THE PREDICTION
Paul Wheeler wonders whether ‘Bomber’ Bellew can wreck the Usyk masterpiece
We analyse the big fight and predict who will emerge victorious on the night
NOW you know the story of how the
Oleksandr Usyk-tony Bellew fight came together [see pages 10-13], it is time to predict what will actually happen in the ring.
Although Usyk possesses a greater knockout ratio than Bellew (73 per cent compared to 61), it could be argued that the latter is in fact a more dangerous one-punch hitter. Whereas Bellew’s stoppage victories – especially above light-heavyweight – have often been the result of thumping hooks thrown with the full weight of his force behind them, Usyk’s inside-schedule wins tend to occur due to an accumulation of attritional attacks.
This difference in style is likely to determine the manner in which each man approaches the contest – Bellew patiently searching for an opening for his crunching left hook; Usyk relentlessly peppering his rival with fluid combinations from all angles, while avoiding the heavy artillery thrown in his direction.
The jab will be a key punch in this bout. Bellew’s is arguably more assertive, but Usyk’s is longer and more consistent. Bellew regularly follows his up with a straight right, yet the intelligence and speed with which Usyk moves means that even if the Liverpudlian manages to land his jab, the follow-up could well strike fresh air rather than the Ukrainian.
Ultimately, Usyk’s supreme southpaw skills, allied with his firstclass conditioning and consummate composure, will prove too much for Bellew’s resolute and considered work. Usyk will slip uppercuts through his opponent’s guard and curl hooks around it, all the while gracefully pivoting away from counters. Bellew has been floored multiple times in the past, but he is a sturdier and more defensively astute boxer than he once was. All this points to a clear triumph on the scorecards for Usyk.
A late addition to the Usyk-bellew card sees Coatbridge’s ex-three-weight world champion Ricky Burns, 42-7-1 (15), fight Lytham St Annes’ former British lightweight belt-holder Scott Cardle, 23-2-1 (7).