In May, Oleksandr Usyk completed his mission, defeating Tyson Fury via split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the modern four-belt era. On Saturday in Saudi Arabia, Usyk will be looking for a repeat performance when he rematches Fury, this time with three world titles on the line.
Usyk was stripped of the IBF championship to proceed with a contractually mandated rematch with Fury, though the lack of four world titles from the first meeting did nothing to diminish the excitement or importance of this rematch.
The first meeting was the first time Fury had suffered defeat as a professional, having been unbeaten in 35 previous bouts that had seen him reign as two-time world champion. Fury started that fight well, using his size and reach to keep the much smaller Usyk in range. Fury was so comfortable in the first round that he repeatedly danced and showboated, seemingly as if the fight was in his hands.
Usyk was able to make the necessary adjustments as the fight unfolded and not only began to use his boxing skills successfully, but also scored a knockdown in Round 9. A perfect left hook landed on Fury and Usyk’s following flurry sent Fury down for 6. Foot-9 stumbled into the corner of the frame where it was ruled the ropes were holding him and thus counted as a knockdown.
That knockdown was the difference between a split decision win and a split draw for Usyk, with one judge scoring Fury 114-113 and Usyk scoring two 115-112 and 114-113. Had Usyk not produced a knockdown for the 10-8 ninth round, that third card would have been 114-114.
“There’s going to be a lot of hurt and pain in this fight, I’ve got nothing to say, you see,” Fury said. “The talk is done. The first fight, I talked, I joked about my whole career. This time I’m serious, I’m going to do some damage here Saturday night. Watch me go to work.”
Usyk’s win runs his career record to 22-0. More impressive than his unblemished record, Usyk has managed to go uncontested in two different weight classes.
“Now we just have the performance. The discussion, the cameras, the lights, the kind of show. Everything is going to take place on Saturday night the 21st,” Usik said at the final press conference. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t leave you alone. See you on Saturday.”
Usyk raced through the cruiserweight division before combining four world titles at 200 pounds at the World Boxing Super Series in 2018. In October 2019, Usyk moved up to heavyweight with a win over Chazz Witherspoon. After two fights, he defeated Anthony Joshua to capture the IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles.
“I’m not going to talk about great fights and great fighters because it’s going to be a great fight, and these are great fighters. I’m not only Tyson Fury’s co-promoter, I’m a Tyson Fury fan. If anyone saw the second Wilder fight, Tyson knew that What he has to do and win that fight in real one-sided fashion,” said CEO Bob Aram. “I’m looking forward to him fighting like that again, and Saturday night will be successful. That being said, he’s up against a tough, skilled Ukrainian. Personally, like many Americans, I’m very proud of his people, how hard they’re fighting, and what they’ve done typifies the strength of Ukraine, but on Saturday night he’s fighting one of the best heavyweights of all time. Time, Tyson Fury I am very confident that our man Tyson will be victorious.”
Now the two meet again with a legacy on the line. Can Fury make the necessary adjustments to maintain his early momentum from the first fight or will Usyk defeat the giant again and prove his place atop the heavyweight division?
The undercard was set for a tough match-up between Serhiy Bohachuk and Israel Madrimov at junior middleweight. Unfortunately, Madrimov was forced to withdraw from the fight after contracting bronchitis during training camp. His next appearance is expected to be on the February 22 main event card featuring Artur Beterbev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 where he will face another top contender in Virgil Ortiz.
Instead, Bohachuk will face Ishmael Davis. Elsewhere on the card, more heavyweights support the main event. Rising teenage phenom Moses Itauma is back in action as he takes on veteran Demsey McKean. The 19-year-old has thrilled early in his career, scoring eight knockouts in 10 professional fights. His last was most impressive when he stopped veteran Mariusz Wach in the second round in July. He gets a durable veteran in McKean, who is coming off the first loss of his professional career when he was stopped by Filip Horgovich in August.
Let’s take a closer look at the rest of the undercard before making a prediction and expert picks on the main event.
Usyk vs. Fury 2 fight card, odds
- Alexander Usik (C)-140 Vs. Tyson Fury +110, Unified Heavyweight Title
- Serhii Bohachuk -950 Vs. Ishmael Davis +600, Jr. Middleweight
- Musa Itauma -1400 vs Demsey McKean +750, Heavyweights
- Johnny Fisher -1400 vs. Dave Allen +700, Heavyweights
- Peter McGrail -450 vs. Rhys Edwards +320, Jr. Featherweights
- Lee McGregor -190 vs. Isaac Lowe +150, Featherweight
Where to watch Usyk vs. Fury 2
- Date: 21 December
- Location: Kingdom Arena — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Start Time: 10 a.m. ET
- How to watch: DAZN PPV (Price: $39.99)
prediction
It’s hard to shake the image of Fury on the ropes when Usyk was on the verge of scoring a stoppage. Usyk was so good in the second half of the fight that it erased a great early showing from Fury. What Fury needs to manage is building that momentum without letting Usyk get comfortable. The biggest question heading into Saturday is whether Fury has developed a gameplan that can throw Usyk away, as Usyk found Fury midway through the first fight and never looked back.
Fury dedicates himself to the craft in a new and intense way before his second shot at Usi. Still, it’s hard to imagine that a fighter of Usyk’s skill could create wrinkles that Fury couldn’t adapt to. Expect a fight that may not be as exciting as the first meeting, but it still produces some drama before Usyk bounces back in the second half to retain his title again. Pick: Aleksandar Usyk via UD
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