Oleksandr Usyk established himself as the best heavyweight of this generation when he beat Tyson Fury in May, but the Brit has the chance to get his revenge this Saturday.
We’re back at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh for the action, and we’ve got all the tastiest tips from the big fight and the best of the undercard.
Our Boxing tipster, Matt Gipon, has examined the above fights and found three value picks. Let’s get his thoughts.
Boxing Betting Tips
7pm: Johnny Fisher v David Allen – Johnny Fisher points or decision
8pm: Moses Itauma v Demsey McKean – Moses Itauma to win in round 1-2
9pm: Serhii Bohachuk v Ishamel Davis – Serhii Bohachuk points or decision
10:30pm: Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury – Tyson Fury points or decision
Tyson Fury by SD
Tyson Fury to be knocked down and win
When: Saturday night, 21st December
Where: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
TV: Sky Sports Box Office
7pm: Johnny Fisher v David Allen – Johnny Fisher points or decision
The heavyweight clash between Johnny Fisher and David Allen is a bit of fun.
Dave used to be the people’s champ of British heavyweight boxing but these days Johnny ‘Boshhh’ is the big ticket seller. I’m not sure Fisher has the class to stop Allen, but I think the Essex lad will win a competitive fight on the judges’ cards.
8pm: Moses Itauma v Demsey McKean – Moses Itauma to win in round 1-2
There’s always a new heavyweight with lots of hype, and the current rising star is Kent’s Moses Itauma. Demsey McKean is a good, solid pro from New Zealand, but Moses’s hand speed and creativity is the perfect antidote to that – I think Itauma can continue his run of early KO wins and get the job done in double quick time.
9pm: Serhii Bohachuk v Ishamel Davis – Serhii Bohachuk points or decision
Serhii Bohachuk is a seriously dangerous international super welterweight contender with 23 KOs in 24 wins, while Ishamel Davis has come up quietly but impressively on the British scene.
Davis has the style to partially negate Bohachuk’s all-action style, but I think the judges will favour the Ukrainian’s effort over 12 rounds.
10:30pm: Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury – Tyson Fury points or decision
As undisputed heavyweight and cruiserweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk has cemented his place as an all-time great of boxing. However, Tyson Fury’s legacy is on a knife edge – the huge man from Morecambe has the chance to get his titles back and set the record straight.
The magnitude of this bout has not been lost on Fury – he’s taken himself away to Malta for a long camp and there’s been no messing around. Tyson has also been quiet on his socials except for the obligatory, and sensational, Saudi promo video that nailed the idea that the men have been living in each other’s heads.
The first fight was tight during the early rounds until Fury started to take over in the middle rounds, but Usyk showed his absolute class by flipping the action and dropping Fury in the ninth. Once again, the ‘Furious One’ displayed his resolve by coming back into the contest, but it was too late – Usyk wrapped up a split decision win on the cards.
In early 2024, Fury sustained a cut that led to the first bout being postponed from February to May, and there were substantiated rumours that the Brit only had a few weeks of sparring. With a bit more sharpness in training and focus in the fight I think Fury has the edge, and I’m backing him to take the win on Saturday.
Tyson Fury by SD
Neither man is a spring chicken but I think both have been living a dedicated life recently, and I don’t anticipate any drop in the levels since May. The daftness both men possess will be left in the changing rooms, which is set up to be another heavyweight classic.
Usyk has only stopped one opponent in his last five fights, while Fury has only knocked out one opponent when he has entered the ring as the challenger to the world championship crown.
I think this scrap is going the distance again, and I think it will be another razor-close decision – if Fury hadn’t lost a point for being knocked down in the first fight, it would have been scored a draw. The price for a split decision win as the exact method of victory is a nice way to boost the odds.
Tyson Fury to be knocked down and win
There’s a fairly long list of opponents who have knocked Fury down, and Usyk is on that list. The giant former champ often has his hands down and his head high, and there’s always a chance that he takes one that puts him on the seat of his pants.
There are loads of great #WhatOddsPaddy picks, but I’m going for a different option. Back in May, I picked Fury to be knocked down and win, and I’m having another spin on that.
Boxing Tips
Johnny Fisher v David Allen – Johnny Fisher points or decision
Moses Itauma v Demsey McKean – Moses Itauma to win in round 1-2
Serhii Bohachuk v Ishamel Davis – Serhii Bohachuk points or decision
Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury – Tyson Fury points or decision
Tyson Fury by SD
Tyson Fury to be knocked down and win
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Read More
- Punch in your knockout boxing betting tips at Paddy Power News
- Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury 2: Fight date, ring-walk time, undercard, odds and tips
- Anthony Joshua Next Fight: Opponent, date, time and odds
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