Beware of the Underdog: Exploring How Tyson Fury Can Upset Wladimir Klitschko
It has been over a decade since Wladimir Klitschko last tasted defeat in a boxing ring.
When Lamon Brewster stopped the Ukrainian in Round 5 on April 10, 2004, Amir Khan and Andre Ward were still amateurs preparing to participate at the Olympic Games in Greece. George W. Bush, meanwhile, was preparing to run for second term as president of the United States.
Since that night against Brewster in Las Vegas, Klitschko has reeled off 22 consecutive victories.
The streak has seen the 39-year-old become the dominant force in the heavyweight division, particularly since the retirement of his older brother, Vitali.
Dr. Steelhammer currently holds the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO titles.
However, Tyson Fury believes he's about to shake things up at the top.
The unbeaten Englishman has won 24 on the spin. He has not lacked for confidence ahead of the big occasion, providing plenty of soundbites ahead of the showdown with Klitschko.
So, can Fury back up his words with a big performance?
Bleacher Report looks at some tactics that could help the 27-year-old cause the mother of all upsets in Dusseldorf, Germany.
1. Get the Jab Going
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The jab is Klitschko's weapon of choice.
Tim Starks once wrote in the Guardian, "This is every single Klitschko fight you've ever seen: jab, jab, hold, jab, jab, hold, jab, right cross, hold, jab, left hook, hold, jab, hold, jab, hold, jab, hold, repeat. It's an artless maths formula."
And Fran Sands of MyBoxingCoach.com noted, "The jab is the true weapon of Wladimir Klitschko’s dominance. I’m going go out on a limb here and say that the jab of Wladimir Klitschko is the best in boxing since the reign of Larry Holmes, maybe even better."
At 6′6″, Klitschko can usually keep opponents at a safe distance with the use of his left hand. Smaller men end up eating a lot of leather attempting to close the gap.
Fury, though, has a rare advantage over his rival—he is the taller man in the contest.
He stands at 6'9" and has a four-inch reach advantage over the champion (85" compared to 81").
If Fury can get his own jab working, he can force his rival to change the best-laid plan that has been the foundation of his success for years.
2. Switching to Southpaw
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All his pre-fight antics may suggest he likes clowning around, but Fury is deadly serious when it comes to tactics.
He is more skilled than he's given credit and has developed from brawler to boxer through his career.
A method he is expected to utilise against Klitschko is switching to southpaw.
The change of stance is something he has employed in the past. He used the method against Martin Rogan back in 2012, as pointed out by Scott Christ of Bad Left Hook.
Fury told the Manchester Evening News (h/t James Slater of FightNews.com) that he has a grand plan to mix things up:
"The key to beating Klitschko is from a southpaw stance.
Corrie Sanders was a southpaw. Tony Thompson gave him problems—both times from a southpaw. Both of those guys were long range fighters, which I am—but they never had my inside game.
It makes fights easy. The defence from southpaw is impregnable I believe.
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A southpaw stance, something not often seen in the heavyweight division, could help neutralise Klitschko's straight right hand, a punch he uses to great effect behind the jab.
3. Control the Tempo
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Fury cannot simply go hell for leather from the opening bell, but he would also be foolish to allow Klitschko to work at his own pace.
While he is 39 and the third-oldest heavyweight champion in the sport's history, Klitschko's fitness shouldn't be an issue.
He is a consummate professional, which is one of the reasons why he has stayed at the top for so long (that and the lack of serious competition).
Klitschko stalks opponents around the ring, often extending an arm out to try and measure them up.
There's also the issue of holding. The 39-year-old was deducted a point in Round 10 of his most recent fight, against American Bryant Jennings, for hanging on once too often.
That bout, however, took place at Madison Square Garden in New York. Now Klitschko is back in more familiar surroundings in Germany.
Fury has to find a way to stop Klitschko from holding him and therefore controlling the tempo. The best method would be to get his foe onto the back foot, allowing him to dictate the distance between the pair.
Former fighter Glenn McCrory believes Fury can force his rival to go on the retreat, writing for Sky Sports: "Klitschko is probably going to be very wary of Fury and I think that's why Fury has a chance. Klitschko is naturally wary and very defensive anyway and I think he'll be even more than usual. That's good for Fury."
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4. Rough His Rival Up
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Klitschko reckons he has worked out the colourful character that is Tyson Luke Fury.
He has already diagnosed the Englishman as a "bipolar psychopath," according to Will Esco of Bad Left Hook.
Fury—who turned up at a September press conference dressed as Batman—has played the mind games in the media, but now it is all about his actions.
However, Carl Froch believes his compatriot has to continue to throw curveballs at Klitschko once the first bell has sounded.
The former super middleweight world champion said on talkSPORT radio, per Alex Varney, "Fury’s tactics should be to close the distance, get near to him, rough him up, try and bully him and stick the nut on him if he has to. He needs to make it a brawl."
Perhaps sticking the "nut" may be a step too far, yet Fury must find ways of carrying Klitschko out of his comfort zone.
If the pair come together in a clinch, throw a few punches on the inside. If Klitschko sticks his arm up to measure his jab, swot it away.
Fury needs to do whatever it takes (legally, of course) to disrupt the champion.
5. Go for Broke
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Klitschko has never lost on the scorecards. If his fights go the distance, he ends up winning on points.
Bryant Jennings was calculated and clever in his approach against Klitschko back in April. However, per Bryan Armen Graham's report in the Guardian, he still lost by a landslide:
"Klitschko, for the first time in what seems like an eternity, was in with an opponent who fought hard for 12 rounds and never stopped trying to figure out a way to win.
Only it wasn’t enough. Not even close, really, as Klitschko earned a unanimous decision to retain his heavyweight titles. Two ringside judges turned in scores of 116-111 while a third scored it 118-109.
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Fury cannot hope to be victorious if the bout goes the full 12 rounds.
He may be from the Ukraine, but Klitschko will very much be the home fighter in Germany.
Martin Murray's recent failed attempt to take the WBO super middleweight title from Arthur Abraham should serve as a warning—it is ridiculously tough to get a decision as the away fighter on German soil.
For that reason, Fury has to seize any moment of success he has during the bout.
If Klitschko appears to be in distress at all, for even a split second, Fury needs to pour on the pressure.
Taking risks will leave him open to counters, of course. Yet Fury simply has no choice—this may be his one and only crack at dethroning the top dog in the division.
Can Fury cause an upset against Klitschko? Give us your predictions—and feel free to suggest suitable tactics for the underdog—by using the comments section.
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