Usyk v Fury 2 Betting Preview
The festive sporting season gets off to a spectacular start tonight as the eyes of the world turn to Riyadh for the second instalment of the most anticipated heavyweight clash of the century.
Someone’s 0 had to go in the first instalment back in May, and in the end, it was the Gypsy King who came out on the wrong end of a split decision. Usyk, meanwhile, extended his record to a perfect 22-0 and became the undisputed champion of the world.
The endless politics of the boxing world and its collection of governing bodies mean the undisputed title isn’t up for grabs this time around - Usyk was forced to relinquish the IBF title earlier in the year. However, that still leaves the WBC, WBA and WBO belts up for grabs, and if the fight is as entertaining as the first, fans are in for a treat. Here, we look ahead to the main event and pick out our best bets.
At a towering 6ft9, Tyson Fury looks down upon most in the heavyweight division and such is the case here. 6 inches taller than his rival, that advantage extends to 7 inches in the reach department – an area Fury should be able to exploit if using his jab effectively. Whilst both men can certainly punch, neither is renowned as a knockout specialist, with the pair boasting similar KO percentages of 63.64% (Usyk) and 66.67% (Fury).
First Fight Review
For much of the first half of the May showdown, Tyson Fury seemed to be in control. Using his superior reach to his advantage and finding consistent success with uppercuts to the body, it appeared that the bigger man would come out on top.
And then came the ninth round. Caught off guard by a swinging left as he backed away against the ropes, Fury appeared to be closing in on dreamland. That he managed to survive a barrage of follow-up shots and stay upright on legs, which appeared to be made of spaghetti, was nothing short of remarkable. However, having slumped against the corner, he was forced to take a count, thus losing the round 10-8. With the final scorecards reading 115-112, 113-114, and 114-113 in favour of the wily Ukrainian, that ninth round was the difference between Fury and at least a split decision draw.
What To Expect This Time?
In the end, Fury’s defeat in the first bout came down to a lack of concentration in the second half of the fight. Was he simply too relaxed, having kept Usyk at bay, or was fatigue beginning to play a role?
Watching the first fight back, Fury should be able to win this if he sticks to his boxing, keeps out of range and outpoints the smaller fighter. However, the Morecambe man is rumoured to be significantly heavier this time, suggesting he is sticking to the goal of “knocking out the little rabbit”.
For Usyk, the plan will likely be much the same as the first fight. I.e. stick with Fury and stay disciplined early before beginning to assert in the second half of the fight. Despite being the older man, the Ukrainian is meticulous in his preparation and likely holds the edge if fitness becomes a key factor.
Best Bets
The oddsmakers have Usyk as the favourite to repeat his win from the first bout, and overall, we would agree with that assessment. No doubt that Fury is one of the greatest heavyweights of his generation, but there have been signs of decline in recent bouts. Far from spectacular against Derek Chisora in December 2022, he was then dropped in a points win over UFC star Francis Ngannou before that loss to Usyk.
At 37, Usyk may not be quite the force of old, but there have been few indications of a marked drop-off in form. Dominant in two bouts with Anthony Joshua, his knockout win over Daniel Dubois reads particularly well now, and he was surely only one more clean shot away from ending the first fight more emphatically. If there are doubts, they are that he was unable to put the Gypsy King away despite seeming sure to do so, and he did have problems with body shots both against Fury and in the Dubois fight.
From a betting perspective, the first punt we want on our side is the draw. These fighters are remarkably well-matched, and, if we take the ninth round out of it, the first fight would have been all but impossible to call. Provided Fury maintains his concentration, this should be close.
However, we always like to have the knockout options on our side in this division and will take a chance on two-round group options. If Fury is to become the first fighter to stop Usyk, his best chance comes in the first half of the fight before his additional bulk begins to take a toll. In contrast, Usyk’s superior fitness and expert movement may eke out an opportunity late, much as they did in the first instalment of this epic showdown.
