Heavyweight Nick Webb picks who he thinks wins from Oleksandr Usyk vs Tony Bellew
Unified World champion Oleksandr Usyk (15-0) defends all four cruiserweight titles to former WBC World cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew (30-2-1) at the Manchester Arena on November 10 and heavyweight Nick Webb revealed exclusively to BBN who he thinks wins and how:
“I’ve been a bit of a fan of Oleksandr Usyk since the amateur days before winning the Olympics. It was back when he had that stupid haircut! I was just beginning my boxing career around the same time in 2012 as an amateur and I won the Novices that year.
“He was such a good amateur, he basically completed the set – he won gold medals in the Olympics, World Championships and European Championships. And he’s done the same thing as a pro by winning all four world titles at cruiserweight – the first boxer in history to ever do so.
“David Haye thinks that he goes into the fight leading on the scorecards already having been such a good amateur and everybody expecting him to win. He also rightfully brought up Bellew’s left hook, which could be the equaliaser.
“Bellew was so sharp and clever in his fights with Haye at heavyweight that he could only be sharper and fitter having gone back down to cruiser.
“I don’t think we’ve really seen any weaknesses in Usyk’s game yet and his pedigree as amateur and pro is the highest it could possibly be. Carl Froch said that he can’t find any weaknesses at all in Usyk saying he’s got great defence and offence, clever head movement and technically proficient.
“I agree and think that the Ukrainian has just got too much variety in his work and that he outclasses Bellew. Obviously, I want the Brit to win and I think Bellew will hurt him during the fight with that famous left hook, but he will weather any storms that come his way.
“Credit where it’s due, he ended Haye’s career by beating him twice. He did look very sharp and powerful in both fights.
“He’s taking the biggest fights and going in as the underdog and making serious money! He says he’ll retire either way after this fight, but if there’s another challenge with another load of money then he might take it, who knows?
“He doesn’t need to do much more. He’s had an outstanding career and can retire with his held high.”
Nick Webb (13-1) has his next fight on December 15 at the Thistle Hotel Heathrow in an eight-round heavyweight contest.
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