The most anticipated heavyweight fight in recent memory takes place on Saturday when Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk finally meet in the boxing ring for the unified heavyweight title. Their 12-round showdown tops the pay-per-view main card (2 p.m. ET) from Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This battle of undefeated heavyweights has been in the works for nearly two years and has been delayed because of various logistic and contract issues. But now, the long-awaited heavyweight unification fight is a reality as Fury will put his WBC belt at risk, while Usyk brings the WBA, IBF and WBO titles to the table. The winner will have a rightful claim to being the most prolific heavyweight of this generation, though both parties have also agreed to a rematch clause
Fury is a -120 favorite (risk $120 to win $100), while Usyk is priced at +100 in the latest Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk odds. The over/under for total rounds completed is 10.5. Before finalizing your Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury picks, make sure you see the boxing predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Peter Kahn.
Kahn is a true boxing insider who has his finger on the pulse of what’s going on inside and outside of the ring. He has managed numerous world champions and currently manages 20 fighters through his company, Fight Game Advisors. Kahn won the 2022 Boxing Writers Association of America Cus D’Amato Manager of the Year award and was named to the 2023 Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.
Kahn is uncanny when it comes to picking fights. He is an astounding 51-13 on his last 64 SportsLine boxing picks, returning more than $4,000 to $100 bettors. His notable wins include telling SportsLine members to back underdog Ryan Garcia (+500) against previously unbeaten super lightweight champion Devin Haney (-700) in their blockbuster fight in April. Anyone who has followed him has already seen massive returns.
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk preview
Fury and Usyk are the latest pairing of current champions who have somehow found a way to cut through the swath of politics and competing promotions that, until the past couple of years, plagued the sport to the point where public interest was arguably at an all-time low.
Fury’s three-fight rivalry with Deontay Wilder helped reignite interest in the heavyweight division. Now, the Fury vs. Usyk fight is arguably the most anticipated boxing showdown of this decade. Both fighters are known for their exceptional technical abilities to supplement their power punching, a combination that was once rare in the heavyweight division. But both have made careers out of systematically breaking down their opponents with superior fundamentals, and finishing the fight when the opportunity arises.
Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) rose to widespread fame with his fights against Wilder, who is regarded as one of the heaviest punchers in the history of the division. He managed to salvage a split draw in their first meeting despite getting knocked down twice, before finding finishes in the second and third showdowns.
The 35-year-old Englishman has faced no proven contenders since, though he almost sabotaged the showdown with Usyk by showing up out of shape and seemingly unprepared for a novelty match against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in October. He survived an early knockdown and was awarded a split decision that many observers felt should have gone the way of the former cage fighter.
Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who is also the former unified champion at cruiserweight. But the 37-year-old Russian boxer only started to receive some long-overdue recognition when he joined the heavyweight ranks. He is best known for a pair of close but clear wins over former champ Anthony Joshua, whom he unseated as the front-runner for a unification fight with Fury that many fans had long anticipated. Usyk is a high-volume southpaw known for his accurate punches and ability to string together devastating combinations.
Following his second victory over Joshua in a rematch, Usyk’s last performance resulted in a ninth-round stoppage of Danie Dubois last August to retain his three major belts. See who to back here.
How to make Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk picks
We can share that Kahn likes the over 10.5 rounds at a price of -320 in the latest boxing odds. He’s also made the call on a method-of-victory prop and a confident money-line pick. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Who wins Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, and which method-of-victory prop is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Peter Kahn’s best bets for Saturday, all from the boxing specialist who has netted his followers a profit of more than $4,000, and find out.