By Tom Donelson (BWAA) Member Boxing Writers Association of America

Between 2015 and 2020 Deontay Wilder won 9 championship bouts all by knockout and had Tyson Fury not gotten off the canvas from their first fight, Wilder era may have lasted even longer but this  past June first, the Wilder era is officially over. Zhilei Zhang  wiped out Wilder in the fifth round with a vicious right.  This was not much of a fight as Zhang landed twice as many punches and was the more accurate puncher as he connected on 45 percent of his punches.

In this fight Wilder was the younger fighter at 38 as Zhang was 41 years old but Zhang was the better technical fighter  That was the rub for Wilder depended on his right hand which was one of the more powerful right hands in heavyweight history, but he never learned the basic boxing skills.  There were fights that he ended with his right hand but was outboxed.  He depended on his power and never learned the basics.  At the end of his career, he found himself against superior technicians like Parker and Fury.  Fury was the superior boxer, and he had the power to stop Wilder.  Parker boxing skills gave Wilder trouble and Zhang more technical skills. He lost four of his last five fights and they were not close events.  Wilder could have been a great fighter if he learned those basic skills of boxing instead of depending on his own right hand but as it was, he was a champion with a belt and he won his share of fights.  A good career if he chose retirement.

By Tom Donelson (BWAA) Member Boxing Writers Association of America

Tyson Fury faced off Oleksandr Usyk in a battle of undefeated fighters for the Heavyweight championship of the world.  Fury has proven to be a unique fighter, a big fighter who could box and punch and Usyk is a two division champion, former cruiserweight champions before he took the Heavyweight title when he defeated Anthony Joshua and Fury high point as a fighter was his trilogy with Wilder in which he survived a two knockdown to get a draw in their first fight and then winning the next two with stoppage.  The third fight of their trilogy was a brutal fight in which both men hit the canvas. 

The question that remains is what Fury or Usyk we will see. In his last fight, Fury barely escaped with a split decision over Francis Ngannou in Ngannou’s first boxing match after a great career in the MMA. Usyk won in a knockdown over the Daniel Dubois but before that final stoppage, he went down with a body shot deemed a low blow.   Usyk came in this fight as the smaller fighter and Fury had a higher knockout percentage. If one was a betting person, Fury was more likely to knock out Usyk than the reversed.    If Fury, who defeated Wilder in their last two fights, Fury would win or so I thought..  If the Fury that showed up in Ngannou’s fight then Usyk can win by decision, but I be honest, Fury came into shape and was lighter than his fight with Ngannou.  . 

In reviewing data before the fight, Usyk used his jab 54% during his fights, whereas Fury throws his power shots 56%. The average Heavyweight throw 44 punches per round and Fury is close to the average with 44.8  average punches whereas Usyk threw nearly 50 punches per round. Both men came into this fight with a reputation of being good defensively as Fury only allowed 6 punches to be connected against and Opponents only landed 19 percent against Usyk.

The opening round was close as Usyk landed lefts to the body, Fury jabbing and keeping distance.  Fury landed 9 punches while throwing 37 punches while Usyk landed 8 of 18 so Usyk was more accurate, close round I gave it Usyk, but others gave it to Fury.

In the second round, Usyk landed overhand left to start round with body shots, he looks aggressive whereas Fury is jabbing.  Fury landed a right to the body, but Usyk landed body shots.  The last seconds of the round say a Usyk combo landed but Fury landed an upper cut to the body. Usyk answered with body shots and Fury ends the round with an upper cut.  I had the round for Usyk, 20-18.  According to CompuBox, Usyk landed 50 percent of his power shots as he landed 14 power shots.

Usyk opened the third with body shots, but Fury pivoted with a nice right.  Usyk using head movement trying to avoid Fury’s jabs, but Fury landed solid jabs.  Usyk went to the body, to tire the bigger Fury as the round ended.  Again, another close round as Fury avoided being cornered but Usyk is not letting Fury circle without pressuring him.  Fury also landed his combinations.  I had the round for Usyk and had  Usyk up 30-27.   The round was close and could have gone for Fury.

Fury landed body shots and more active in the fourth round as Usyk looked for a combination but missed with a straight left.  Usyk landed a nice lead left and Fury nails with an upper cut that has Usyk off balance Fury landed body shots and forced Usyk to cover up.  Usyk closed the distance but got nailed from the long upper cut.  Fury did a little clowning, but Usyk kept his cool. Fury won this round and had it 39-37 for Usyk.

Fury caught Usyk with a jab as the fifth round opened and Usyk looked to find angles to land his right hook. Fury landed a good right and left hook to the body and Fury pressured Usyk.  Usyk 48-47 but this is close bout so the score could be reversed.

The sixth round began with Usyk back to pressure tactic and Fury landed four punch combinations and then tied up his opponent.  Fury takes the round and scores the fight 57-57 even as we go into the second half. Fury appeared to be prepared to impose his will on the smaller Usyk. Fury landed 20 punches in the sixth round and had a 58-35 edge in landed punches from the fourth to the sixth round.