Tony Bellew recently discussed Oleksandr Usyk’s relentless pressure and how it can break down fighters, drawing from his own experience and Usyk’s recent victory over Tyson Fury. Usyk’s ability to maintain pressure was evident in his recent fight against Fury, where he recovered from a shaky start to win by split decision, handing Fury a standing count in round nine.
The win in Saudi Arabia made Usyk the second man in the four-belt era to hold undisputed titles in two divisions, following his reign at cruiserweight. Bellew, who faced Usyk in 2018, knows firsthand the challenges of facing the Ukrainian southpaw. In their bout, Bellew started strong but was gradually overwhelmed, leading to a knockout loss in the eighth round.
In an excerpt from Andy Clarke’s new book “The Knockout,” Bellew recalled: “I remember everything up to the end of round seven. I was absolutely exhausted, and my coach Dave Coldwell could see it. He asked if I was tired, and I told him I was completely gassed. I don’t remember anything of round eight, only my wife coming into the dressing room crying.”
Coldwell highlighted a critical moment in round six where Bellew was visibly hurt by Usyk. He advised Bellew to take a round off to recover, but Bellew insisted he was fine and continued to fight aggressively. Coldwell recounted: “Round seven was a disaster. Usyk made Bellew work, made him trigger, made him panic, and throw punches at the wrong time, getting nailed with shots and wearing him out. By the end of round seven, I knew we were in trouble.”
Usyk’s victory over Bellew retained his undisputed cruiserweight titles and marked his transition to the heavyweight division, where he has continued to dominate.
Looking ahead, Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois are set to fight for the IBF interim heavyweight title. The winner could face Usyk or be upgraded to the official champion if Usyk is stripped of his title.
“The Knockout” by Andy Clarke was published on May 30 by Aurum and is available on Amazon and in bookstores in hardback and Kindle editions.
