By: Sean Crose
The first battle was certainly memorable. Now Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury are about to face each other again. The first fight between the two ended earlier this month in Saudi Arabia. It was a toss-up affair, but Usyk knocked Fury down in the ninth and continued to fight well as Fury got back on his feet. After the final bell rang that evening in Saudi Arabia, the judges awarded Usyk a decisive victory as well as the undisputed heavyweight world title. However, Fury had a chance to redeem himself in the ring, as both he and Usyk signed a rematch option before the first fight ended.
Sure enough, both men were ready to start over – again in Saudi Arabia. “The rematch between Undisputed Champion Oleksandr Usyk and Champion Tyson Fury is currently scheduled for December 21, 2024 during the Riyadh Season,” Saudi Arabian sports celebrity Turki Alalshikh posted online society on Wednesday. “The world will witness another historic fight once again…Our commitment to boxing fans continues…We hope you enjoy it…” If the second fight also As exciting as the first match is, chances are everyone will like it.
For the sublime Fury, the key to the rematch will be his ability to keep Usyk from hurting him. After all, if Usyk hadn’t hurt Fury in the first fight, the ending might have been a lot different. On the other hand, Usyk must be prepared for Fury to have changed his game plan. Fury, for those who don’t know, can both punch and brawl. He boxed mostly in the first round. Team Usyk may be preparing for a more aggressive Fury in their rematch this December. Sure, the question of how this second war will play out is part of what makes it so intriguing.
However, one potential problem is that – unlike the first fight – the rematch will not be for the undisputed heavyweight crown. There is no guarantee that all four of boxing’s top organizations – the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO – will agree to give Usyk a rematch with Fury. However, does that really matter? Usyk proved he is a heavyweight by defeating Fury. And if Fury wins the rematch, he will certainly prove he is the top dog in the division.
This may be one of those rare cases where the title at stake doesn’t matter much.
