Will Fury’s “Paul Bunyan” beard save him from Usyk’s blows?

Fans are wondering whether Tyson Fury can embark on a rematch with unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk without trimming his long beard in their headliner at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena.

Fury facial fortification

The beard could be a way for Fury to cushion the blows that he will be hit with by Usyk to avoid being knocked out. Have a Paul Bunyan the lumberjack beard could save Fury from getting knocked out by Usyk, giving him a chance to win on the scorecards.

It’s not really right for Fury to have a beard which is a defense like the historic one Maginot Line. Should Usyk find a way to defeat this defensive fortification? Will the Beard defense withstand Usyk’s strategic attacks?

Undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev may fight with a beard, but he isn’t the same length as Fury, and he had no problem landing hard shots like King Gistano did.

“Knock him out. This is what I and [trainer] Sugar[Hill Steward] they are planning to get him out of there,” Tyson Fury told Fight Hub TV, revealing his main focus for his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night.

“I did everything great last time. I did not understand. It was a close fight. This time it will be a different fight. I will be a different person, a different fighter. Last time I was at 40%. 110% this time.

“It is not true. I did some sparring, but not as much as I would have liked. Let’s say this. I don’t want to make excuses, but let’s say the real Tyson Fury appears on Saturday night. I think I’ll knock him out. I don’t think I will. I know I will,” Fury said.

If Fury fails to knock Usyk out and he himself is stopped, we’ll see if Turki Alalshikh is still interested in paying him a lot of money for his fights because that would be his third defeat in a row, a real defeat considering the one he would have due to be a loss to Francis Ngannou on October 28, 2023.

“When he comes to attack, I will definitely destroy him. I have always been fearless in the waters of the heavyweight division. I’ve proven it time and time again. I’m here to put on an excellent show and regain everything I’ve lost,” Fury said.

Tyson’s resume is too limited to say he has “always been fearless” throughout his career because the only two world-class fighters he has faced and beaten were the then 39-year-old Wladimir in 2015 and Deontay Wilder. Klitschko was obviously old and faded, and Wilder was a shaky fighter whose best career win before fighting Fury was against 40-year-old Luis Ortiz.

Even in Wilder’s case, it’s fair to point out that he deserved two knockout victories over Fury in fights no. 1 and no. 3. That count that referee Jerry Reuss gave to Fury in the 12th round of the first fight was really crazy. In the third fight, Fury was given what many thought was a long count after being knocked out by Wilder in the fourth round. Fury has a checkered history when it comes to dodging defeats, with referees making strange calls that have worked in his favor.

Fury’s weight

“I’m the heaviest I’ve been in years. I weigh approximately 295 lbs. Show me the money. I’m a boxer; this is what I do. So Klitschko wants another hiding place. I am the right man to do it,” Fury said about whether Turki Alalshikh would be interested in arranging a rematch between them.

Fury is obviously nowhere near 295 or even 280. His weight seems closer to 255-260. A fight against 48-year-old Wladimir Klitschko probably won’t be an option if Fury loses to Usyk on Saturday night; this would take away a lot of interest from the small number of fans who would like to see that match.