### Tony Bellew Explains How Oleksandr Usyk’s Pressure Breaks Fighters
Tony Bellew has shed light on the relentless pressure that Oleksandr Usyk applies to break down his opponents, reflecting on his own experience against the Ukrainian in 2018 and Usyk’s recent victory over Tyson Fury.
Usyk faced Fury on 18 May in a highly anticipated bout for the undisputed heavyweight title. After a solid start by Fury, Usyk lost several rounds but made a remarkable comeback, securing a split-decision victory after delivering a standing count to Fury in the ninth round. This victory made Usyk the second man in the four-belt era to hold undisputed titles in two weight divisions, following his reign at cruiserweight, which included a decisive win over Bellew.
Bellew started strong in their 2018 match in Manchester but began to falter as Usyk took control, ultimately stopping Bellew with a clean left cross in the eighth round. Reflecting on the fight in Andy Clarke’s new book, *The Knockout*, Bellew recalled his exhaustion: “I remember everything up to the end of round seven. I remember going back to the corner and [coach] Dave Coldwell asking, ‘Are you tired?’ and I said that I was absolutely f***ed.”
Bellew’s coach, Dave Coldwell, highlighted a critical moment in the sixth round when Usyk hurt Bellew, signaling the beginning of the end. Coldwell recalled, “I knew straight away, his legs were heavy – not gone, but heavy. When he came back to the corner, I leaned into his ear, and I said, ‘This is very important, this next round,’ because he’s boxing well and he’s winning the fight. I said, ‘Take a round off and don’t punch until you feel your legs are back.’”
However, Bellew did not heed this advice. “Round seven for me was a disaster,” Coldwell said. “Usyk made Bellew work, made him trigger, made him panic and throw punches at the wrong time, get nailed with shots on the way, wore him out. And that energy level just went down, down, down. So, when he came back to the corner at the end of round seven, that’s when I thought: ‘We’re f***ed.’”
Usyk ultimately stopped Bellew in the eighth round, maintaining his unbeaten record and undisputed cruiserweight titles. Usyk then moved up to heavyweight, where he remains undefeated and has now achieved undisputed status in this division as well.
Usyk’s ability to wear down his opponents with relentless pressure and precise technique was evident in both the fight against Bellew and his recent victory over Fury. As Usyk continues to dominate, the boxing world eagerly anticipates his future bouts, including a potential rematch with Fury in December.
*The Knockout* by Andy Clarke, which includes these insights from Bellew and Coldwell, was published on 30 May by Aurum, an imprint of The Quarto Group. The book is available on Amazon and in other retailers in hardback and Kindle editions.
