It seems that Hall of Famer Jim Lampley, a veteran boxing broadcaster with extensive experience, believes that Tyson Fury is avoiding a potential fight with Oleksandr Usyk, the WBA, WBO, and IBF heavyweight titlist.
“I think he’s ducking Usyk,” Lampley said of Fury via FightHype, “at least for the time being, and then eventually the money will pile up to such an extent that it can’t be avoided anymore.”
If there’s anybody in the world he (Fury) should duck in terms of style,” Lampley said, “it’s definitely Usyk.”
Lampley’s opinion is that Fury might be hesitant to face Usyk due to his unique fighting style. He describes Usyk as a quick counterpuncher, even quicker than Fury due to his smaller size and cruiserweight background.
Lampley acknowledges that Fury possesses the ability to catch opponents with powerful counter shots, as seen in his fight against Deontay Wilder, but questions whether Usyk could withstand such shots.
But, could Fury even land cleanly on Usyk?
Fact: Minus an aging Wladimir Klitschko in an abysmal bout, we haven’t seen Fury in the ring with a a) polished technician or b) a true heavyweight with a deep amateur pedigree.
Usyk is both of those.
And aside from a presumably faded Klitschko, Fury has beaten just one of the several heavyweight lions out there today.
Deontay Wilder.
Lampley is vocal about wanting the Fury-Usyk fight to take place, as he finds it an intriguing matchup. He emphasizes that there are many exciting fights in the world of boxing, but this particular bout has caught his attention.
He dismisses the idea of cross-discipline matches, like Fury’s potential bout with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, stating that the different rules and training backgrounds of boxing and MMA create vastly different dynamics in the ring. He even uses the Mayweather-McGregor fight as an example of how fighters from one discipline can struggle when adapting to the rules of another.
Overall, Lampley’s opinion reflects his expertise in the sport and his desire to see high-quality matchups that showcase the skills of both fighters on a level playing field.
