"Train like Holyfield" - Former champion provides Oleksandr Usyk advice for Tyson Fury bout

Riddick Bowe has weighed in on Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury.

'The Cat' and 'The Gypsy King' will clash in December in Saudi Arabia. Well, they will, if Fury is able to get through Francis Ngannou unscathed first. 'The Predator' will attempt to score one of the biggest upsets of boxing later this month.

Nonetheless, if the heavyweight title bout happens this December, it'll be a historic bout. A potential bout between Usyk and Fury would crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis. 'The Lion' accomplished that feat well over two decades ago.

However, Riddick Bowe feels that Oleksandr Usyk will likely lose to Tyson Fury. Speaking to Boxing News in a recent interview, 'Big Daddy' picked the British boxer to win. However, he did offer some advice to Usyk.

That advice is to train like Evander Holyfield for this fight. 'The Real Deal' is a lot like Usyk, having come up from cruiserweight to heavyweight. Up there, he faced off against many monsters that were much bigger than him, including Bowe.

Bowe remembers that trilogy with Holyfield and feels that if Usyk wants to win, he has to emulate his style. In the interview, he stated:

"I got to say Fury, I like Fury. Fury has the experience, and the class [to win]. Oleksandr Usyk, you've got to do what you've got to do to win the fight... Evander Holyfield, Evander Holyfield was nothing but the truth. So, I'm thinking this young man needs to train like Holyfield, do the right things, because Tyson will be ready."

See his comments below (2:00):

---

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury: Opening Betting Odds

The opening betting odds have been released for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury.

While Riddick Bowe gives the edge to 'The Gypsy King', there's no doubt that December's fight will be a nail-biter. If the bout happens, one has to figure it would be the biggest of 2023, at least from a historical perspective.

With that in mind, the opening betting odds have been released. As of now, the opening line from FanDuel sees Tyson Fury as a slight -235 favorite for December. Meanwhile, Oleksandr Usyk returns as a +180 underdog.

Obviously, the line will shift a lot as we get closer to fight night. Furthermore, fans have to wait and see if Francis Ngannou will be able to throw a wrench in those plans later this month in Saudi Arabia.