Fury vs Usyk: Will Delay Alter Odds for Heavyweight Clash?

I know… it sucks! That said, it’s not all bad from the latest boxing news.

Initially, concerns arose that the IBF would not approve the fight and instead require Usyk to face the mandatory contender as their champion – the last thing we wanted. However, Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, and Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, both confirmed that the IBF has agreed to the delay as long as the fight takes place no later than mid-March.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk face off! 😤 🏆 👀#BattleOfTheBaddest | #FuryNgannou pic.twitter.com/RLTHgoYeL9

— Boxing on TNT Sports (@boxingontnt) October 28, 2023

Why the Delay?

Recently, former MMA Champion Francis Ngannou, who was making his boxing debut, took “The Gypsy King” the full distance in a surprising split-decision victory for Fury.

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the highly anticipated boxing match between the undefeated WBC champion and a mixed martial artist turned boxer almost turned into a surprising upset for Fury. Despite being heavily favored in boxing odds, Fury faced a challenging evening as he sustained a minor cut on his forehead and was knocked down in the third round. Although he quickly got back on his feet, Fury struggled to adapt to his opponent’s unconventional style, relying on his jab and occasional combinations to secure victory throughout the 10 rounds.

Fury did maintain his unblemished record but openly acknowledged that his performance was far from his optimal level. In fact, he regarded Ngannou as his toughest adversary in the past 10 years. Some critics have suggested that Fury underestimated the challenge, but he has reassured his supporters that he underwent an intensive 12-week training camp.

Tyson fury could in fact NOT take his power

The “Ngannou shimmy” after the knockdown will ALWAYS be cold 🇨🇲🥶 pic.twitter.com/KORJvOKWJn

— Kenny Okoye🇳🇬 (@TruthfulUfcFan) October 30, 2023

A beaten, bruised, and bloodied Fury has now been forced to postpone his in-ring heavyweight undisputed bout with Usyk, but this hasn’t altered the betting online oddsmakers’ opinion much.

Fury vs Usyk Early Betting Odds

Fury was the betting favorite, as expected, against Usyk on the opening lines .

While “The Gypsy King” remains a boxing bets online favorite, we know this line would’ve been much wider without such an impressive performance by Ngannou.

We haven’t witnessed Fury opening moneyline Las Vegas odds lower than -250 since he came up against Deontay Wilder in 2018.

Fury Betting Odds History

The odds in this chart are posted on the time of publication of the article. They are subject to change without previous notice.

Naturally, questions about Fury’s potential decline have shifted the previous lopsided boxing fight bets prices we’ve seen to this more respectable price in the upcoming bout with Usyk. But let’s be completely transparent: The Ukrainian will be his toughest test in recent years, as the likes of Chisora and Whyte haven’t brought much to the table besides a guaranteed payday for the Brit.

Reality Check for Fury Fans

Fury is set to defend his WBC title against Usyk in Riyadh next year. Bar a draw, this fight will crown boxing’s first undisputed world heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.

But the stone-cold truth is, based on last Saturday night’s performance, Usyk is likely to outclass Fury and secure a clear victory after 12 rounds. Fury cannot rely on judges to save him and he won’t be able to close the gap by throwing a few punches.

The decision to postpone the undisputed clash until next year does allow Fury to focus on shedding the excess weight he has gained and work on improving his mobility, which has significantly declined in the later stages of his career. But unless he ushers in the same judges from the Ngannou bout or somehow sips water from a fountain of youth, we’re likely looking at the contest that will finally strip Fury of the zero on his record.

Honestly, given his abysmal performance against Ngannou, and after re-watching the tape, I could name several heavyweights that beat Fury. Arslanbek Makhmudov, Oleksandr Usyk, Zhilei Zhang, and even Ngannou himself – with top-quality judges and an unbiased venue – to name a few.

Oleksandr Usyk with a question for Tyson Fury today…

[🎥 @Usykaa] pic.twitter.com/vwO8cHQsGy

— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) October 30, 2023

Yes, I was one of the Ngannou doubters, and I’m now seeing Fury’s career from a different perspective, mainly due to the opposition he’s faced.

Fans were taken aback during the Ngannou bout when they realized that their assumption of Fury effortlessly defeating Usyk and other heavyweights was mistaken. The fight between Fury and the ex-UFC champion was a wake-up call, revealing that Fury is far from being the top contender in the heavyweight division.

Instead, he appears to be merely a fighter carefully selected by his promoters to face opponents who are beatable and of lower caliber, including flawed champions. This, in turn, has made him look incredibly more agile and dominant in recent years when, in fact, the smoke and mirrors of lower-level opposition have allowed him to stay on top.

Francis Ngannou knocks down Tyson Fury (2023)

📸 @ESPNRingside pic.twitter.com/O9fckGz8PL

— Fight Pics That Go Hard (@fightpicsgohard) October 28, 2023

Questions Of The Day