WBSS Cruiserweight Semifinals Preview: Usyk v Briedis

The next Ali Trophy bout is set on Jan 27 with cruiserweight tournament favorite Oleksandr Usyk to take on Mairis Briedis for a place in the final. Check our WBSS cruiserweight semifinals preview on the potential winner.

Both world champions are eager to qualify for the final and win the Muhammad Ali Trophy. It will be a tough challenge against WBC World Champion Mairis Breidis, the national hero of Latvia, but online sportsbooks in Latvia predict that Oleksandr Usyk has all what it takes to beat his opponent at home. Will Usyk win the fight? Let us go through the WBSS cruiserweight semifinals preview.

Boxing Record: Usyk vs Briedis

According to online sportsbook news the two amazing contenders had great success so far. Both of them are undefeated, but the next fight will be a true test. WBO World Champion Oleksandr Usyk (13-0, 11 KOs) went to Berlin for tournament opener and produced a spectacular display at the Max-Schmeling-Arena to stop the long reigning former champion Marco Huck in the 10th round. Usyk is ranked as the world’s best in the division. When he was amateur he won gold medals at the 2011 World Champions and 2012 Olympics, both in heavyweight.

His opponent Mairis Briedis, 32, (23-0, 18 KOs) is the first Latvian to win a boxing world title, having held WBC cruiserweight title since April 2017. He knocked out some big names through his early career such as former heavyweight challengers Danny Williams, Manuel Charr, and the former champion Marco Huck.

WBSS cruiserweight semifinals preview in Fighting Style

Following his dramatic win over Marco Huck, Usyk is expected to grow as a dominant champion. Usyk’s fighting style is known as taking slow early rounds followed by an absolute freight train of violence late. Usyk is a blue collar technician. His work is subtle and often takes a few rounds before his intentions are made clear. He has strong ability to switch styles depending on what his opponent is showing him.

(source: Sunday Puncher)

Unlike Usyk’s suspensive style Briedis has explicitly displayed his strengths and weaknesses. He plays conservatively to his strong suits, utilizing footwork, swiftly closing in and breaking up, and making his opponents miss in order to counter them with powerful punches. If Briedis does not have something else up in his sleeve, Usyk may edge Briedis throughout the entire fight and make the 40,000 Latvian fans upset by beating their national hero.

At Vbet Sportsbook Usyk is the favorite not just to win in the semifinal but also to win the Muhammad Ali Trophy. The odds for Usyk are 1.136 to win the next fight, while the odds for his opponent Briedis are 4.84. In regards to the WBSS cruiserweight outright winner, Usyk has the best odds standing at 1.44.