For the first time in nearly two decades, an undisputed heavyweight champion will be crowned in boxing on May 18. In what will likely be one of the biggest combat sports pay-per-view events of the year, undefeated titleholders Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will meet in the ring after reigning simultaneously for several years.
Entering the matchup, Fury owns the WBC heavyweight title while Usyk will bring the WBO, WBA, IBO, IBF, and The Ring divisional titles.
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk statistical analysis
On paper, Tyson Fury will hold all of the physical advantages of a natural heavyweight fighter. At 6’9″, the Brit will have a six-inch height advantage over the 6’3″ Oleksandr Usyk with an additional seven inches in reach. Fury will also outweigh his opponent by 28.5 pounds, tipping the scales at 262 pounds at the event weigh-ins with the Ukrainian coming back at 233.5 pounds.
Per Compubox, Usyk averages more punches thrown, punches landed and jabs landed. Fury, however, has the advantage in power shots landed and fewer punches absorbed. Of the top ten heavyweights in the world with stats available on the site, Fury absorbs the second-least amount of punches per fight.
With Fury being the much larger fighter and Usyk having the edge in volume, the matchup is shaping up to be a stereotypical “power vs. speed” chess match.
View the full statistical breakdown below:
| Tyson ‘The Gypsy King’ Fury | Oleksandr ‘The Cat’ Usyk |
| 34-0-1 (24 KOs) | 21-0 (14 KOs) |
| WBC Heavyweight Champion | WBA, WBO, IBO, IBF and The Ring Heavyweight Champion |
| Notable wins: Wilder (x2), Klitschko, Whyte, Chisora (x3) | Notable wins: Joshua (x2), Dubois, Chisora, Bellew, Glowacki, Huck |
| 12.5 punches landed per round | 13.3 punches landed per round |
| 44.8 punches thrown per round | 49.6 punches thrown per round |
| 6.6 punches absorbed per round | 8.3 punches absorbed per round |
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk: Preview
Despite being the heavyweight champion since 2020, Oleksandr Usyk only has five fights in the weight class. Before his divisional debut, Usyk compiled a decorated career at cruiserweight. Before becoming the undisputed champion of the 200-pound division, Usyk won a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Tyson Fury will also own the experience advantage, having made his professional debut in 2008 and competing at heavyweight for his entire career. Usyk, despite being two years older than the 35-year-old Fury, has 14 fewer professional fights since making his debut in 2013.
Usyk’s lack of professional experience has hardly been a concern throughout his career as ‘The Cat’ entered the scene as one of the most decorated amateur fights in divisional history. On top of his Olympic gold medal, Usyk took home another gold medal at the 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championship.
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About the Author
Jaren Kawada is a freelance sports writer from Indianapolis, Indiana with a strong passion for MMA and sports betting. Kawada has also written for Sportskeeda MMA, FanSided MMA, and BetSided as a combat sports analyst.
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