Top 20 Betting Offers
|
*New UK customers only. Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football, Horse Racing, Tennis, Cricket or Basketball multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. Earn a £30 Uber Eats Voucher on successful Acca qualification. Debit Card deposit only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid 7 days from the new account being registered. 18+ GambleAware.org. Bet the Responsible Way. Full Terms apply |
|||||
|
New customers online only. Valid with code B10G50 on registration. Bet min £/€10 at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £/€10 Win + £/€10 Place) within 7 days of registration. Receive £/€20 Tote Credit, £/€10 Sports Bet, 2 x £/€5 Sports Acca and 50 Free Spins. 7-day expiry. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool or sports bet added to the bet-slip. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org. |
|||||
|
18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet up to £40 (min. £20) via mobile or app on any football (odds 1/1+) within 7 days of registration. Get up to £40 in free bets on selected markets, which expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply, see below. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly |
|||||
|
New Customers use code EPL10. Deposit £10 and place a bet of £10 on any Premier League Outrights 2025/26 market at minimum odds of 2.0. Free Bet credited within 24 hours and must be wagered on English Premier League markets only. Full Terms apply. Bangers N'Cash rewards are a separate promotional scheme and must be opted into during the weekly promotional period via the BetWright Rewards Section. 18+ begambleaware. |
|||||
|
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply. |
|||||
|
New customers only. Register, deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply. |
|||||
|
18+. BeGambleAware.org. New GB customers only. Min £10 debit card deposit. Place a £10+ bet at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days. Opt in for £20 sports free bet and £20 Casino Bonus. Valid for 7 days. Geographical restrictions and T&C’s apply. #AD |
|||||
|
18+. New customers only. Deposit and place first bet of £20 or more at min odds Evens (2.0). Get £20 in Free Bets credited as x1 £10 Free Bet and x2 £5 Bet Builder Free BetsT&Cs Apply. Please gamble responsibly. |
|||||
|
18+ New customers only. Min deposit £20. Min Wager £20 at min odds 1/1 (2.0). Max free bet £20. T&Cs apply begambleaware. |
|||||
|
18+ New customers only. Place a £5+ bet at minimum odds of 1/1 (2.0) within 14 days of sign-up. Get £25 in Free Sports Bets + 50 Free Spins (valued at £0.10 each), valid for 7 days on selected bets and games. Free stake not returned with winnings. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org |
|||||
|
#AD | Welcome bonus for new players only | Maximum bonus is 100% up to £100 | Min. deposit is £10 | No max cash out | Wagering is 40x bonus | Maximum bet with an active bonus is £5 | Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse | Skrill & Neteller deposits excluded for welcome bonus | Cashback when offered, applies to deposits where no bonus is included | Cashback is cash with no restrictions | T&C's apply |Free bet: Min odds: 2.0 - Free bet value will be deducted from free bet winnings | 18+ | BeGambleAware.org | Gambling is addictive, please gamble responsibly! |
|||||
|
*New members only. £10+ bet on sportsbook (ex. virtuals) at 1.5 min odds, settled within 14 days. Free Bets: accept in 7 days, valid 7 days on sportsbook only. 2x£5 Free Bets for Bet Builder only. Stake not returned. T&Cs + deposit exclusions apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org. 18+ |
|||||
|
18+. New UK & ROI customers only . Certain deposit methods & bet types excl . Min first £10 win or E/W bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 & get 4 x £10 free bets . Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + T&C apply |
|||||
|
New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, payment method exclusions apply; New customers only. T&C apply; 18+ Please gamble responsibly. |
|||||
|
18+. BeGambleAware.org. New customers only. Min. £10 deposit, debit card only. Up to 50x wagering, game contributions vary, max. stake applies, 7 day expiry. See full terms. #AD |
|||||
|
18+. Play Safe. Online only. For new UK register customers using promo code G40. Deposit & place £10 cash single bet (min odds 1/2) on sportsbook (excl. Virtuals). Get £40 in Free Bets (4x£10), valid for sportsbook (excl. Virtuals), 7 days expiry, must use in full (£10 each). Not valid with deposits via PayPal, Neosurf, Paysafe, Apple Pay, NETELLER, Skrill, ecoPayz, Kalibra/Postpay or WH PLUS Card. One per customer. Full T&Cs apply. www.gambleaware.org #ad |
|||||
|
New customers place a £10 fixed odds bet at minimum odds of 1/2. Get 2 x £10 free bets. 18+ begambleaware |
|||||
|
18+ | New Customers Only | Promo Code: WELCOME10 | Place a single £10 bet within 3 calendar days of registration. Bet must settle on the same day of placement | Min odds Evens (2.00) | Get 2 x £5 UK/Irish Horse Racing Free Bets + 2 x £5 Football Free Bets | Free Bets valid for 7 days | Max win £250 | T&Cs apply | GB residents only | Gamble responsibly |
|||||
|
T&Cs apply. 18+ New customers only. You must place a single win-only bet of £10 or more with odds of evens (2.00) or greater to qualify. Money back as £10 in free bets. Free bet is credited the day after the qualifying bet has settled. Must use code B10G10 when creating an account. |
|||||
|
18+ New Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. 1st Deposit & Bet £/€10+ at min odds 1/2 on Sports within 14 days of account reg & Get 4x £10 Free Bets (selected sportsbook markets only, valid 7 days) Max 1 Free Bet per player. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. |
