In a recent interview with Boxing News, legendary former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis shared his thoughts on the strategy Tyson Fury should adopt for his rematch against Oleksandr Usyk. This highly anticipated bout will take place on December 21, 2024, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the same venue where both fighters first faced off on May 18 of this year.
During the interview, the journalist asked Lennox Lewis whether Fury should make any changes to his strategy for the upcoming fight. Fury had previously stated that he doesn’t see the need to change his approach, asserting that he simply needs to “do more of the same” without getting caught. On this, Lewis was emphatic in his response, pointing out that Fury cannot afford to stick to exactly the same tactic.
“No, it’s not as simple as that,” Lewis said. “He does need to make some adjustments. If he didn’t make any adjustments, then he would lose the fight again,” the former champion asserted, emphasizing that Fury needs to step into the ring with a clear approach and be ready to throw far more punches than in the first bout.
For Lennox Lewis, the key lies in a more aggressive and focused Fury, able to adapt to Usyk’s speed and precision—factors that challenged Fury’s style in their first encounter.
The journalist also asked Lennox Lewis if Fury was perhaps being reserved with his response, suggesting that the British champion might just be hiding his true strategy. At this, Lewis opined that Fury likely doesn’t want to reveal too many details before the rematch, a common tactic among elite-level fighters.
“I don’t think he wants to give too much away, and I think we’re going to get a different Tyson for this fight,” Lewis explained. According to the former champion, Fury is aware of the mistakes he made in his first fight against Usyk, which could give him a strategic edge if he can correct them in the ring.
It’s worth noting that the first bout between Fury and Usyk was decided by a split decision in favor of Usyk, who won after 12 intense rounds. At the time, fans and critics questioned the clarity of the instructions Fury received from his corner, and in a recent statement, trainer Andy Lee acknowledged that “there were probably too many voices” during the fight.
This confusion in Fury’s corner, according to Lee, might have affected his performance, although he stated that, for the rematch, SugarHill Steward’s voice will be the primary one guiding Fury’s instructions, aiming to avoid distractions.
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