3 reasons to tune into the Usyk vs. Bellew fight on November 10

Name of the Fight: Usyk vs. Bellew

Date: November 10 from Manchester Arena in Manchester, UK

Time: TBA

Network: Sky Sports Box Office in the UK, or stream it on DAZN.

Since he won the WBO title two years ago, Oleksandr Usyk has dominated the cruiserweight boxing division. The 31-year-old southpaw from the Ukraine has racked up a 15-0 record, and is currently the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world. On November 10 at the Manchester Arena, Usyk will put up all four of his belts (the WBO, IBF, WBC, and WBA titles) against 35-year-old British brawler Tony Bellew, who will be stepping down a weight class from the heavyweights to try to end the Ukrainian’s run of dominance in the cruiserweight division.

Usyk is the clear favorite heading into the Manchester bout. Since debuting with a TKO victory over Felipe Romero in 2013, Usyk has either knocked out or won by unanimous decision against each of his foes, minus one (earlier this year, he defeated Latvia’s Mairis Briedis in a majority decision). But could Bellew end his undefeated reign in the ring? Here’s why you should tune into the fight everyone will be talking about Monday morning.

Usyk’s footwork has been cited as the key to his dramatic rise, although it’s his ability to put pressure on opponents that most stands out; “The Cat” is as nimble as you’d hope from a boxer with that nickname. He also thrives in big bouts: He’s defeated four previously undefeated boxers on his way to unifying the four cruiserweight belts he now holds. Critics have noticed his dominant run, as he’s currently fifth on The Ring’s pound-for-pound rankings, behind such luminaries as Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin.

Bellew has been realistic about his underdog nature in the buildup to the fight, admitting that Usyk is a challenge unlike any that he has faced before. However, the Liverpool Bomber isn’t backing down from the showdown. In a press conference prior to the fight, Bellew laid down the verbal gauntlet, saying that he has “100 percent belief that I’m going to take him apart. Out of all the guys he’s faced, none of the other guys believed that. They just don’t believe it, and I’m crazy enough to believe it.”

This will be Bellew’s first fight back as a cruiserweight after two bouts in the heavyweight division. That pair of fights was well worth the move up, however; in what was billed as a British dream match series, Bellew put down compatriot David Haye on March 3, 2017 and earlier this year on May 5, both by technical stoppage.

Bellew’s best chance to beat Usyk will be to be patient. The Ukrainian throws a metric ton of punches, and Bellew weathering that storm will be key to pulling off the upset in front of what is sure to be a raucous home crowd. If he can, he’ll be looking to knock out Usyk with his trademark left hook, a weapon that put down Haye in the 5th round of the 2018 bout. Going the distance will likely work against Bellew, who just won’t be able to put up the points needed to nip by Usyk on the cards.

There is one additional wrinkle that makes this the fight to watch: Bellew has been adamant that Usyk will be his last fight, as he hopes to enter retirement as the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world. Will that work in his favor? A boxer with nothing to lose is a scary opponent, but against Usyk, that rush of excitement might actually be a detriment for the big Briton. If he rushes his punches early, he might fall behind to Usyk counters, and then it’s all over but the crying and the long walk to the back.

Usyk’s unstoppable reign has never been in question to date, and he should ease into the November 10 fight as a healthy favorite. But strange things happen in boxing when a home crowd is fully behind a boxer, and that should likely be the case for Bellew. Will the Ukrainian’s technical prowess carry him to 16-0 and into the annals of cruiserweight history? Or will Bellew pull of the upset of his career in his last ride? One thing is for sure: Expect fireworks from these two in Manchester.