It is said that a good chess player is someone who can remember patterns, understand tactics and strategy, and imagine the beginning and end of the game.
Some may wonder what that has to do with one of the great heavyweight fights of modern times, but if you look behind the bloody display of skill, you'll find that behind the desire Let's examine some IQs and see the momentum shift in Saudi Arabia's tumultuous struggle. , it's not a stretch to think that new, undisputed world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk could emulate his success in the ring while sitting at the chessboard.
For while Usyk had the courage and stamina to rival the giant gypsy king Tyson Fury, he was also able to think and plan. And in the first quarter of the fight, it seemed like Usyk's first ideas about how to win would be enough.
He picked, poked and prodded with relentless shots, but importantly, he landed a big left hand early on, showing Fury that Usyk was no longer a “middleweight.”
As a result, there was a visible look of shock as Fury's distorted face returned to its original shape.
But to Fury's credit, he made his own adjustments. At that point, he began removing some of Usyk's pieces from the board.
The 6-foot-9 Briton strutted behind a double jab, followed by a long right hand behind him, whether up or down, an uppercut or around the side of Usyk's glove.
Fury looked relaxed. He was fighting at his own pace, in his own range, on his own clock.
Usyk furrowed his brow, concentrating, concentrating, planning like a chess player contemplating a move six minutes ahead.
The Ukrainians blushed when considering the adjustment by sacrificing some pawns to free up artillery. Yes, there were costs, but he made sure they were kept to a minimum.
“It was fun there,” Fury said afterward, but Usyk was too busy to enjoy it.
In the fourth, Fury's left hook appeared to hit Usyk's boot, but Fury put his hands behind his back, leaned forward, smiled and began his showboating antics… and then… You see? It looked like Usyk was going to bite.
Early in the contest, as Usyk targeted Fury in the corner, Fury placed his hands on either side of the turnbuckle toward Usyk, daring the Ukrainian to land a hit. Many opponents didn't need a second invitation, but Fury was shocked when Usyk didn't accept. Maybe even rattling.
However, after a few rounds, it looked like Fury was in charge of the engagement, so Usyk rushed in to take advantage of it, but it didn't work.
Through fights five and six, Fury was boxing the same way he does when he's good, so looking at Usyk, he wondered why this so-called genius seemed one-dimensional and self-paced, almost plodding along while enforcing the rights. You might be forgiven for thinking about how it looked like you were immersed in it. Now pushed back with body and occasional uppercuts.
Although there were no signs of distress, Usyk was certainly swimming upstream.
But the Fury was like a 90 mph supercar as it climbed through the gears. They looked great and there were more in the tank. He knows his distance, grooves to a familiar rhythm, is able to use long levers to time opponents who are starting to lose ground, and frankly has understandably struggled to contain the giants. I fought with the belief that I had done so. In front of him is the “Gypsy King”.
Usyk was supposed to be a champion with multiple strings to his bow, able to adapt and incapacitate, but while he didn't have an immediate answer to the question at hand, Usyk calculated and manipulated and was able to attack. had reorganized its structure and pace. And he's getting ready to go through his own cogs.
By the time the seventh round rolled around, and certainly by the eighth, Usyk began to make adjustments and consider how to readjust his attributes to surround the WBC champion.
And Usyk chose to do and spend what normal mortals are afraid to do for a man who sacrificed considerable height and reach. more Dangerous time.
He stayed with Fury, not giving him time to think. He was playing speed chess and Fury had to hurry his moves. He didn't suit Fury either.
Nasty shots to Fury's chest, head, and torso didn't give Fury any respite, and Usyk was regularly clipping Fury with his left hand.
Fury still tried to put on a bravado, but it could have been taken as a fake at this point. Fury was hitting and giving some heavy shots. Usyk was banking the round and in the eighth he hit Fury in the nose with a hard left, causing blood to spurt out.
The 9th was amazing. Even the staunchest neutrals would have had difficulty remaining in their seats. Usyk suddenly unlocked Fury's nervous system with his short jab and howitzer of his left hand, knocking Tyson's head to the side.
And the Morecambe Bay man spent the next 30 seconds staggering around the ring, his body like a top falling off a rope, his legs taking no commands and instead all about that awful thing. Replaced by a beating heart that tries to deny knowledge. situation.
If it were chess, Fury wouldn't know where the board was.
He could barely even lift his gloves to protect himself. Usyk narrowed his eyes, the glory of Ukraine in his narrowed eyes, but Fury had nothing but an empty seat, and Usyk landed another thud of headshots, right hooks, and left hands, and Fury fell. He was unable to land on the third row due to the ropes and ended up nearly collapsing in the corner, but somehow never completely weakened. The bell rang.
It was theater of the highest quality. More of a drama than a sport.
Usyk was able to deliver perhaps the decisive blow of this generation with one punch and deliver the most almighty exclamation point with undisputed words!
Fury had been down before, but of course he was mostly out. But his situation never looked more serious than when he showed up near the end of the ninth round.
Fury's recovery after that session was as remarkable as his rise from the ashes from a disastrous 12th round knockdown against Wilder in 2018, with the pace of the fight and his physical, emotional and mental It was perhaps even more miraculous considering the amount of burden it took. He had already invested.
True, Fury still occasionally played to crowds, but the tactics were replaced by concussed manliness, and Fury could show courage, but perhaps not himself. I had no way of knowing it was there. Pride, courage, and knowledge other than how to win supported him.
The Fury could have somehow rallied and claimed even a partial claim to the 12.th And the final episode tells you everything you need to know about his remaining ambitions.
You can imagine Fury running around saying Marvin Hagler's famous quote, “I don't mind sticking my silk pajamas up my ass.”
He longed for it. The man who was considered a lineal champion always wanted to live up to that undisputed label.
It was exceptionally tactical, but also spectacularly violent. There were no more boxes to check, so I moved on to the scorecard.
Fury could have been checkmated by the two referees in the end, but his WBC title has long been surrounded by swarming Ukrainians, who will decide how to win in the final round. Each was carefully calculated.
In an era where there is weekly debate over who stands atop that sordid mythical pound-for-pound rating, Usyk has staked his claim to being above them all. alone. And that claim was supported in no small part by one of the others at the top of the same tree.
Terrence Crawford wrote on social media: He is definitely a candidate to be the world's No. 1 P4P fighter. I don't hate it. He beat a guy who beat that guy in a bigger division, and he accomplished what he's already accomplished. Salute brother! ”
Usyk can celebrate and the warring nations can be proud and rejoice at his historic victory, but it won't be long until the chessboard is returned. Usyk is planning his next move and researching how to get the “Gypsy King's” scalp once and for all. more.
