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Oleksandr Usyk Predicts Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury's Era-Defining Fight

Usyk, the current heavyweight king has weighed-in on the British heavyweight fight set to take place later this year between the two former unified heavyweight champions, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
James Hicken|
Oleksandr Usyk
Oleksandr Usyk | IMAGO / Mausolf

Oleksandr Usyk, the current unified heavyweight champion and former two-time undisputed heavyweight champion, has offered his prediction on the upcoming all-British heavyweight clash between two of his former opponents, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

The Ukrainian has plenty of experience with both men, having beaten them both by decision twice. His judgment led him to give the nod to 'AJ' over Fury, believing that Joshua 'deserves this'.

Usyk says AJ will beat Fury

Anthony Joshua
Anthony Joshua | Getty Images for Netflix

“Yeah, we will help AJ in training. My opinion is AJ will win Tyson Fury," Usyk explained to BBC Sport. "Fury is unbelievable fighter and opponent. Fury is a very dangerous guy, but I look how Anthony work and how Anthony change.

"I like Fury, listen, he is my greedy belly best friend. Hey greedy, I love you. He’s an amazing fighter, but I want more Anthony win. I think he deserve this.”

Usyk will have his mind elsewhere, however, as he is preparing to defend his WBC belt against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven this weekend in Egypt in a well-earned rest from taking on the very best in the heavyweight division.

AJ and Usyk training together for Fury fight

It may seem like there is a bit of bias in Usyk's prediction, as since AJ has been preparing to make his return to the ring, he has been training alongside the Ukrainian and his team to try and revitalize his career after a devastating knockout loss to Daniel Dubois, followed by nearly losing his life in a tragic car incident after knocking out Jake Paul.

But Usyk has one of the best tactical minds that boxing has ever seen, and no one will have a better understanding of the improvements, both mentally and physically, that Joshua has made. Pair this with a unique insight as the only man to ever beat Fury, and you have a potentially winning combination.

If AJ does hope to prove his Rocky Balboa - Apollo Creed-esque training partner right, he will first have to make it past his 'warm-up' fight on July 25, against the relatively unknown, undefeated Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga.

Fury is currently the fresher man, coming out of his 'retirement' to take a lopsided points win over fringe world-level heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov in April in true 'Gypsy King' style. He has made it clear his intentions for this comeback are to take on Joshua and then have a trilogy with Usyk - unlikely as it may be.

There are rumors that Fury will have one more tune-up fight before he faces Joshua, with the fight expected in October or November at Wembley Stadium.

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James Hicken
JAMES HICKEN

James started his journalism career in 2024 and has written about a variety of sports, including Boxing, MMA, tennis and Formula 1, but his expertise is in boxing. As a former boxer, he has been published with Boxing News and the Independent, where he worked as a boxing writer - covering breaking news, analysis, interviewing notable figures such as Amir Khan and reporting from ringside. James was born in Birmingham in the UK before a brief stint of his childhood in New Jersey, and then returned to the UK as a teenager to finish his education and gain a Bachelor's degree from Newcastle University. When he isn’t writing, James enjoys a round of golf with his friends or lacing up his gloves and trying to emulate the fighters he loves watching, like Vasiliy Lomachenko and David Benavidez.