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Former Champion Amir Khan Expresses Concerns Over Tyson Fury’s Weight for Heavyweight Title Fight Against Usyk
RIYADH, February 11, 2023 – Former boxing champion Amir Khan has expressed concerns over Tyson Fury’s weight for his highly anticipated heavyweight title fight against Oleksandr Usyk, which is set to take place on Saturday evening at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Khan, who has faced both smaller and larger opponents in his own career, believes Fury’s lighter frame of 262 lbs, his lightest weight in five years, could put him at a disadvantage against the Ukrainian’s career-heaviest 223.5 lbs. The retired boxer suggests that Fury’s weight loss may have happened too quickly, potentially undermining his punch resistance and ability to bully his 37-year-old opponent, as he has done with previous heavyweight rivals.
“Tyson has come in a bit too light. He should have come in like when he fought against [Deontay] Wilder,” Khan said. “This fight was talked about a year ago – let’s hope they’ve not overtrained and that they’re at their peak.”
The former lightweight and welterweight champion, who was stopped by Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in 2016, believes the size difference could play a significant role in the outcome.
“You get pushed back. Every time you throw a big punch, it doesn’t even affect the [bigger] fighter – they’re just taking it as it comes. You just don’t feel the confidence – the confidence goes out the window.”
However, Khan acknowledges the punching power of both fighters, stating that “Usyk hit hard for a heavyweight” and that “Tyson has the power to hurt any heavyweight.” The 36-year-old ultimately leans towards a Fury victory, but believes the fight could be closer than expected, with the potential for “a few scares” for the WBC champion.
“It’s a massive fight for the heavyweight division – for boxing – and I just lean towards Tyson in this fight. But as it’s getting closer to the fight I feel like Tyson might be a little bit too thin. He’s lost a lot of weight. We know Fury can fight on his back foot, but we don’t know what to expect. Both are at the top.”
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