympic gold medal win, Usyk has embarked on a 22-fight unbeaten streak with 14 victories by stoppage.

In that time he became undisputed cruiserweight champion before joining a select group who repeated the feat after moving up to heavyweight.

In May he put his undefeated record on the line against Fury, with the pair throwing down in one of the most highly-anticipated heavyweight showdowns of the modern era.

While both fighters enjoyed their successes during the 12-round clash in Riyadh, Usyk came close to finishing the fight in the ninth round and ultimately was awarded the decision to become the division’s first undisputed king of the four-belt era.

With a rematch between the pair now less than two weeks away, Warren has claimed Fury would be well served in adapting his approach if he is to hand Usyk his first defeat.

Frank Warren claimed Tyson Fury must exploit a weakness in Oleksandr Usyk’s game when the pair rematch

Usyk handed Fury his first defeat as a professional when the pair first met in May

But Warren insisted the Gypsy King can find success if he targets the Ukrainian’s body

‘Usyk has a weakness that Tyson did not exploit like he should have, which is his body,’ The Queensberry boxing chief told TNT Sports.

‘And I’m telling you something, that will be rectified. Of course [Fury needs to be more aggressive].

‘Even when he was backing off him, there was quite a bit in those early rounds of that fight where Tyson was in the corner.

‘And he’s in the corner and he’s tucking up and Usyk was being very aggressive.

‘What Usyk does when he’s got you like that is stand square on, and that was when he was clipping him with that uppercut, he caught him every time with that.’

Usyk’s perceived weakness against body shots has long been viewed as one of the few chinks in his otherwise largely impenetrable armour.

In 2023, the 37-year-old controversially defended his titles against current IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Wroclaw, Poland.

In the fifth round, Dubois landed a stiff right hook to the body that sent his opponent crashing to the canvas.

Usyk was dropped to the canvas by a shot that was controversially ruled a low blow in his clash with Daniel Dubois

37-year-old would later recover to secure a stoppage but questions surrounding his ability to withstand punishment to the body remain

Referee Luis Pabon ruled the shot a low blow, with Usyk given five minutes to recover as replays appeared to show the punch hitting the beltline.

Usyk would later rally back to score a ninth-round KO of the British fighter, but controversy raged in the days and weeks that followed over the decision.

Similar instances were also noticed in Usyk’s second fight with Anthony Joshua in 2022.

Joshua repeatedly found success utilising body shots as a means to disrupt the Ukrainian’s masterful movement and rhythm, but ultimately was not able to secure victory on the judges’ scorecards.