Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk Fight Time, Boxing Odds, Picks, Prediction
The undisputed world heavyweight title will be on the line on Saturday evening when Tyson Fury steps into the ring to face Oleksandr Usyk at Kingdome Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. One of three title fights on Saturday’s stacked card, Fury puts his WBC and Lineal heavyweight belts on the line while Usyk looks to add to his collection of WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring heavyweight straps in a clash that has been billed as the “Ring of Fire”.
Currently riding a seven-fight win streak, Tyson Fury has emerged as a narrow -120 favourite to hand Oleksandr Usyk his first career defeat. Usyk trails as a +105 underdog on Saturday’s boxing odds, and the odds of this fight going a full 12 rounds are pegged at -190. The main event is expected to begin around 6 p.m. ET.
Tyson Fury Fight Odds
Tyson Fury will be making his first appearance in the squared circle since facing former UFC champion Francisc Ngannou in this same building last October. “The Gypsy King” had his hands full against Ngannou, who made his pro boxing debut in this 10-round matchup. Indeed, Ngannou managed to knockdown Fury in the third round before Fury rebounded to claim a split decision win. That marked the second time in three fights that Fury was sent to the canvas, and the result ended a run of four straight knockout victories for the 35-year-old Englishman, during which he amassed his current titles. However, Fury’s ability to bounce back after hitting the canvas adds value to his +800 odds of winning Saturday’s fight after getting knocked down.
Overall, Fury has finished opponents on 24 occasions while compiling a 24-10-1 record, with the lone blemish on that record coming six years ago, when his bid to take the WBC heavyweight belt from Deontay Wilder ended in a split draw. The Gypsy King has flashed some of the devastating power that marked his rise in the heavyweight division, with three of his past seven victories coming inside seven rounds, and is pegged as a +700 bet to earn the win some time between the fifth and eighth rounds.
Oleksandr Usyk Boxing Odds
Undefeated in 21 career pro fights, Usyk looks to unify the heavyweight title after claiming the WBA (Regular) title in controversial fashion last time out. The 37-year-old Ukrainian was dropped to the canvas in the fifth round of his date with Daniel Dubois by what was ruled a low blow, but what many observers viewed as a legit punch that should have ended the fight. Usyk would go on to knockout Dubois in the ninth round to record his first finish in five fights. However, that fight was the latest in what has been a far from easy climb to the top of the heavyweight division for “The Cat.”
While Usyk claimed the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles by unanimous decision in an epic brawl with Anthony Joshua in September 2021, he was lucky to escape with his belts in their rematch 11 months later, which ended in a controversial split decision. However, marathon battles are nothing new for Usyk, who has seen all seven of his career wins by decision come in his past 12 fights, and is a +225 bet to get the nod from the judges on Saturday night.
Boxing Prediction: Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk
Fight fans should be prepared to get settled in for what promises to be a marathon matchup on Saturday night. With both these veterans having proven their ability to absorb punishment, it would be a shocker not to see this fight go into the late rounds. For those looking for one of these heavyweights to finish things, the edge has to go to Fury, who is listed as a +800 to earn the win between the eighth and 12th rounds.
