Oleksandr Usyk has unveiled his own app designed to help him find sparring partners who can mimic the style of Tyson Fury.
Usyk is gearing up to defend his unified heavyweight titles against Fury in Saudi Arabia this Saturday. The much-anticipated showdown will also see Fury putting his WBC belt on the line. Should there be no draw, the winner will be crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 24 years. Tyson Fury
Since transitioning to heavyweight in 2019, Usyk, a former undisputed cruiserweight champion, has demonstrated exceptional skills. However, Fury poses a unique challenge with his unconventional style, blending size advantage with rapid reflexes and a sharp boxing intellect. Tyson Fury
Finding sparring partners who can emulate the “Gypsy King” is no easy feat. However, Usyk’s team has found a solution to this challenge with the assistance of an app utilizing AI.
According to Sergey Lapin, Usyk’s camp manager, who oversees the Ready To Fight app, the process of locating sparring partners has become notably more manageable since the launch of the app.
“Instead of reaching out to numerous contacts and making countless calls to organize sparring sessions, everything is now streamlined on your phone. You can directly connect with a manager or a fighter, and all details are transparent. Surprisingly, most of Usyk’s sparring partners were discovered through the app.
“They hail from various countries across the globe. For instance, we’ve had sparring partners from Africa, despite lacking direct connections there. The app has made it much easier to find individuals matching Fury’s size and weight criteria. While some familiar faces from previous sparring sessions joined the camp again, the majority were recruited through the app.” Tyson Fury
Usyk revealed his rigorous training routine, sharing that he engages in 15 three-and-a-half-minute rounds of sparring with 20-second rests. During this camp, he has reportedly completed over 250 rounds, with a different sparring partner in each round, totaling over 40 partners.
Both Usyk, 37, and Fury, 35, will enter the ring with undefeated professional records.
The Fury vs. Usyk bout will be broadcast live on DAZN worldwide, priced at £24.99 for new subscribers and £23.99 for existing customers. New subscribers will also receive a complimentary month’s subscription. DAZN offers various subscription plans starting at £9.99 per month. While we may earn commission from the provided link, our content remains unbiased, supporting journalism across The Independent. Tyson Fury