Tyson Fury warned 'there's nothing you can do' against Oleksandr Usyk by Tony Bellew

Tony Bellew reckons Tyson Fury's hands are tied when it comes to beating the superior Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury faces Usyk in the first heavyweight boxing undisputed bout since 1999 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Bellew knows exactly what it's like to fight the dominant Ukrainian, who sent him into retirement with a knockout victory in their November 2018 cruiserweight clash.

He's since explained how Usyk "downloads" his opponents in the ring and claimed he was close to being killed had the referee not stepped in and saved him. And when we asked him what the Gypsy King needs to do differently, Bellew was resounding in his response.

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Via AceOdds, he argued: "There's nothing really Fury can do. He's predominantly known to struggle with smaller, quicker defensive-minded fighters.

"We've seen it with the likes of Otto Wallin, we've seen it with the likes of Steve Cunningham, we've seen him struggle against much smaller guys. I think people are a bit shocked that I'm saying this, but it's what I believe."

Fury suffered a severe cut above his right eye which threatened to scupper his unanimous-decision victory against Wallin in September 2019, while Cunningham sent him to the canvas on his American debut in April 2013 before being KO'd in the seventh round.

Bellew believes he would've had a better chance of beating Usyk under the guidance of his former trainer and relative Peter, who prepared him to face Wladimir Klitschko after the death of his other uncle Hughie.

"The older version of Tyson Fury under his uncle Peter, I think has a better