One of few opponents to hold a victory over Oleksandr Usyk has revealed the tactics to beat boxing’s top heavyweight.
Lukasz Wawrzyczek, who faced Usyk in the amateurs and gave away considerable weight to the Ukrainian master, managed to score a victory in a team tournament. Since then, Usyk has gone on to be untouchable at cruiserweight and heavyweight ahead of a rematch with the man he displaced, Tyson Fury.
Usyk battles Fury on December 21, having almost knocked out the ex-lineal ruler in Saudi Arabia. If Fury has a chance of revenge, Wawrzyczek says he must follow his instructions.
“From the beginning to the end, I was the person who was going forward,” Wawrzyczek told the BBC. “I think that’s the clue to win with southpaw boxers.
“He was obviously very good already in defense. However, I left everything that I could leave in the ring in that third round [to get the win].”
Wawrzyczek claimed the Polish middleweight title during his professional run but could not reach the heights of Usyk. The retired boxer believes Fury must be more aggressive in pressing forward to regain the heavyweight crown.
“If you’re fighting a southpaw, you have to attack him. You can’t give him any space to win. He was a little bit backward [moving]. That’s why I think he [Fury] lost the fight.”
The Pole added that Anthony Joshua was the only Usyk rival to get it right against the 37-year-old Pound for Pound star. However, AJ only managed three minutes of the correct strategy.
“My strategy if I were training Tyson Fury would be very similar to Anthony Joshua’s situation in his fight against Usyk. He did one round like that, and he won that round, but he stopped attacking him, that’s why he lost.
“Tyson Fury’s huge, he’s massive, he’s much bigger than Usyk so that he could be that person,” concluded the Jersey-based fitness coach.
Fury has his work cut out for him against the best technician in the division and possibly in the sport. Usyk can work out a fighter in one round, adjust his fight blueprint, and see the desired result. Floyd Mayweather was the only other fighter in the last generation to have that level of tactical skill.
For those reasons, Usyk remains a considerable favorite to retain his WBC, WBO, and WBA belts and retire from the sport undefeated.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
