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- What: Undisputed Heavyweight Championship
- Who: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury
- Date: Saturday, May 18, 2024
- Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- How to Watch: ESPN+, DAZN
A long-awaited heavyweight title unification bout takes place on Saturday, May 18, when Oleksandr Usyk faces Tyson Fury at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Usyk holds the IBF, WBO, WBA, and The Ring titles heading into the fight, while Fury is the WBC champion. Usyk is the top heavyweight according to The Ring ratings, while Fury is one spot below him. The winner of the fight will walk away as the undisputed heavyweight champion. Here is some background on the fighters before we look at the betting breakdown for the Usyk vs. Fury fight.
Oleksandr Usyk (21-0 with 14 knockouts) moved to heavyweight in 2019 after reigning as the undisputed cruiserweight champion. In his second heavyweight bout he defeated Anthony Joshua by unanimous decision to win the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles. In the rematch, which Usyk won via split decision, he added The Ring title to his list of championships. Usyk last fought in August when he defeated Daniel Dubois by knockout.
Tyson Fury (34-0-1 with 24 KOs) has held the WBC title since he defeated Deontay Wilder in February 2020 by knockout. Fury is 4-0 since then with his most recent win being a non-title fight against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in October. Fury won that bout via decision.
Before we look at the undisputed heavyweight title fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, check out the best boxing betting sites, where you can find the best boxing picks.
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury betting picks
| To Win Undisputed Heavyweight Title |  |  |  |
| Oleksandr Usyk | -105 | -105 | -115 |
| Tyson Fury | -125 | -115 | -115 |
Oleksandr Usyk betting breakdown
The IBF, WBO, WBA, and The Ring champion, Oleksandr Usyk is the smaller fighter. Tyson Fury has a seven-inch reach advantage and a six-inch height advantage heading into this bout. Fury will also have a weight advantage on fight night. The physical difference between these two is something one must consider when contemplating the betting pick for the undisputed heavyweight title.
Usyk’s fights with Joshua are a good gauge of how he will look against Fury, and one thing to take from those bouts is that he is likely to be the better conditioned athlete with the superior footwork and movement. That will help him a great deal against Fury, especially if Fury is not in the best shape of his career heading into this bout. Usyk will move for the entire fight. In addition to his footwork, he has good head movement and the ability to cut angles.
Usyk is a patient fighter who can stick to his game plan. However, he also has the ability to adjust in fight if things are not going his way. Fury must keep Usyk from establishing his flow and getting in a groove. Once Usyk gets his rhythm set, he is difficult to fight against.
Tyson Fury betting breakdown
The big question facing Tyson Fury is what version of the WBC champ will show up. If he’s the version that fought Francis Ngannou, Fury will be in trouble on Saturday. If the hungry, locked-in, fully trained, and prepared version of Fury shows up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, well, then we’ll have a great fight.
When Fury is clicking on all cylinders he uses his size to great advantage. He is fast for a big man, his defense is good, he is a fluid boxer, who is hard to get a read on. He is not your typical heavyweight when he’s at his best and when you add his size to the equation, he’s a difficult puzzle to solve. He’s a boxer and not a slugger, which is rare for a man of his size in the division he competes in. Fury uses his size well. Not only can he fight from distance and avoid counters, but his size allows him to lean on his opponents in the clinch, which over the course of 12 rounds can sap the energy reserves of his foe.
On the downside, Fury has been knocked down. Now, his chin has held up, and he’s never been knocked out, but he has hit the canvas. That’s a worry against someone like Usyk, who is a boxer who can take advantage of openings when he has his foe hurt.
Best Bets for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury
This is a fantastic matchup, with each side having a fair share of questions to answer. However, Fury has more questions to answer and will face more pressure on fight night. The betting pick is for the fight to go the distance, with Oleksandr Usyk leaving Riyadh as the undisputed heavyweight champion.
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