For the first time in 25 years, the unified heavyweight boxing championship will be at stake Saturday when Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk meet in a long-awaited showdown. The 12-round battle of undefeated heavyweight champions will anchor the main Fury vs. Oleksandr fight card (noon ET) from Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This will be the first heavyweight unification title fight in the history of the four-belt era, and also the first time the unified crown is at stake since Lennox Lewis outpointed Evander Holyfield in November 1999.
Fury is the slight -130 favorite (risk $130 to win $100), while Usyk is priced at +110 in the latest Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk odds. The over/under for total rounds completed is 10.5, with the Over favored at -275. Before making any Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury picks, make sure you see the boxing predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Peter Kahn.
Kahn is a true boxing insider who has his finger on the pulse of what's going on inside and outside of the ring. He has managed numerous world champions and currently manages 20 fighters through his company, Fight Game Advisors. Kahn won the 2022 Boxing Writers Association of America Cus D'Amato Manager of the Year award and was named to the 2023 Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.
Kahn is uncanny when it comes to picking fights. He is an astounding 51-13 on his last 64 SportsLine boxing picks, returning more than $4,000 to $100 bettors. His notable wins include telling SportsLine members to back underdog Ryan Garcia (+500) against previously unbeaten super lightweight champion Devin Haney (-700) in their blockbuster fight in April. Anyone who has followed him has already seen massive returns.
Now, with Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk on deck, Kahn has studied the matchup from every angle and released confident picks for the fight. You can only see those picks at SportsLine.
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk preview
SugarHill Steward has been credited with helping Fury (34-0-1) take his skills to another level ever since he was hired as the boxer's top trainer in 2019. Steward's lineage is well documented as he is the nephew of the later Emmanuel Steward, who trained numerous world heavyweight champions.
Steward recently told the media that he can tell Fury is in prime shape because he is showing improved agility and reflexes during training.
"A lot of things have changed, which you won't notice. But I've noticed certain movements that he's able to do because of his fitness. The things he's doing are just different. His moves are a lot sharper, a lot crisper ... which I don't really comment on but... me and him know," Steward said.
"My major thing with anybody is balance. There are certain muscles that need to be activated to keep you on balance. And those are things that you have to figure out."
One factor that could work in Usyk's (21-0, 14 KOs) favor is what has become his signature low key and stoic demeanor that he believes has been an integral part of his success, even if it has come at the expense of some level of fame and fortune. Usyk has repeatedly asserted that he isn't motivated by the spotlight or money, and his actions appear to verify this claim.
For instance, he was unmoved when the original December date for this fight was postponed after Fury's near loss to former UFC champion Francis Ngannou. He similarly rolled with another setback when a proposed March date was pushed back because of an injury suffered by Fury in training. What's more, Usyk agreed to a 70-30 purse split in Fury's favor even though Usyk holds three of the four major heavyweight belts.
"I don't care about material things. I care for the path I follow," he told the media.
This week, Usyk was happy to sit back and take a secondary role while the more animated Fury grabbed the lion's share of media attention and headlines, including attention for a profane outburst at Friday's weigh-ins. See who to back here.
How to make Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk picks
We can share that Kahn likes the Over 10.5 rounds. He's also made the call on a plus-money method-of-victory prop and a confident money-line pick. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Who wins Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, and which method-of-victory prop is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Peter Kahn's best bets for Saturday, all from the boxing specialist who has netted his followers a profit of more than $4,000, and find out.
