Seven months after an exciting first fight, unified world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) will defend his WBC, WBA and WBO titles against Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs). On Saturday, December 21, at the Kingdom Hall in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Live on DAZN PPV.
The first bout between Usyk and Fury was an instant classic, as Fury was in control for the first half of the fight, and Usyk looked dominant down the stretch. The highly anticipated rematch is scheduled for next Saturday, with Usyk looking for a repeat, and Fury seeking redemption. December 1, 2018 marked the beginning of what would become a very entertaining trilogy between Tyson Fury and powerful WBC champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder. In the first bout, Wilder's strength was evident when he scored a knockdown in the ninth round.
In the twelfth and final round, Deontay Wilder hit a two-three combination that seemed to knock Tyson Fury out cold. Once the referee count reached 6, Fury appeared as WWE wrestler “The Undertaker.” Wilder scored both knockouts, but Fury outmaneuvered Wilder in most of the other rounds.
At the conclusion of the 12-round contest, the bout was declared a draw by split decision. Fury and Wilder would meet twice more with Fury managing to pick up two convincing victories.
After the trilogy with Wilder, Fury continued to stop both Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora. In October 2023, Fury had a lackluster performance when he defeated former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou via split decision. Seven months after the Ngannou fight, Fury stepped into the ring for a historic fight.
After dominating the cruiserweight division, Oleksandr Usyk made his heavyweight debut in October 2019 when he stopped Chaz Witherspoon in the seventh round. A year later, Usyk defeated Dereck Chisora via unanimous decision.
The former cruiserweight kingpin will go on to face the unified heavyweight champion of the world. On the night of September 25, 2021, Oleksandr Usyk defeated Anthony Joshua and won their world title fight by unanimous decision. With the win, Usyk became the new WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion of the world.
Eleven months later, the man considered one of the best heavyweights of the era, Anthony Joshua, earned his rematch against Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua made adjustments to make the rematch more competitive, but Usyk was still able to pick up the win by split decision.
Oleksandr Usyk will continue the second successful defense of his unified title by stopping Daniel Dubois in the ninth round. Next on Usyk's agenda was a bout against another heavyweight considered one of the best of the era.
On the night of May 18, 2024, in a fight for the undisputed world heavyweight crown, WBC champion Tyson Fury got off to a good start as he stayed on the outside, used his feints, and consistently landed punches. In Round No. 2, Usyk stayed on his front foot, sliding from side to side and landing both a jab and a left to the body.
For the majority of the first half of the fight, Usyk was the aggressor, but Fury did a good job of controlling the range and boxing off the back foot. After landing hard shots to Usyk's body, Fury ended the sixth round by connecting with a sharp uppercut that hurt Usyk.
During the second half of the fight, the southpaw Usyk continued to press forward, sliding from side to side, applying physical and mental pressure. Late in the ninth round, Usyk landed a powerful left hand that rattled Fury. Usyk proceeded to unleash a flurry of shots as Fury staggered around the ring until he eventually fell.
Fury survived the knockout, but down the stretch, Usyk was the stronger, more active fighter. At the conclusion of the 12-round contest, Oleksandr Usyk won via split decision and became the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999.
Usyk also achieved the feat of winning the undisputed crown in two divisions. Weeks after his historic victory, Usyk was stripped of his International Boxing Federation title. Now, the rematch against Tyson Fury is a unified world title match.
Tyson Fury is key to the rematch because he is the man who has to make the adjustments. For the first half of the first fight, Fury was boxing well off the back foot until he made a critical mistake. So the question is: Will Fury try to repeat his performance while overlooking the mistake, or will he fight to the front and be the aggressor?
Oleksandr Usyk is a nightmare to compete with as he has the boxing skills, footwork, and round IQ. His opponent, Tyson Fury, is a master when it comes to making the necessary adjustments. However, on December 21, when Usyk and Fury face each other for the second time, will it be a repeat or redemption?
