Tyson Fury warned Oleksandr Usyk already has a gameplan to take his world title

Oleksandr Usyk’s manager has warned Tyson Fury will not be able to last the pace against the undefeated Ukrainian over 12 rounds.

Usyk dethroned Anthony Joshua to win the IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles with a stunning performance in the capital in September.

The 34-year-old, previously a unified cruiserweight champion, captured three of the four major titles in boxing’s blue-riband division with a unanimous decision win over the Briton, making a mockery or pre-fight predictions that he could struggle with Joshua’s size and power.

Usyk is set to take on Joshua in a rematch next spring with a unification bout with WBC champion Fury a possibility later in the year.

But Sergey Lapin, Usyk’s manager, has warned that while ‘The Gypsy King’ has a number of advantages, the former Olympian will be able set the pace of the fight once again, just like he did with Joshua.

‘As for a potential fight with Fury, Fury has an advantage in size, and he is mobile and fast for a boxer with his size, but there is one thing,’ Lupin told MyBettingSites.

‘The biggest problem with these huge heavyweights is their condition in 12-round confrontations. The pace of the fight that Oleksandr sets, the huge heavyweights of today will not be able to stand.

‘Technically, it will be very interesting. Tyson Fury has a very uncomfortable boxing technique, but in order for Fury to deliver his series of blows, he will need to spend a lot of effort, and this will be his undoing.

‘Ultimately the weight and height advantage in this fight does not matter for Oleksandr Usyk, he adapts to any opponent. Observers of world boxing will soon see how Alexander Usyk will restore order in the heavyweight division.’

There could be major changes in the Joshua camp ahead of the rematch with the former champion recently completing a US tour visiting potential new trainers.

Lapin warns however Usyk was only operating at ’60-70 percent’ of what he is capable of in their first meeting.

‘I have known Oleksandr for more than 20 years. I have been there and seen all of his successes in boxing.

‘One thing that sets him apart is he processes information and adapts to the fighter in front of him very, very quickly. It sometimes seems to me that he is from another planet – he is that good.

‘Despite the fact that he has a huge amount of experience and fights behind him, he is constantly improving and getting better every training day. I have seen and know what Usyk is really capable of, and the version of Usyk in the fight with Anthony Joshua was 60-70 percent of his potential. So yes, Usyk can really be better.’

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