According to boxing coach Pekka Mäki, the match between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury was a clear exception compared to previous big matches.
Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk the British won Tyson Fury’s in the highly anticipated heavyweight boxing match by unanimous decision. He became the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world in 25 years.
A well-known boxing coach Pekka Mäki highlights three points that will speak after the match.
“Fury succumbed to arrogance”
Mäki says that boxing’s big matches often do not live up to high expectations. The match between Fury and Usyk was a clear exception in this sense.
– The match was entertaining and electric. Both had their moments, says Mäki.
So Usyk took the match to scattered votes. Two of the judges declared victory for the Ukrainian, while the third would have given the victory to Fury with a score of 114-113.
Fury was on his neck at the beginning of the match, but in the 9th round the match took a new turn when Usyk came close to knocking out his British opponent.
Mäki says that in the end the victory went to the right address, although he can see that the struggle was very even. Usyk kept Fury better on his match plan.
– Fury had the keys to victory in his hands, but he succumbed to arrogance and carelessness. At that moment, Usyk struck. I think it cost him the whole match, Mäki refers to Fury’s arrogance.
Fury would take the rematch
Mäki says that in the 9th round, the ring ropes saved Fury from crashing to the floor. Fury was counted out.
– The count saved Fury back to the match, Mäki adds.
After the set in question, the Briton was able to fight his way into the match.
– If they fight again, I strongly bet Fury as the winner. If Fury wanted to, he could hurt Usyk quite badly.
Mäki reminds me that once upon a time Deontay Wilder vs. Usyk came back to the match from the brink of the grave and took the taser.
– He is quite adaptable. Having fought Usyk once, I think in a rematch Fury will win clearly. From the fourth or fifth round onwards, Fury was marching to a sure unanimous match victory, until Usyk landed a hard blow.
Nationality did not matter
Fury claimed after the match that Usyk would have received sympathy points because of his nationality. Ukraine has been defending its country for more than two years against the Russian war of aggression.
Mäki does not think that nationality weighed on the scale when the points were distributed.
– It’s weird that Fury takes this Ukraine angle. Probably the entire Western community has sympathies towards Ukraine. However, I can’t believe in boxing. However, professional referees are able to watch the match objectively.
Mäki believes that Fury is trying to lead towards a rematch with those speeches.
– With those words, he starts talking about the rematch. If he accepted his defeat and was the clear loser, there would hardly be a need for a rematch.