An expert in body language named the winner of the heavyweight fight - Alexander Usik vs. Tyson Fury - in Saudi Arabia, reports UNN with reference to Daily Mail.
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Fury and Usik had a stunning 11-minute, 20-second confrontation on Thursday and met again at the weigh-in on Friday.
The pair will go head-to-head for Usik's WBA, WBO and WBC heavyweight belts on Saturday night in Riyadh, with Fury hoping to get a rematch for his split decision defeat by the judges in May.
Fury and Usik had to be separated on Thursday with both trying to gain a psychological advantage over each other, with the Gypsy King vowing to "hurt a lot" and "do a hell of a lot of damage".
But it was the Ukrainian who body language expert Judy James believes had the upper hand after their confrontation, as she told BetUK.
"Usik won a ten minute submission fight. He was so still and solid, I believe he could still be there now in the same pose. It shows physical and mental toughness and a calm determination that is breathtaking," said James.
"His gaze looks intense and focused, making him appear silently ready for battle. The frequency of his blinks is almost negligible, hinting at a lack of tension or stress, and when he blinks, it's a hard blink, showing internal anger.
His responses to Fury make him appear calm, unafraid and unperturbed. He looked at Fury without changing his facial expression or grimacing or frowning.
Усик и Фьюри показали рекордный вес перед боем20.12.2024, 22:52
At the weigh-in, his body posture was purely professional, with muscular contractions and raised fists. His trademark pose with chin up and frown speaks of focus and fearlessness.
This man has no signs of weakness in his body language, except for a couple of subtle signs during the confrontation when his mouth seemed to twitch, which could be a hint of inner restlessness.
However, it was bad news for Fury, who suffered the first defeat of his career in his 36th attempt back in May.
That night the judges scored the fight 115-112 Usik, 114-113 Fury and 114-113 Usik, leaving the Gypsy King bitter as he stated that "people are siding with Usik because of the war in Ukraine" and body language guru James believes Fury may get another blot on his notebook.
"Fury's complete change of fortune from affable, chatty showman to this sullen, Grizzly-Adams, one-word stage outsider is so acute that it could be a risky option.
"Не сильно там, чтобы Storm Shadow не запретили": Зеленский пожелал победы Усику20.12.2024, 18:06
His body language both in conference and weigh-in is so restrained that it looks like an overkill, overly congruent and inauthentic act. His wrinkled smiling eyes keep trying to break free, and he seems to suppress them physically by running his hand over his beard or face. Such suppression takes away emotional energy that he probably should have saved for combat.
He arrived at the weigh-in with his hands in his pockets, a gesture associated with hiding or not wanting to be anywhere. He lurked at the back of the stage and left the stage before giving the interview.
While posing with Usik, he did two important things: his hands fell into the fig leaf pose, which is a protective barrier in front of the crotch, and his chewing got so extreme that we could see the gum. Athletes often chew gum to combat anxiety.
There was no ten-minute standoff of glances, instead Fury turned and then turned back. Usik's wave of his hand in his direction looked dismissive.
A comparison of their body language would then put the odds of victory in Usik's corner. Fury seems too busy trying to be something he's not, and that doesn't intimidate his opponent, but it can confuse him. It suggests he's floundering, changing states as an ad for his fans rather than himself.
But ... there was one moment in body language that made Fury's victory more promising. At the end of their epic staredown confrontation, something seemed to really break in Fury. His face got sweaty and his expression became intimidating as he yelled at his opponent. If he can get into that more centered state, with a strong uppercut he can still pull off the victory.
Усик-Фьюри: победитель реванша получит уникальный пояс от WBC21.12.2024, 13:58